(Almost entirely) Cosmetic Ideas

Stefan
Administrator

Posts: 993

(Almost entirely) Cosmetic Ideas Mar 25, 2022 5:32:32 GMT -5

Quote

Post by Stefan on Mar 25, 2022 5:32:32 GMT -5

The OPTIONS - SCREEN panel might benefit from some minor description changes to reflect some new capabilities which were introduced a few versions ago.

I suggest changing descriptions from
   Status Line    BG2 Alternate
FM Quick Launch Bar              BG2 Alternate
Messages / Errors                BG2 Alternate

to
   Status Line - Standard           BG2 Alternate
   FM Quick Launch Bar - Inactive   BG2 Active
Messages - Informational         BG2 Errors

Controversially, it also occurs to me that one could free up two more colour schemes for users.

I do recall that scheme colours are all handled in 'bits' so this probably entails a whole lot of messy and unnecessary changes to Scheme numbers.

If so, just chuckle with derision and ignore me :-)

The OPTIONS - SCREEN panel has 4 entries...

Active Tab Modified BG2 Alternate

Active Tab Unmodified BG2 Alternate

Inactive Tab Modified BG2 Alternate

Inactive Tab Unmodified BG2 Alternate

Each has a one Foreground and two background colour options. As it stands, the BG2 option is redundant for these entries.

Given that users are accustomed to the foreground colour signalling modified and the background depicting active/inactive, you could replace the 4 entries with just two.

Modified Tab - Active BG2 Inactive

Unmodified Tab - Active BG2 Inactive

George
Administrator

Posts: 4,063

(Almost entirely) Cosmetic Ideas Mar 25, 2022 10:53:02 GMT -5

Quote

Post by George on Mar 25, 2022 10:53:02 GMT -5

Stefan: The text changes should be trivial, as long as the BG2 strings are not just loaded in a simple loop.

You're right, the freeing up of the Schemes entails some careful review of the bit handling. The attribute word is 3 bit fields, so it's trick to ensure all the places that mask out the fields are modified. I didn't do so well the last time I changed something.

George

Stefan Administrator Posts: 993	(Almost entirely) Cosmetic Ideas Mar 25, 2022 14:39:53 GMT -5 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by Stefan on Mar 25, 2022 14:39:53 GMT -5 No worries. I have to agree that the addition of two more SCHEMES for users isn't really enough of an incentive to mess around with such a sensitive area.

(Almost entirely) Cosmetic Ideas

Post by Stefan on Mar 25, 2022 5:32:32 GMT -5

Post by George on Mar 25, 2022 10:53:02 GMT -5

Post by Stefan on Mar 25, 2022 14:39:53 GMT -5