dim-unfocused-windows@retiarylime: Add new extension, initial release

dim-unfocused-windows@retiarylime/CHANGELOG.md

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+# Changelog
+
+All notable changes to the Dim Unfocused Windows extension will be documented in this file.
+
+The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/),
+and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
+
+## [1.1.0] - 2025-10-22
+
+### Added
+- ✅ **NEW** - Separate opacity and brightness controls for independent visual effects
+- ✅ **NEW** - Keyboard shortcut to toggle dimming on/off (default: Super+Shift+D)
+- ✅ **IMPROVED** - Enhanced dialog window detection and exclusion
+- ✅ **IMPROVED** - Simplified settings interface with cleaner organization
+
+### Changed
+- 🔄 **BREAKING** - Removed "Enable dimming" checkbox - extension is always active
+- 🔄 **BREAKING** - Removed "Dimming method" selection - now applies both opacity and brightness simultaneously
+- 🔄 **BREAKING** - Replaced single "dim" slider with separate "opacity" and "brightness" sliders
+- 🔄 **BREAKING** - Removed "Dim minimized windows" option for simplified behavior
+- 🔄 **UPDATED** - Opacity slider: 0-100% (default 70%) - controls window transparency
+- 🔄 **UPDATED** - Brightness slider: 0-100% (default 70%) - controls window darkness/lightness
+- 🔄 **UPDATED** - Brightness uses Clutter.BrightnessContrastEffect for true brightness control
+
+### Technical Improvements
+- 🎯 **ENHANCED** - Dual visual effects: opacity reduction + brightness darkening
+- 🎯 **ENHANCED** - Keybinding system with proper setup/cleanup and conflict handling
+- 🎯 **ENHANCED** - Improved window type detection for dialogs and modal windows
+- 🎯 **ENHANCED** - Better state management for toggle functionality
+- 🎯 **ENHANCED** - More precise brightness control using Clutter effects
+
+### Verified Working
+- ✅ Separate opacity and brightness controls working independently
+- ✅ Keyboard toggle (Super+Shift+D) enables/disables dimming instantly
+- ✅ Dialog windows properly excluded when setting is enabled
+- ✅ Smooth animations for both opacity and brightness changes
+- ✅ Real-time settings updates without restart required
+
+## [1.0] - 2025-10-21
+
+### Added
+- ✅ **WORKING** - Initial release of Dim Unfocused Windows extension
+- ✅ **WORKING** - Automatic dimming of unfocused windows (70% opacity / 179/255)
+- ✅ **WORKING** - Real-time focus detection and window state management
+- ✅ **WORKING** - Smooth animation transitions (300ms easeInOutQuad)
+- ✅ **WORKING** - Multi-application support (Terminal, VS Code, Browser, etc.)
+- Configurable opacity settings (10-95%) via settings panel
+- Multiple animation easing options (linear, quad, cubic variants)
+- Smart window filtering:
+  - Option to exclude dialog windows
+  - Option to include/exclude minimized windows
+  - Automatic exclusion of system windows (desktop, dock, notifications, etc.)
+- Settings panel with organized sections
+- Support for Cinnamon 4.0 through 6.2
+- Proper state management and cleanup
+- Signal management for performance optimization
+- Window state tracking with original opacity preservation
+
+### Technical Features
+- Uses native Cinnamon APIs for window management (`global.get_window_actors()`)
+- Implements proper extension lifecycle (init, enable, disable)
+- Memory efficient with automatic cleanup
+- Compatible with existing window management extensions
+- Follows Cinnamon extension development best practices
+- Robust error handling and fallback to defaults
+
+### Verified Working
+- ✅ Focus detection between Terminal, VS Code, Brave browser, Extensions panel
+- ✅ Smooth dimming: unfocused windows → 179 opacity (70% visible)
+- ✅ Smooth restoration: focused windows → 255 opacity (100% visible)
+- ✅ Real-time updates with sub-second response time
+- ✅ Proper cleanup on disable
+
+### Documentation
+- Comprehensive README with installation and usage instructions
+- Inline code documentation with detailed logging
+- Troubleshooting guide with working solutions
+- Technical implementation details

dim-unfocused-windows@retiarylime/README.md

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+# Dim Unfocused Windows
+
+A Cinnamon extension that automatically dims unfocused windows to enhance visual clarity and reduce distractions by making it easier to identify the active window.
+
+![screenshot](screenshot.png)
+![screenshot2](screenshot2.png)
+<p align="center">
+<img src="settings.png" width="500">
+<p/>
+
+## Features
+
+1. **Automatic Dimming**: Windows automatically become semi-transparent when they lose focus
+2. **Smooth Animations**: Configurable transition animations with multiple easing options for a polished experience
+3. **Customizable Effects**: Adjust opacity (0-100%) and brightness (0-100%) levels to suit your preferences
+4. **Smart Filtering**: Option to exclude dialog windows and system windows
+5. **Performance Optimized**: Lightweight implementation with minimal system impact
+6. **Keyboard Toggle**: Quick keyboard shortcut (default: Super+Shift+D) to temporarily disable/enable dimming
+7. **Real-time Settings**: Changes to settings are applied immediately without restart
+8. **Multi-Application Support**: Works seamlessly across Terminal, browsers, editors, and other applications
+
+## Requirements
+
+This extension requires Cinnamon 4.0 or better.
+
+## Limitations
+
+1. The dimming effect applies visual filters to window actors, which may interact differently with certain window types or themes
+2. In some cases, window decorations or borders may not dim consistently with the window content
+3. The brightness effect relies on Clutter's brightness/contrast effects, which may not be available in all Cinnamon versions (though supported versions should work fine)
+4. Dialog windows are excluded by default to prevent issues with modal dialogs and file choosers, but it may be inconsistent in some cases
+
+## Installation
+
+<!-- This extension is available on Cinnamon Spices. It can be installed directly from within Cinnamon using the "Extensions" application under the "System Settings".
+
+[Dim Unfocused Windows on Cinnamon Spices](https://cinnamon-spices.linuxmint.com/extensions/view/XXX) -->
+
+For the latest development version, follow these instructions to install manually:
+
+1. Clone the repository (or download the latest release by clicking the green "Code" button above, then "Download ZIP")
+
+   ```
+   git clone https://github.com/retiarylime/dim-unfocused-windows.git
+   ```
+
+2. If you downloaded a ZIP, extract it into a directory of your choice
+
+   ```
+   unzip ~/Downloads/dim-unfocused-windows-main.zip
+   ```
+
+3. Change directory to the cloned repository or extracted ZIP file
+
+4. Copy or link the "dim-unfocused-windows@retiarylime" directory into the "~/.local/share/cinnamon/extensions/" directory
+
+   ```
+   cp -r $PWD/files/dim-unfocused-windows@retiarylime ~/.local/share/cinnamon/extensions/
+   ```
+
+5. Open the Cinnamon Extensions application (Menu → Preferences → Extensions)
+
+6. Find "Dim Unfocused Windows" in the list and click the "+" button to enable it
+
+7. Click the settings (gears) icon to open the settings panel and configure your preferences
+
+## Settings
+
+### Unfocused Window Effects
+- **Opacity**: Control how transparent unfocused windows become (0-100%, default: 70%)
+- **Brightness**: Adjust the brightness level of unfocused windows (0-100%, default: 70%)
+
+### Animation Settings
+- **Animation duration**: Set the speed of the dimming transition (0-1000ms, default: 300ms)
+- **Animation type**: Choose from various easing curves (linear, quadratic, cubic) for smooth transitions
+
+### Other Settings
+- **Exclude dialog windows**: Prevent dimming of dialog boxes, file choosers, and preference windows
+- **Toggle keybinding**: Set a keyboard shortcut to quickly enable/disable dimming (default: Super+Shift+D)
+
+## How It Works
+
+The extension monitors window focus changes using Cinnamon's built-in signals:
+- When a window gains focus, all other windows are dimmed
+- When a window loses focus, it gets dimmed unless it becomes the new focused window
+- Window states are tracked to preserve original opacity values
+- Smooth animations provide visual feedback during transitions
+
+## Technical Details
+
+- Uses `Meta.Display` focus signals for window tracking
+- Leverages `Clutter.Actor` opacity manipulation for visual effects
+- Implements `Clutter.BrightnessContrastEffect` for brightness control
+- Utilizes `Tweener` for smooth animations
+- Employs `Settings.ExtensionSettings` for configuration management
+- Follows Cinnamon extension best practices for lifecycle management
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+**Extension not working after installation:**
+- Restart Cinnamon (Alt+F2, type 'r', press Enter)
+- Check if the extension is enabled in Settings → Extensions
+- Look for error messages in `~/.xsession-errors` or run `journalctl -f` while enabling
+
+**Performance issues:**
+- Reduce animation duration in settings
+- Consider reducing the number of open windows to improve performance
+
+**Windows getting minimized instead of dimmed:**
+- This was fixed in v1.0 - ensure you're using the latest version
+- Restart Cinnamon after updating (Alt+F2, type 'r', press Enter)
+
+**Windows not restoring properly:**
+- Disable and re-enable the extension
+- Check for conflicts with other window management extensions
+- Use the keyboard toggle (Super+Shift+D) to reset the extension state
+
+**Settings not applying:**
+- Changes should apply immediately, but you can restart Cinnamon if needed
+- Check the extension logs in `~/.xsession-errors` for any errors
+
+**Conflicts with other extensions:**
+- If you have installed any window management or transparency-related extensions, ensure they don't conflict with Dim Unfocused Windows. You may need to disable them if you experience issues
+
+## Feedback
+
+Feel free to open an [issue](https://github.com/retiarylime/dim-unfocused-windows/issues) on this [GitHub repository](https://github.com/retiarylime/dim-unfocused-windows) if you want to make a suggestion or report a problem.
+
+If you like this Cinnamon extension, "star" this GitHub repository to encourage continued development. Thanks!
+
+## Credits
+
+This extension was developed following Cinnamon extension development best practices and utilizes the standard Cinnamon APIs for window management and visual effects.
+
+## License
+
+This extension is released under the MIT License. See the [LICENSE](LICENSE) file for details.
+
+## Contributing
+
+Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit issues, feature requests, or pull requests.
+
+## Changelog
+
+See CHANGELOG.md for detailed version history.