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I want to make a background process, that changes Taskbar color on some occasions.
For example, it is currently black (0,0,0):

enter image description here

UPD: the language I am going to use is Ruby, so I thought that knowing the correct WinAPI function name would be enough to success.

Nakilon
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  • This is not possible. Windows Themes allow the user to decide on the colors used system-wide, and applications can't override them. (And trying to do so isn't appropriate; the UI belongs to the user, and they should decide what colors are used.) – Ken White Aug 03 '14 at 05:14
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    @KenWhite, no problem if solution would be system-wide. – Nakilon Aug 03 '14 at 05:25
  • As I just said, *that's not possible*. It's the *user's choice*, not the programmers, what colors are used. – Ken White Aug 03 '14 at 05:28
  • Well it's possible, just not through public api. It is the user's choice. – David Heffernan Aug 03 '14 at 08:39
  • @KenWhite I certainly agree with you that the UI belongs to the user, and they should decide what colors are used. Which is why, when IT pushes a `Do not allow color changes` group policy, we re-introduce the UI in a third party tool. Because the UI belongs to the user, and they should decide what colors are used. [*Setting a policy to remove the user interface for a feature is like removing the staircase that leads to the second floor to keep people out. If you let them bring a ladder, then they can still get up there*](https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20080131-00/?p=23633) – Ian Boyd Oct 01 '16 at 13:09

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Seems like there is undocumented function DwmSetColorizationParameters, that was successfully used

in C++: http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/610909/Changing-Windows-Aero-Color
in AutoIt: http://www.autoitscript.com/forum/topic/141495-change-windows-7-aero-color/
in VB: http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/ru-RU/99240c0d-0b05-49ae-81da-62f2992aecf0

But my naive Ruby approach to call this function by name gives LoadError: unknown symbol "DwmSetColorizationParameters". I wonder if it is possible to get this function by address.

Nakilon
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