Shadows: Rule 2 - The Zero-Alpha Limitation
Android calculates drop shadows based on the opacity of an object's fill. It utilizes a binary optimization rule:
- If a Shape Resource has an Alpha Fill opacity of exactly
00(the first two characters in the ARGB code, representing 0%), the engine determines the object is completely invisible.
- Result: It entirely skips the shadow calculation to save processing power. Furthermore, if the Alpha Fill opacity is 0%, the engine will also refuse to render any borders applied to that shape, causing the entire object to completely vanish from the screen.
To visualize this note the following test images (Test 2, Test 3, and Test 4) all have 00 Alpha, thus no shadow or shape.
 |  |
Comments & Feedback
Toby Lancer is ready to help! Look for the Quick Help form:
► Desktop: left sidebar located near the bottom for Private to Admin
► Mobile: 3-bar menu at page top.
► Use the Discussion section below to share any experiences and communications with other Total Launcher users.
► Any Registered User can directly update this and any wiki page if desired.
Moderation: To keep the manual clean, all comments are held for appropriateness review. Preview any comment before submitting it. It will not display after submission until reviewed. So, please, do not resubmit.
Formatting: If using any code snippets place them inside code tags (e.g., 'code') using double single quotes (') before and after to keep them readable.
Be Kind: This is a community effort. Please keep feedback constructive and on topic.
~~DISCUSSION~~