Fluentterminal: Terminal transparency should be preserved even when FluentTerminal is not the active window

[raw-egg]

The acrylic style terminal is a wonderful feature, but we sorely need an option to preserve transparency when working in other windows, the opaque black on inactive state isn't ideal.

[Ronkiro]

I think this also occurs when changing the configs

[kamenminkov]

I think what we have now properly follows the fluent design guidelines - for reference, any modern MS app does that. Still, it would be nice to have as a feature.

[Toby56]

I think this is just the way acrylic works, but if there was a way to get around it that would be amazing!

[patricknelson]

Since this is completely subjective (and since it's happening), I think it should be completely configurable. It does make _some_ sense, because unfortunately the new Windows antipattern of hiding the title bar (presumably done to save space) now necessitates finding some other _non-standard way_ to indicate window focus (e.g. imperceptible font color changes in the title bar or slight shadows, for example, like in Microsoft Office or Windows 10's awful settings interface). Or in this case, the unexpected toggling on/off of acrylic (assuming you even have it enabled). 🤦‍♂️

Another degree of subjectivity is on if it should have more or less transparency depending on focus state. Logically, some folks may want it to be more opaque when it has focus (not less, like current functionality). In my case, I'd prefer it not to change at all. Thus my reasoning for making both states (focus & blur) completely configurable.

For now, my _only_ visual cue will end up being the block cursor (i.e. solid block on focus, empty rectangle on blur); which helps, I guess.

[Toby56]

@patricknelson I'm 99% sure that disabling the opaqueness on unfocus is not an option to a normal uwp app. So it's not really a question of preference. I think windows does this for performance (so there aren't too many acrylic surfaces at once). The only time I've seen an acrylic window persist when not focused, is when you hack the acrylic effect into an electron app, which is quite a different thing.

I don't really like it either, but nothing you can do.

[patricknelson]

That makes sense, particularly since it's outside of the scope of the app itself. Plus, if you do it, you should conform to standards as much as possible just to reduce the PoLA for new users.

I guess it'd be best to petition to have MS change how they implemented it (i.e. better configurability). I mean, if you're balling with a new high end graphics card, the acrylic affect shouldn't matter to you. 😏 Either way I guess this issue is a nonstarter.