Re: A unified color scheme?

[Thomas Beierlein]

Am Sun, 24 May 2020 07:38:35 -0500
schrieb Nate Bargmann <address@hidden>:

> * On 2020 24 May 02:46 -0500, Thomas Beierlein wrote:
>  
> > it is as soon as TLF does not know the TERM setting. Atm it
> > recognizes 'xterm', 'xterm-256color' and 'rxvt' (with
> > 'rxvct-unicode' added in next days). All other settings will
> > respect TLFCOLORS.  
> 
> I'd like to think we could maintain the current palette with those
> TERM types but also respect TLFCOLORSn.
> 
Feel free to experiment in that direction. The relevant parts are in
main.c, function ui_init() which parses the TERM variable,
ui_color_init() which sets the colors and in parse_logcfg.c the parsing
of the TLFCOLOR settings (it seems we have 8 colors but TLFCOLOR allows
only to change 6 of them - another long standing bug....).

There is one additional function modify_attr() in ui_utils.c which adds 
BOLD if not in xterm or urxvt. I think that is the place where the
additional highlighting for linux console takes place.

> > As handling of STANDOUT, BOLD and other attributes are inconsistent
> > between the emulators I could check I fear that we will not be able
> > to reach that goal.   
> 
> At the risk of being critical, as I see it, the real culprit is the
> general use of STANDOUT for many screen elements.  Yet, I do see its
> value and why Rein originally chose to go this route.  At that time
> the default VGA console screen was often not as bright as the GUI
> screen owing to each being different hardware, as I understand it, and
> especially with portable operations outdoors the use of STANDOUT gave
> text that was readable under such conditions.  The Linux console
> appears to be unique in its ability to display bright text on a bright
> background.  This has carried forward now where the framebuffer is
> used for the console.
> 
Hmm. I always got the idea that the extensive use of STANDOUT was
prompted by the wish to get a white background for the program. Without
it you will get only gray and that does not look so good in the linux
console. The other colors were chosen for a good contrast.

But anyway I spent a lot of time in last years trying to get a
consistent color experience - I assume quite a bit of my gray hairs are
coming from that direction. So any ideas and contributions are welcome.

73 for now,
        Tom DL1JBE

> The problem is that the GUI terminals lack this ability with STANDOUT.
> I'm not sure if the reason is a technical limitation of X or a design
> decision.  Regardless, these are the things to consider.  One thing
> that might get close to unity is not using STANDOUT but BOLD on a
> normal background on GUI terminals.
> 
> > Just my 2 cents.  
> 
> Valued, as always.
> 
> 73, Nate
> 



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"Do what is needful!"
Ursula LeGuin: Earthsea
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