Question Overlay like xfire?

[xRage]

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Hi, i want to control my Windows Media player from Inside fullscreen applications & games, xfire does this great, for communicating with friends, etc.
but i want just a "skip backwards" and "skip forward" button to appear inside my game window, after a combination of keypresses, like alt+o, not a problem there.
but what is this exactly?
an overlay?
a plugin?
a plugin for what? xfire? windows media player?

thanks in advance!
also some pointers to get me started would be greatly appreciated, i.e. what kinda project is it (windows application/console application)?

 

[xRage]

No ideas?

Doesnt anyone hav any ideas on where i should begin??
thers very limited help online.

 

[MattP]

"An unmanaged C++ library to create, manage and draw to DirectDraw overlays. A C++/CLI wrapper for .NET clients is included.

DirectDraw overlays are special DirectDraw surfaces that are shown over everything else, including full-screen games and applications. They can be used to implement programs like XFire that display information during full-screen game operation."

DirectDraw Overlay Library - Home

Haven't tried it out but seems like a good place to start.

 

[JuggaloBrotha]

This might also help: CodeProject: Overlay Tools. Free source code and programming help

 

[xRage]

Excellent,thanks a million.
any idea how i could call the next or previous buttons of the current windows media player instance?