Windows-Dots

Note

1. Make sure to go through the readme entirely for a complete setup. You are open to choose according to your liking too.
2. $USER - Your User Name
3. If $PROFILE doesn't exist, use this command to create a profile for powershell New-Item -Path $PROFILE -Type File -Force
4. If the above command doesn't work, allow Powershell to sign remote scripts Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope LocalMachine
5. Make sure to create .env for YASB in its default director as some widgets like weather rely on it. Documentation here

Tools Used:

• AltSnap - Resizing window with Alt Key, with ease

• ExplorerPatcher - A good customization tool for Windows 10/11 with extensible features

• Fastfetch - A good CLI tool to fetch information about your system.

• Flow Launcher - Powetoys Run, but way better

• GlazeWM - i3-like window tiling manager, built using Rust

• GlazeWM Autotiler - Implements automatic tiling to GlazeWM

• MacType - If you love MacOS and want better font rendering, this software is a heaven. Recently brought back from dead. Really recommend this. (even though their website is dead, good to see this project active in github)

• Nilesoft Shell - A great context menu customization tool with extensive features, allowing you to add your own context menu options with the help of scripts

• Smooth-Scroll - A paid software with trial period, improves smooth scrolling in Windows and MacOS

• Tacky-Borders - A cool Windows Border Customization without any compromise in resource usage

• Thide - Another goated tool by YASB dev, a lightweight tool to hide taskbar permanently

• WindHawk - Windows Customization made easy. Every user should try this

• Yet Another Status Bar - A status bar with customizations and extensible features, built using Python

Preview:

Rice Setup Guide

Discord QuickCSS

Paste the content from no_rounded.css to any Discord client that has QuickCSS support

ExplorerPatcher

Import the reg file from the directory to the application to use simple alt+tab behavior

Flow Launcher

For an optimal search, make changes to the following plugins

• Web Searches - Change action keyword for google from * to gg
• Program - Index Sources: Tick UWP Apps, Start Menu, Registry; Options: Tick Hide App Path, Hide Uninstallers, Hide Duplicated Apps

Recommended Plugins

• AnyVideo Downloader
• Clipboard+
• Emoji+
• Temp Cleaner - If using scoop add this location to the Temp Folders list C:\Users\$USER\scoop\cache
• Windows Terminal Profiles

To apply the theme, navigate to FlowLauncher directory where it contains the necessary steps documented as images (STILL NEED TO REFINE IT TO SYNCHRONIZE IT WITH WINDOWS THEME MODE)

GlazeWM Autotiler

To install this, you have to install rustup and cargo then use the below command

cargo install --git https://github.com/Dutch-Raptor/GAT-GWM.git --features=no_console

Have already done the required configurations for it in GlazeWM

Nilesoft Shell

Paste the config into the app directory. Make sure to open them as admin.

Oh My Posh

Use robbyrussel theme for minimalism

Before that, create a directory for $POSH_THEMES_PATH

mkdir $env:POSH_THEMES_PATH -Force

Now to apply it, add the following command to $PROFILE

if (Get-Command oh-my-posh -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) {
	oh-my-posh init pwsh --config "$env:POSH_THEMES_PATH\robbyrussell.omp.json" | Invoke-Expression
}

Note

I recommend to install oh-my-posh with scoop package manager as the configuration is provided according to that. You can test with other type of installation and let me know of any issues!

Task Scheduler

Made changes from the base AltDrag config to be optimal for both desktop and laptop users, tacky-borders included

Thide

Open Powershell and type this command

thide enable-autostart

This adds thide to startup to hide taskbar permanently everytime, runs in tray

VSCode

1. Install Custom CSS and JS Loader extension for VSCode
2. Open Command Palette Ctrl + Shift + P then type: Open User Settings (JSON)
3. Paste the below JSON snippet and save it

"vscode_custom_css.imports": [
	        "file:///${env:USERPROFILE}/Documents/VSCode-CSS/no_rounded.css"
]

4. Create a directory named VSCode-CSS in the provided path in the command below or you can just create it manually via file explorer

mkdir -p 'env:USERPROFILE/Documents/VSCode-CSS'

5. Paste the no_rounded.css from CSS-Snippets to the created directory
6. Open Command Palette again and type: Enable Custom CSS and JS Loader then restart VS Code once the prompt shows successful (ignore any warning/errors)
7. You will get a prompt saying 'VSCode is corrupted' ignore it and hide it permanently.

Windhawk

Some useful mods I found for my Windows workflow

• Disable rounded corners in Windows 11 - I hate rounded corners with a square monitors so yes
• Windows 11 Notification Center Styler - Use this to change border to square for and Action Center and Toast Notifications
• Windows 11 Start Menu Styler - To remove rounded borders for it as well
• Windows 11 Taskbar Styler - To make taskbar transparent and configure border for Flyouts
• Windows 11 File Explorer Styler - To remove rounded borders (still buggy and yet to fix)
• Windows 11 Custom Title Bar Colors - For this make sure to add the following process in exclusion list in Advanced tab
  • notepad.exe
  • Taskmgr.exe
  • explorer.exe
  • Flow.Launcher.exe
• Taskbar Height and Icon Size - For the above
• Center Titlebar
• Dark Mode Context Menus
• Explorer Font Changer - Very useful to change fonts system-wide(almost). I prefer Segoe UI Variable Display
• No Focus Rectangle
• Taskbar Tray System Icon Tweaks

For square corners in other windows elements (Action Center, Flyouts, Start Menu), copy the respective file content from Windhawk directory and paste it in Advanced Settings --> Mod Settings in the following mods

• Action Center - Windows 11 Notification Center Styler
• Volume and Brightness Flyouts - Windows 11 Taskbar Styler
• Start Menu and other elements - Windows 11 Start Menu Styler

Changes to be made from some mods

• Taskbar Height and Icon Size - Set taskbar height and all other elements to -1. Then use thide to completely hide it. This is to ensure taskbar isn't visible anymore at any time.
• Taskbar Tray System Icon Tweaks - Hide everything

Windows Terminal

In Settings, go to Rendering section and change Graphics API to Direct2D to fix font rendering issues

YASB

1. To use wallpaper widget, save them in this location $env:USERPROFILE/Pictures/Wallpapers/Home Screen
2. Most of the widgets are customized for you, and YASB has the ability to choose your own widgets on runtime via the context menu in bar
3. For clock widget, the country code uses YASB_CAL_COUNTRY_CODE variable. Make sure to set a country code in your .env file. Check docs here

Zen Browser

Some changes in settings required for a good tiling experience

Type about:config in the search bar and change the following configurations

1. zen.theme.content-element-separation : 0 (You may prefer to keep this default if you love padding)
2. zen.view.experimental-no-window-controls : true
3. Follow the guide here to utilize userChrome.css: Live Editing Zen Theme
4. After enabling the support, paste the CSS for it from CSS-Snippets directory to userChrome.css

Recommended Mods

• No Sidebar Scrollbar