v1.3.0 - Architecture Modernization and Lifecycle Hardening

Highlights in v1.3.0

• GC=0 Architectural Modernization: Zero thread pool allocations and zero sleep threads, using a deterministic tick deadline for display execution pulse.
• Purged DWM Thumbnail Pipeline: Converted host to message-only window (HWND_MESSAGE), completely eliminating DWM compositing handle accumulation and VRAM consumption.
• Encapsulated State Machine: Unified window tracking into a single product-type struct array, preventing array desynchronization during pin compaction.
• Seamless PiP Minimization Defense: Zero-alpha layered masking with HWND_NOTOPMOST demotion and taskbar attachment (WS_EX_APPWINDOW) on iconic transition, eliminating desktop artifacts while preserving taskbar presence.
• Hardened Privilege Boundaries: Explicit UIPI validation and rollback on ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED, plus automatic recovery from abandoned mutexes.
• 19.5 KB Standalone Binary: Recompiled optimized release binary (TopmostDaemon.exe, 19,968 bytes) with zero runtime dependencies and ~2.5 MB steady working set.

Checksums

• TopmostDaemon.exe (19,968 bytes):
  SHA-256: FEA4A8AF916C6E8377FB47A2BC64230EFD91B7923C3024B193B29170B0E9F3A0
• native-topmost-v1.3.0.zip (27,238 bytes):
  SHA-256: 752814F39009D4AB21A74F6811B3EEFF7B6D0A7406DB5583DA7A4788B66580BE

v1.2.0 - Dynamic Morph-Back Focus Recovery and Lifecycle Hardening

Highlights in v1.2.0

• Dynamic Morph-Back Focus Recovery (Vector 45): Pinned media viewports (mpv, VLC, browser PiP) automatically strip WS_EX_NOACTIVATE upon maximize or expansion (>1280x720), restoring keyboard input (spacebar pause, arrow seek, quit) and foreground focus. Restores passive focus-shield when resized back down.
• Graceful Lifecycle Teardown: Build, install, and uninstall scripts now issue a graceful WM_CLOSE handshake before force-termination, guaranteeing window style cleanup and preventing orphaned layered or no-activate attributes on user windows.
• Administrator Elevation Detection: Uninstaller checks Task Scheduler registration runlevel and warns standard users if administrative elevation is required to unregister high-integrity tasks.
• 19.5 KB Standalone Binary: Recompiled optimized release binary (TopmostDaemon.exe, 19,968 bytes) with zero runtime dependencies and ~2.5 MB working set.

Checksums

• TopmostDaemon.exe (19,968 bytes):
  SHA-256: 3376C8F72E367FE1635E481DEF5DA5D7AB56E1A947A90B7E8DD3BEC64C88C5B7
• native-topmost-v1.2.0.zip (36,386 bytes):
  SHA-256: C4E63FBAB3CDA5AFF217ABA34CF4EEC595F4A29F68B305997DB383A5530E1BD7

v1.1.0 - Win32 Topmost Enforcer with MPO Remediation

Highlights in v1.1.0

• MPO Contention Remediation: Built-in compositor defense against Multi-Plane Overlay (MPO) taskbar blackouts and hardware cursor starvation on Intel Gen 9.5 and Optimus systems under Windows 11.
• 19 KB Standalone Binary: Recompiled optimized release binary (TopmostDaemon.exe, 19,456 bytes) with zero runtime dependencies and ~2.5 MB working set.
• Seamless PiP Minimization Defense: Automatic zero-alpha layered transparency and bottom Z-order parking for borderless popup viewports (mpv PiP), preventing desktop iconic titlebar artifacts while preserving taskbar presence.
• Cursor-Aware Targeting: Direct hotkey pinning for floating media and Picture-in-Picture viewports via cursor hover.
• Hardened Deployment: Installer hardened with retry loops against file-lock contention and scoped Task Scheduler registration for standard user privileges.

Checksums

• TopmostDaemon.exe (19,456 bytes):
  SHA-256: C6FDD47A409679E170F1EAC2ADA43DDAF73C3893A9AFC4386A22C62D90413155
• native-topmost-v1.1.0.zip (26,696 bytes):
  SHA-256: 05A4E103543BA2973B21DBB3EDA3718A596125B8832E67F7C6F24F6CF08B959C

v1.0.0 - Native Win32 Topmost Enforcer

Production binary release of native-topmost.

• Binary: 7,680 bytes (7.5 KB)
• RAM: ~2.5 MB
• Hotkey: Win + Ctrl + T
• Zero dependencies. Runs on any Windows 10/11 x64 machine.