Stroke width suggestion

[Hokusai]

For me, the UI for the Stroke colour and width could be refined. Now, the width indicator is always white and it doesn't reflect the current colour that is being used for the stroke. For me, it would be better if the stroke width indicator (if that is what it is called) appeared as the same colour as the stroke that was being applied. Sorry if that isn't so clear but my screen shot should make it clear. 

 

Hokusai

 

PS. I'm loving new beta! 

[Hokusai]

Sorry, for some reason the image didn't appear in my first post (but I'm sure I attached it)! 

 

Hokusai

[LilleG]

If your stroke color was black, how would you see it against the dark background? For me, the current view is better, since the color is shown in a box of its own, and the white shows up well.

[Hokusai]

LilleG,

 

I don't think it would be a problem, at least I don't think so. Your question of "how would you see it against the dark background" applies to the current way of showing the colour as well, doesn't it?  ;) I agree with you, the current method is good, I like that the width of the line changes to give us visual feedback on the actual width but I thought it would be better if the colour of the stroke changed as well. 

 

Hokusai

[Alfred]

I agree with you, the current method is good, I like that the width of the line changes to give us visual feedback on the actual width but I thought it would be better if the colour of the stroke changed as well.

 

If the colour of the stroke is close to the grey of the background, you wouldn't be able to see it. Displaying it in white means that we always get that visual feedback about the width.

 

Your question of "how would you see it against the dark background" applies to the current way of showing the colour as well, doesn't it?

 

With the current way of showing the colour, if you can't see it against the dark background then you know it's a dark grey! ;)

[Hokusai]

If the colour of the stroke is close to the grey of the background, you wouldn't be able to see it. Displaying it in white means that we always get that visual feedback about the width.

 

 

With the current way of showing the colour, if you can't see it against the dark background then you know it's a dark grey! ;)

Alfred,

 

I'm sorry but I think you are missing the point. You said "If the colour of the stroke is close to the grey of the background, you wouldn't be able to see it" and then you said "With the current way of showing the colour, if you can't see it against the dark background then you know it's a dark grey". My point was that the issues brought up by LilleG about the stroke width indicator are also true of the stroke colour indicator. If you use a colour that is close to the colour of the background and you can't see it, but it displays a unit of measurement for the stroke width, then you would know that it is dark grey. Which is exactly what you said in regards to the stroke colour indicator. What is true for one, is true for the other. If they were the same colour, it would always give you visual feedback about the width, in fact more so because it would show you the actual colour of the stroke at the size of the width. This would also be good because you could then possibly combine the stroke colour indicator and the stroke width indicator, thus saving screen space. 

 

I think that there are many ways that the issue could be resolved. For example using a blur or a shadow (as I think it already does) to help to offset the colour that is chosen from the background colour. 

 

Hokusai

[Hokusai]

I worked up another example that better shows what I'm talking about.

 

Hokusai

[LilleG]

Alfred,

 

I'm sorry but I think you are missing the point. You said "If the colour of the stroke is close to the grey of the background, you wouldn't be able to see it" and then you said "With the current way of showing the colour, if you can't see it against the dark background then you know it's a dark grey". My point was that the issues brought up by LilleG about the stroke width indicator are also true of the stroke colour indicator. If you use a colour that is close to the colour of the background and you can't see it, but it displays a unit of measurement for the stroke width, then you would know that it is dark grey. Which is exactly what you said in regards to the stroke colour indicator. What is true for one, is true for the other. 

 

Hokusai

 

Hokusai, what makes dark against dark work for one but not the other is that Fill only needs to display color.  For that, a glance is sufficient and as Alfred said, if you can't see it, you know it's dark gray.  However, Stroke displays not only Color but Style and Cap.  For those, you need to be able to clearly differentiate the display of the stroke from the UI.  

 

I will admit, all of your examples look good...as long as the stroke is a light or bright color but that's not all we use.  

[Alfred]

I'm sorry but I think you are missing the point.

 

I think LilleG has more than adequately addressed that ... er ...point, Hokusai! That aside, I like your examples and I think your Figure D 'stroke colour offset' idea would work quite well.

[Hokusai]

For me, I like having the visual feedback that matches exactly what I'm doing. I don't think there would be any issues if something like my Figure D (with an offset colour) was used. It would show the style, the end cap and the colour, no problem! I think with a little work a solution could be found that would work for every situation.  

 

Hokusai

[LilleG]

A thing the programmers would have to consider if they implemented your Figure D would be making sure that the offset always contrasted with the Stroke color.  A white offset behind a white stroke would present the same problems as a black Stroke against the currently black UI.   And not being a programmer, it sounds to me like that could get overly complicated.   (I'm aware that the UI is not pure black but black and white are handy terms for illustration purposes.)

[Alfred]

A white offset behind a white stroke would present the same problems as a black Stroke against the currently black UI.

 

Why would it, Lille? If the stroke is white, you'd see it anyway, and the white offset would merely blur the edges a little. It's kind of like the old movie subtitling trick where you apply a black stroke to the white subtitles: if the image is light you can still see the subtitles because they're delineated by the black stroke, and if the image is dark it doesn't matter that the black stroke is invisible.

[Bri-Toon]

I honestly don't think it's that big of a deal, but I see your point. Besides, the white of the stroke width indicator also stays in theme with the other white icons on the toolbar. The fill and stroke color indicators are exceptional since they actually have to do with color. Someone might be tricked and click on the width icon thinking it means changing its color (since it would stand out).

[Alfred]

Someone might be tricked and click on the width icon thinking it means changing its color (since it would stand out).

 

If Hokusai's idea of combining the stroke colour indicator and the stroke width indicator were adopted, then that kind of confusion would be eliminated (at a stroke, if you'll excuse the pun). ;)

[LilleG]

Currently, if you click on the stroke you get a drop down menu with all the stroke adjustments except color.  Using the Hokusai's outline dealie, what kind of indicator/control panel would there be for you to change the color?

[Bri-Toon]

If Hokusai's idea of combining the stroke colour indicator and the stroke width indicator were adopted, then that kind of confusion would be eliminated (at a stroke, if you'll excuse the pun). ;)

 

True on that, but he wasn't actually talking about combining the indicators. He was talking about combining the colors, as shown in Figure A. So I'm afraid you are disqualified. Just thought I'd "fill" you in (for another pun).

[Alfred]

True on that, but he wasn't actually talking about combining the indicators. He was talking about combining the colors, as shown in Figure A. So I'm afraid you are disqualified. Just thought I'd "fill" you in (for another pun).

 

Maybe you missed this bit:

 

If they were the same colour, it would always give you visual feedback about the width, in fact more so because it would show you the actual colour of the stroke at the size of the width. This would also be good because you could then possibly combine the stroke colour indicator and the stroke width indicator, thus saving screen space.

 

Am I still "disqualified"? :P

[Bri-Toon]

What? But I read it all. He changed his post. I want my money back!

[Alfred]

What? But I read it all. He changed his post. I want my money back!

 

LOL. :D