Making the "help"-screens better readable

[Janno]

The "Help"-screens are displaying a black text on a (dark) blue background.

Therefore the text is not easy readable.

And apart from that, it might be an idea to give the users the possibilty
to enlarge these texts, the fonts-size is rather small.

[ron4mac]

I guess I would have to agree that, in the default 'curve' theme, the help screen lacks some readability. The idea behind having different 'themes' is so that one can make their site have the visual attributes that they prefer. Coppermine comes with 6 sample themes including one to demonstrate theme customization. In your Config menu, you can choose a different theme and the help display will change to how it is defined in that theme. It would seem to me that your needs might be fulfilled by trying the different themes that come with Coppermine to find the one that comes closest to suiting you. Then make a copy of that theme and change it in ways that please you.

[Janno]

Well, an experienced user could walk that path.

But newbies like me for sure are not capable to switch between themes, let alone to change a theme.

Apart from that, al least in the default screens the reasability should be better, since almost any new user will start with that default,
and almost inevitable will need the help-info.

It looks a bit of turning the things upside down.

If another theme will give better readability why not using that theme as default?

[phill104]

I agree the colour is not the best. For CPG1.6 we can look at a better option or you could edit the theme to your needs. As for the font size this is the first time anyone had commented. I find it fine but I can see those with poor sight may not. However, surely a quick zoom on the browser will do the trick?

[Janno]

Still a newcomer, but already learned a little.

Of course an experienced user can change the default. I learned it too!

But the "dummies" are using the default, and far away from changing themes.

Why not change the color of the font in the help-screens from black to (default) white?

The problem with the poor readability of black text on a blue background will be solved by that.

If "form follows function" is a good concept (and I believe that) the function ("readabilty of text") should prevail the form ("layout").

[phill104]

It would take a bit more thought than that I am afraid. The background fades to white at the bottom so the text would become less readable in longer messages. If you wish to change it for your own site it is a minor css change.

[Janno]

I know.

But the font-color does not have to be white does not have to be white. And may be (but I'm not a specialist) you could reverse that fading of the background to the text, in a way that the lighter the background is getting to,  the darker becomes the font?

I'll play-around a little with the CSS.

Thanks.

[phill104]

The design is based on the core theme from SMF Forums, they let us use it by kind permission. The version used for Coppermine was build by Joachim Muller (GauGau) and a fine job he did. I agree with you though that this element is hard to read but due to the way we work it cannot be changed as the core theme until we launch CPG1.6. Modifications such as that can be done then. We have yet to decide whether this theme or a whole new design will be featured with 1.6 but we will bear this in mind.

[Αndré]

I suggest to drop the background for the help boxes in the curve theme and use a background/text color combination with a good contrast, even in cpg1.5.x.

If I remember correctly this has been adressed some time ago. Obviously it hasn't been implemented, either it has been forgot or it wasn't as easy to adjust as I currently assume.

[Αndré]

Better contrast for help boxes when using the theme "curve" has been added in SVN revision 8752. Will be part in cpg1.5.34 and later.