AutoHotkey v2 Dark Mode

ahk_darkmode.ahk

#Requires AutoHotkey v2.0

; This script creates a dark mode for specific windows by inverting their colors.
; It uses the Windows Magnifier in the background for the color inverting, but it only inverts just the rectangle in place
; of the specific windows, NOT the whole screen like the Magnifier applicaion does. This is possible through DLL calls.
; Big thanks to the original source at https://www.autohotkey.com/boards/viewtopic.php?p=563023#p563023.

; Requirements:
;   - AutoHotkey needs to be installed in C:\Program Files (or use the workaround from https://www.reddit.com/r/AutoHotkey/comments/16ux144/ui_access_without_reinstalling_in_program_files_v2/).
;   - In the 'Launch Settings' of 'AutoHotkey Dash' you need to enable 'UI Access'.

; Usage:
; Use Win+i to invert a window manually or add it to the auto_invert_gp group to invert it automatically.

#SingleInstance Force
if (!A_IsCompiled && !InStr(A_AhkPath, "_UIA")) {
	Run "*uiAccess " A_ScriptFullPath
	ExitApp
}

SetTitleMatchMode "RegEx"
; Add Programs for automatic dark mode here:
GroupAdd "auto_invert_gp", "ahk_class #32770", , "Find|Öffnen|Speichern unter"  ; Windows Explorer properties window and many others (but not the file open/save dialog that is already dark)
GroupAdd "auto_invert_gp", "ahk_class OperationStatusWindow" ; Windows Explorer dialogs
GroupAdd "auto_invert_gp", "ahk_exe AutoHotkeyUX.exe"
GroupAdd "auto_invert_gp", "ahk_exe hh.exe"		 ; Windows Help
GroupAdd "auto_invert_gp", "ahk_exe mmc.exe"
GroupAdd "auto_invert_gp", "ahk_exe procexp64.exe"  ; Process Explorer
GroupAdd "auto_invert_gp", "ahk_exe regedit.exe"
GroupAdd "auto_invert_gp", "ahk_exe Taskmgr.exe"
GroupAdd "auto_invert_gp", "ahk_exe WinRAR.exe"

; Add Programs where automatic dark mode should never be applied here:
; This is mostly because they have dialogs that match ahk_class #32770 but are already in dark mode
AutoInvIgnProcName:= ["notepad++.exe"]


#MaxThreadsPerHotkey 2
DetectHiddenWindows true
; SetBatchLines -1
SetWinDelay -1
OnExit Uninitialize

global Inverters := []
global WINDOWINFO
global pTarget := 0


; Color Matrix used to transform the colors
; Special thanks to https://github.com/mlaily/NegativeScreen/blob/master/NegativeScreen/Configuration.cs, they have many more color matrixes.

; I'm not too keen on the maths, so maybe I'm missing some things,
; but here is my basic understanding of what does what in a color matrix, when applied to a color vector:
; r*=x    g+=x*r  b+=x*r  a+=x*r  0
; r+=x*g  g*=x    b+=x*g  a+=x*g  0
; r+=x*b  g+=x*b  b*=x    a+=x*b  0
; r+=x*a  g+=x*a  b+=x*a  a*=x    0
; r+=x    g+=x    b+=x    a+=x    1

; Simple Inversion
MatrixInv := "-1|0|0|0|0|"
		   . "0|-1|0|0|0|"
		   . "0|0|-1|0|0|"
		   . "0|0|0|1|0|"
		   . "1|1|1|0|1"
		
; Smart Inversion
MatrixSmart := "0.333|-0.667|-0.667|0|0|"
			 . "-0.667| 0.333|-0.667|0|0|"
			 . "-0.667|-0.667|0.333|0|0|"
			 . "0|0|0|1|0|"
			 . "1|1|1|0|1"
		
; High saturation, good pure colors
MatrixHigh := "1|-1|-1|0|0|"
			. "-1|1|-1|0|0|"
			. "-1|-1|1|0|0|"
			. "0|0|0|1|0|"
			. "1|1|1|0|1"
		  
; set the wanted color matix
global Matrix := MatrixHigh

inGroup(GroupName, WinTitle := "A", WinText := "", ExcludeTitle := "", ExcludeText := "")
{
	GroupIDs := WinGetList("ahk_group " GroupName)
	Window := WinExist(WinTitle, WinText, ExcludeTitle, ExcludeText)
	Loop GroupIDs.Length
	{
		if (GroupIDs[A_Index] = Window)
		{
			;found match
			return Window
		}
	}
	return false
}


class Inverter
{
	hTarget := ""
	hGui := ""
	hGui1 := ""
	hGui2 := ""
	hChildMagnifier := ""
	hChildMagnifier1 := ""
	hChildMagnifier2 := ""
	xPrev := ""
	yPrev := ""
	wPrev := ""
	hPrev := ""
	stopped := 0
	
	__New(hTarget)
	{
		DetectHiddenWindows true
		this.hTarget := hTarget
		DllCall("LoadLibrary", "str", "magnification.dll")
		DllCall("magnification.dll\MagInitialize")
					
		MAGCOLOREFFECT := Buffer(100, 0)
		Loop Parse Matrix, "|"
			NumPut("Float", A_LoopField, MAGCOLOREFFECT, (A_Index - 1) * 4)
		Loop 2
		{
			gid := hTarget "_" A_Index
			MyGui := Gui(, gid,)
			if (A_Index = 2)
				MyGui.Opt("+AlwaysOnTop")   ; needed for ZBID_UIACCESS
			; +HWNDhGui%A_Index%
			MyGui.Opt("-DPIScale +toolwindow -Caption +E0x02000000 +E0x00080000 +E0x20") ;  WS_EX_COMPOSITED := E0x02000000  WS_EX_LAYERED := E0x00080000  WS_EX_CLICKTHROUGH := E0x20
			MyGui.Show("NA")
			this.hGui%A_Index%:= MyGui.Hwnd
			this.hChildMagnifier%A_Index% := DllCall("CreateWindowEx", "uint", 0, "str", "Magnifier", "str", "MagnifierWindow", "uint", WS_CHILD := 0x40000000, "int", 0, "int", 0, "int", 0, "int", 0, "ptr", this.hGui%A_Index%, "uint", 0, "ptr", DllCall("GetWindowLong" (A_PtrSize=8 ? "Ptr" : ""), "ptr", this.hGui%A_Index%, "int", GWL_HINSTANCE := -6 , "ptr"), "uint", 0, "ptr")
			DllCall("magnification.dll\MagSetColorEffect", "ptr", this.hChildMagnifier%A_Index%, "ptr", MAGCOLOREFFECT)
		}
		gid := hTarget "_" 2
		this.hGui := this.hGui1
		this.hChildMagnifier := this.hChildMagnifier1
		return this 
	}
	
	stop() {
		DetectHiddenWindows true
		if(!this.stopped) {
			this.stopped := 1
			hGui := this.hGui
			WinHide "ahk_id " hGui
			hGui := this.hGui1
			WinHide "ahk_id " hGui
			hGui := this.hGui2
			WinHide "ahk_id " hGui
			
			hChildMagnifier := this.hChildMagnifier
			WinHide "ahk_id " hChildMagnifier
			hChildMagnifier := this.hChildMagnifier1
			WinHide "ahk_id " hChildMagnifier
			hChildMagnifier := this.hChildMagnifier2
			WinHide "ahk_id " hChildMagnifier
		}
	}
	
	start() {
		DetectHiddenWindows true
		if(this.stopped) {
			this.stopped := 0
			
			hChildMagnifier := this.hChildMagnifier
			WinShow "ahk_id " hChildMagnifier
			
			hGui := this.hGui
			WinShow "ahk_id " hGui	
		}
	}

	doit()
	{
		DetectHiddenWindows true
		hTarget := this.hTarget
		hGui := this.hGui
		hGui1 := this.hGui1
		hGui2 := this.hGui2
		hChildMagnifier := this.hChildMagnifier
		hChildMagnifier1 := this.hChildMagnifier1
		hChildMagnifier2 := this.hChildMagnifier2
		hideGui := ""
		
		WINDOWINFO := Buffer(60, 0)
		if (this.stopped or DllCall("GetWindowInfo", "ptr", hTarget, "ptr", WINDOWINFO) = 0) and (A_LastError = 1400)   
		{
			; xx("destroyed")
			return
		}
		if (NumGet(WINDOWINFO, 36, "uint") & 0x20000000) or !(NumGet(WINDOWINFO, 36, "uint") & 0x10000000) 
		{
			; minimized or not visible
			if (this.wPrev != 0)
			{
				WinHide "ahk_id " hGui
				this.wPrev := 0
			}
			sleep 10
			return 1
		}
		x := NumGet(WINDOWINFO, 20, "int")
		y := NumGet(WINDOWINFO, 8, "int")
		w := NumGet(WINDOWINFO, 28, "int") - x
		h := NumGet(WINDOWINFO, 32, "int") - y
		move := 0
		if (hGui = hGui1) and ((NumGet(WINDOWINFO, 44, "uint") = 1) or (DllCall("GetAncestor", "ptr", WinExist("A"), "uint", GA_ROOTOWNER := 3, "ptr") = hTarget))   
		{
			; xx("activated")
			hGui := hGui2
			hChildMagnifier := hChildMagnifier2
			move := 1
			hideGui := hGui1
		}
		else if (hGui = hGui2) and (NumGet(WINDOWINFO, 44, "uint") != 1) and ((hr := DllCall("GetAncestor", "ptr", WinExist("A"), "uint", GA_ROOTOWNER := 3, "ptr")) != hTarget) and hr  
		{
			; deactivated
			hGui := hGui1
			hChildMagnifier := hChildMagnifier1
			WinMove x, y, w, h, "ahk_id " hGui
			WinMove 0, 0, w, h, "ahk_id " hChildMagnifier
			WinShow "ahk_id " hChildMagnifier
			DllCall("SetWindowPos", "ptr", hGui, "ptr", hTarget, "int", 0, "int", 0, "int", 0, "int", 0, "uint", 0x0040|0x0010|0x001|0x002)
			DllCall("SetWindowPos", "ptr", hTarget, "ptr", 1, "int", 0, "int", 0, "int", 0, "int", 0, "uint", 0x0040|0x0010|0x001|0x002)   ; some windows can not be z-positioned before setting them to bottom
			DllCall("SetWindowPos", "ptr", hTarget, "ptr", hGui, "int", 0, "int", 0, "int", 0, "int", 0, "uint", 0x0040|0x0010|0x001|0x002)
			hideGui := hGui2 
		}
		else if (x != this.xPrev) or (y != this.yPrev) or (w != this.wPrev) or (h != this.hPrev)  
		{
			; location changed
			move := 1
		}
		if(move) {
			WinGetPos ,,&_w_, &_h_, "ahk_class Shell_TrayWnd"
			hs := A_ScreenHeight-_h_
			if(y+h>hs) {
				h := hs-y ; escape taskbar
			}
			WinMove x, y, w, h, "ahk_id " hGui
			WinMove 0, 0, w, h, "ahk_id " hChildMagnifier
			WinShow "ahk_id " hChildMagnifier
			WinShow "ahk_id " hGui
		}
		if (A_PtrSize = 8)
		{
			RECT := Buffer(16, 0)
			NumPut("int", x, RECT, 0)
			NumPut("int", y, RECT, 4)
			NumPut("int", w, RECT, 8)
			NumPut("int", h, RECT, 12)
			DllCall("magnification.dll\MagSetWindowSource", "ptr", hChildMagnifier, "ptr", RECT)
		}
		else
			DllCall("magnification.dll\MagSetWindowSource", "ptr", hChildMagnifier, "int", x, "int", y, "int", w, "int", h)
		this.xPrev := x, this.yPrev := y, this.wPrev := w, this.hPrev := h
		this.hChildMagnifier := hChildMagnifier
		this.hGui := hGui
		if hideGui
		{
			WinHide "ahk_id " hideGui
			hideGui := ""
		}
		return 1
	}
}

; Automatically turn on inversion filter
loop 
{	
	DetectHiddenWindows false ;would otherwise find many other windows

	aTarget := WinExist("A")
	if (aTarget != pTarget) { ; other window focused, check if it should be automatically inverted
		pTarget:= aTarget
		GroupIDs := WinGetList("ahk_group auto_invert_gp")

		;Concat := ""
		;For Each, Element In GroupIDs {
		;	If (Concat != "") {
		;		Concat .= "`n"
		;	}
		;	Concat .= Element ": " WinGetProcessName(Element) ;WinGetTitle(Element)
		;}
		;MsgBox Concat
	
		Loop GroupIDs.Length
		{
			hTarget := GroupIDs[A_Index]
			if (hTarget = aTarget) { ;currently focused window in auto_invert_gp group
				found:= 0
				For index, tmp in Inverters {
					if(tmp.hTarget = hTarget) {
						found:= 1
						Break
					}
				}
				if (found = 0) {
					;MsgBox "Invert " hTarget " " WinGetProcessName(hTarget)
					hTargetName:= WinGetProcessName(hTarget)
					ignore:= 0
					Loop AutoInvIgnProcName.Length
					{
						if AutoInvIgnProcName[A_Index] = hTargetName {
							ignore:= 1
							Break
						}
					}
					if (ignore = 0) {
						ToggleInversion(hTarget)
					}
				}
				Break
			}
		}
	}
	
	; Refresh all inverted windows
	For index, tmp in Inverters {
		if(!tmp.stopped) {
			ret := tmp.doit()
			if(!ret) {
				tmp.stop()
				Inverters.removeAt(index)
				Break
			}
		}
	}
}

ToggleInversion(hTarget) {
	found:= 0
	For index, tmp in Inverters {
		if(tmp.hTarget=hTarget) {
			found:= 1
			if(tmp.stopped) {
				tmp.start()
			}
			else {
				tmp.stop()
			}
			Break
		}
	}
	if (found = 0) {
		tmp := Inverter(hTarget)
		Inverters.push(tmp)
	}
}


#i:: ;Win+i
{
	ToggleInversion(WinExist("A"))
}

Uninitialize(ExitReason, ExitCode)
{
  DllCall("magnification.dll\MagUninitialize")
  ExitApp
}

Do you have performance problems? Because for me it runs just fine on a i5-9500M mobile cpu and uses maybe 2-3% cpu when inverting a few windows. I still don't fully understand the code in the Inverter class (i just took it from the mentioned link and changed it from v1 to v2 syntax), so it's difficult for me to improve anything here.

I noticed a slight delay of 1-2 seconds when the Windows Scheduler and other heavy windows open, so I thought to optimize somehow.

I have Windows 11 - AMD 7900X, no performance problems.

• Try to fix a bug when there is a dialog which opens another dialog which opens then another dialog (happens in Visual Studio in the Project Options and some other programs) then the 2nd dialog suddenly stops inverting it's color.

I came across the same thing, there are several other programs that create their own sub-windows, but this is not critical.

• cache the results of calling DllCall("GetWindowInfo", ...): it's only called once and writes in the WINDOWINFO buffer, so i don't see how i could cache something there. Do you have a code example?

• more efficient algorithm to search for an inverter: Do you have a code example? Because i don't know a faster syntax. Also usually there are only a few inverted windows at max, so looping over those few should still be plenty fast. Or do you have a use-case to invert thousands of windows at once?

I don't have an example or similar codes, it was suggested to me by Blackbox AI, and for several days I tried to implement these proposals in various ways :D

---

I want to thank you again! Thank you for sharing the code. Without you, I don't know how much time and effort I would have spent creating a similar script. ❤️❤️