New lmms colors in dev version: heavy on the eyes!

[midi-pascal]

Hi lmms folks,

I download the dev version of lmms from git and build it loosely once a month to be up to date on what's comming in this realm.
I must say I am impressed by the new fonctionalities I can see BUT...
I am a bit deceived by the change in the colors because each time it gets less readable:

• The marks on the rotating knobs are now white on light grey: almost invisible (they are red in 0.4.15))
  The events on the traks are white on a greyed shadow: very difficult to see them, particularly on the upper part (they are orange in 0.4.15)

You know, not anybody has 20 on 10 vision on both eyes - age does not help either - and ears are more important than eyes to make music...
Do you plan to offer the 0.4.15 look in a lmms theme with the future release?
It would be a good idea, on my behalf.
As it goes, I am not sure I will be able to use lmms anymore because of this, even if I love it because of its great features

Thanks for the great job.

[diiz]

You apparently still have 0.4.15 installed as well?

The problem is, you're using old 0.4.15 default theme on 0.9.92. Old themes are not compatible with new LMMS. Go to settings, point the "artwork" directory to the 0.9.92 (the git installation's) theme directory, then restart LMMS.

The theme directory is under (installation path)/share/lmms/themes/default.

[musikbear]

diiz, i unfortunately have to agree. I think i have to raise a ticket on this also, but just to mention one thing : Track names. I had to fully open several tracks in order to read the names i have given them. The tiny font in song-editor is simply not readable. a 'fix' could be to use bold charachters? At least that would make the text stand more out, in respect to the 'ingraved markings' on the greenish colored tracks.
Music is something that many sight impared peeps enjoy. I should know cause i am one.. It is really important that design is not favoured over function. I think either som easy ways for users to change colors /fonts, or some alterations in respect to fonts and colors needs a look-over before 1.0
Headaches and stinging eyes is not good.

[diiz]

diiz, i unfortunately have to agree. I think i have to raise a ticket on this also, but just to mention one thing : Track names. I had to fully open several tracks in order to read the names i have given them. The tiny font in song-editor is simply not readable. a 'fix' could be to use bold charachters? At least that would make the text stand more out, in respect to the 'ingraved markings' on the greenish colored tracks.
Music is something that many sight impared peeps enjoy. I should know cause i am one.. It is really important that design is not favoured over function. I think either som easy ways for users to change colors /fonts, or some alterations in respect to fonts and colors needs a look-over before 1.0
Headaches and stinging eyes is not good.

Design has never been favored over function, the whole redesign of the UI has been done with functionality as the first priority.

As for changing colours of the patterns, that's already possible. Text colour/font changing for pattern names is not going to make it for 1.0.0, but it's on the roadmap. Probably for 1.1.0.

edit:
https://github.com/LMMS/lmms/pull/456

[roy38]

diiz, i unfortunately have to agree. I think i have to raise a ticket on this also, but just to mention one thing : Track names. I had to fully open several tracks in order to read the names i have given them. The tiny font in song-editor is simply not readable. a 'fix' could be to use bold charachters? At least that would make the text stand more out, in respect to the 'ingraved markings' on the greenish colored tracks.
Music is something that many sight impared peeps enjoy. I should know cause i am one.. It is really important that design is not favoured over function. I think either som easy ways for users to change colors /fonts, or some alterations in respect to fonts and colors needs a look-over before 1.0
Headaches and stinging eyes is not good.

Design has never been favored over function, the whole redesign of the UI has been done with functionality as the first priority.

As for changing colours of the patterns, that's already possible. Text colour/font changing for pattern names is not going to make it for 1.0.0, but it's on the roadmap. Probably for 1.1.0.

edit:
https://github.com/LMMS/lmms/pull/456

Oh that will be awesome you can have your own colours for LMMS which will totally personalise the software to one's liking

[Sti-Jay]

Yeah, even more than before is going to be customizable

I will try to make at least one theme for the new version. It might take months, but I think I'll manage

[diiz]

Yeah, even more than before is going to be customizable

I will try to make at least one theme for the new version. It might take months, but I think I'll manage

Well, don't take too long - LMMS is a bit of a moving target these days... if you take months to make a theme by 1.0.0, by that time we're already going to be at 1.2.0 or something

It'd probably be easier to update one of your existing themes to make it work with 1.0.0. I've written a theme porting guide which should help with this task (you can find it on this very forum, or on the wiki).

[midi-pascal]

Hi all who entered this discussion and partcularly diiz,

Thanks for the hint about the default theme remaining from 0.4.15 install.
I re-did my homework: re-checkout, re-build and re-installed the dev version in a different directory, set the theme to the new theme directory and I must say it is at least 200% better on readability.
I can now see the knobs mark (white on dark grey) and white event on blue/greenish tracks.
It is a bit less 3D than it used to be in 0.4.15 (I liked the chromish look) but it is now at least readable for my old eyes and that's the most important thing for me.
I find the new look neat and appealing still the red mark on knobs was easier to see - but this is a matter of personnal taste -.

I - and my eyes - say: thank you