Font settings suggestions

[Sakis]

1. Currently XY uses separate font settings for Interface and dialogs. IMHO these two could be merged into a single one named "Interface Font" that would apply to both dialogs and other interface parts.

2. Something else I've noticed, is that there is no setting for the font used in Preview - Raw View panel (maybe there is but didn't find it).
I think that the "Monospace for RegExp" menu command, could be renamed to something more generic (e.g. Monospace Font) and the selected font used in both regexp and preview panels (using different sizes).

Regards

[admin]

1. Currently XY uses separate font settings for Interface and dialogs. IMHO these two could be merged into a single one named "Interface Font" that would apply to both dialogs and other interface parts.

Yes, I like that idea. I find it confusing myself currently. Simpler is better... Any objections anybody? Did I overlook anything?

2. Something else I've noticed, is that there is no setting for the font used in Preview - Raw View panel (maybe there is but didn't find it).
I think that the "Monospace for RegExp" menu command, could be renamed to something more generic (e.g. Monospace Font) and the selected font used in both regexp and preview panels (using different sizes).

You can set the Raw View font in the raw view context menu.
This is very old code... (from Tracker v1.50 or so)... so it might need a refresh. But you are the first to complain... so I might not be that urgent.

[jacky]

Yes, I like that idea. I find it confusing myself currently. Simpler is better... Any objections anybody? Did I overlook anything?

Well, just that it won't look as good. I mean, I do have Tahoma for Interface and Verdana for Dialogs, and it looks pretty good that way

[admin]

Yes, I like that idea. I find it confusing myself currently. Simpler is better... Any objections anybody? Did I overlook anything?

Well, just that it won't look as good. I mean, I do have Tahoma for Interface and Verdana for Dialogs, and it looks pretty good that way

As I said "Simpler is better... " -- and the most simple for me is to leave all as it is.

[j_c_hallgren]

You can set the Raw View font in the raw view context menu.
This is very old code... (from Tracker v1.50 or so)... so it might need a refresh. But you are the first to complain... so I might not be that urgent.

Given that the other Font settings are within the "View|Font", plus having only the three choices of "Small/Large/Heavy" within context menu (the location of which may not be obvious to new user), moving this to same menu as others would seem to be sensible.

[admin]

You can set the Raw View font in the raw view context menu.
This is very old code... (from Tracker v1.50 or so)... so it might need a refresh. But you are the first to complain... so I might not be that urgent.

Given that the other Font settings are within the "View|Font", plus having only the three choices of "Small/Large/Heavy" within context menu (the location of which may not be obvious to new user), moving this to same menu as others would seem to be sensible.

Yes.

***

Interface Font versus Dialog Font

Maybe the labels are confusing: Interface Font versus Dialog Font? Huh? A bit hard to understand. Also the usage is confusing:

Currently I use Interface Font for following interfaces:
- Main
- Configuration
- Customize Keyboard Shortcuts
- Customize Toolbar
- Tip of the day

And Dialog Font for the following:
- All "Input Boxes" (where the user has to enter/select something, e.g. Go To, Rename Special...
- Update Registration Details
- Search Templates
- List Manager
- Catalog Item Properties
- Copy/Move/Backup To
- Preview Rename

Chaotic? YES! Why? The "Dialog Font" is by default wider (Verdana) than the "Interface Font" (Tahoma). Some of the interfaces did not have enough space for the wider font... and I lost control...

[Sakis]

The "Dialog Font" is by default wider (Verdana) than the "Interface Font" (Tahoma). Some of the interfaces did not have enough space for the wider font... and I lost control...

In Vista, Microsoft tries to fix all that mess, suggesting use of a single font (Segoe UI), in various sizes, for all interface parts.
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa511282.aspx

Article talks about Vista, however similar rules also apply to Windows XP for applications with a consistent look and feel.

[admin]

The "Dialog Font" is by default wider (Verdana) than the "Interface Font" (Tahoma). Some of the interfaces did not have enough space for the wider font... and I lost control...

In Vista, Microsoft tries to fix all that mess, suggesting use of a single font (Segoe UI), in various sizes, for all interface parts.
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa511282.aspx

Article talks about Vista, however similar rules also apply to Windows XP for applications with a consistent look and feel.

In XY, the fonts are in the hands of the user, so bye-bye consistent look and feel...

[Sakis]

In XY, the fonts are in the hands of the user, so bye-bye consistent look and feel.

He he, you're right! Do you know how many times I've seen well known applications using red buttons, huge window bars and green background? After twenty five years on computer market, I still don't understand how (some) users think...

[admin]

In XY, the fonts are in the hands of the user, so bye-bye consistent look and feel.

He he, you're right! Do you know how many times I've seen well known applications using red buttons, huge window bars and green background? After twenty five years on computer market, I still don't understand how users think...

Oh yes! Sometimes I have to look at XYplorer screenshots by users.... man, why did I make colors configurable??

[j_c_hallgren]

1) I took a quick look at that MSDN page...if that page shows that font sample correctly on my system, it was very hard to read, even for those few words...

2) I think jacky should find a good place in the wiki to show that list of which item uses which font (Interface / Dialog) as I didn't know exactly what was used where...the only place it's mentioned now in wiki doesn't seem to lend itself to that chart/list, but I could easily be wrong on that.

3) Regarding colors: I saw many variants back when I worked in a big company walking around the office...some choices were just horrid, IMO, but they liked it...but these were same people who drove purple cars, or bright orange or similar, for example.

[admin]

You can set the Raw View font in the raw view context menu.
This is very old code... (from Tracker v1.50 or so)... so it might need a refresh. But you are the first to complain... so I might not be that urgent.

Given that the other Font settings are within the "View|Font", plus having only the three choices of "Small/Large/Heavy" within context menu (the location of which may not be obvious to new user), moving this to same menu as others would seem to be sensible.

Yes.

***

Interface Font versus Dialog Font

Maybe the labels are confusing: Interface Font versus Dialog Font? Huh? A bit hard to understand. Also the usage is confusing:

Currently I use Interface Font for following interfaces:
- Main
- Configuration
- Customize Keyboard Shortcuts
- Customize Toolbar
- Tip of the day

And Dialog Font for the following:
- All "Input Boxes" (where the user has to enter/select something, e.g. Go To, Rename Special...
- Update Registration Details
- Search Templates
- List Manager
- Catalog Item Properties
- Copy/Move/Backup To
- Preview Rename

Chaotic? YES! Why? The "Dialog Font" is by default wider (Verdana) than the "Interface Font" (Tahoma). Some of the interfaces did not have enough space for the wider font... and I lost control...

I changed the situation! Interface Font is now only used for the main window interface, so from now on these
- Configuration
- Customize Keyboard Shortcuts
- Customize Toolbar
- Tip of the day
use Dialog Font. They are dialogs, right!?

"Interface Font" should be renamed to make this clearer! What about "Main Window Font"?

[Sakis]

Sometimes I have to look at XYplorer screenshots by users.... man, why did I make colors configurable??

You shouldn't! Did you see what MS did with Office 2007? Three color schemes and that's all.
Anyway, I'm just kidding. You did well making colors configurable. After all it's up to users to make a program looking "serious" or like a ...Pantone color guide

[Sakis]

"Interface Font" should be renamed to make this clearer! What about "Main Window Font"?

Hmm, "Interface Font" sounds better to me.

[j_c_hallgren]

My normal font setup is "MS Sans Serif" for Interface and Tahoma for Dialogs, which I like just fine...so I tried setting Dialogs to MS-S-S and then brought up Config dialog...weirdly enough, it seemed harder to read...so I took screen prints of it both ways and then compared side-by-side...yes, even though I find MS-S-S great for main window, on that Config (maybe it's just a matter of being used to other font), it did appear ever slightly more difficult to read...