I like colorful

[Irene_he]

What is your GUI color? I use to paint it colorful, blue, yellow, pink, brown, green...most time I'm getting along ok with my customers, but occasionally I get some "rework" request on my color scheme.

There was one time my customer called me said he had something to discuss with me. He first told me that how wonderful my software worked (ok, I like that very time he said that ), but then I could feel that he had something to say, he tried to put in a nice and easy way. "Is it hard or even possible to change the curve color? I hope it's not a lot of work. You know, Irene, the customers they don't like the pink." "Oh really! well...I'll see what I can do" I replied reluctantly. So I added to my change list.

The other case my customer wrote me and saying that they needed to have a meeting discussing the color scheme of the GUI and complained my GUI contrast was too high. (I guessed that hurted their eyes ). But I didn't hear from him for a couple of days until I got another e-mail saying "xxxxx" liked my GUI color very much. It turned out that the very end user is a female. See, there are same mind people on the earth.

I enjoy discrepancy.

What are your funny experiences?

Have a nice weekend.

Irene

[jpdrolet]

On the other end of the spectrum (pun intended) I use system colors and dialog controls. At least they adapt to the color scheme of the OS...

[noxus]

On the other end of the spectrum (pun intended) I use system colors and dialog controls. At least they adapt to the color scheme of the OS...

6053[/snapback]

I agree, sticking with the default colors keeps my customers happy.

Especially if you write software for operators (continuous use) you don't want to use exotic color schemes.

[Irene_he]

I can understand both of you. You are dealing with the "Terminator" alike customers

[peteski]

Well, I'm afraid I'm going to show my engineering "roots" with this one. In developing many of the test systems I work with, some of them are operated in laser labs where the users need to be able to see the screen and differentiate the colors while wearing laser safety goggles. These goggles highly absorb particular wavelengths, so the usable color pallette is somewhat reduced. Often such labs are dark as well, so black or dark grey backgrounds become necessary as not to add too much to the background light that might find its way to detectors. The following is an example:

In fact when the project manager stopped by and saw the screen he made a comment about not liking the colors. I instructed him of the purpose behind the color scheme and handed him a pair of laser goggles I had on hand. That changed his mind on the color scheme immediately (he was truly an engineer at heart!) :thumbup:

-Pete Liiva

[skywalkerxp]

I like to use Blue BG with Grey White FG, That's look very common in lab.

[pallen]

I tend to start off with the default theme. Then add a little "flare" once I've got the core of the code working the way I want it.

I've only delivered a few completed projects since I started with LV. But one of things I like to do is grab stuff from the customer's web site. (if they have one)

Gimp is a great (free) tool for reworking things like logos and borders etc.

I've not reworked any controls or displays yet. Although I did quite a bit of that when I was using Visual Designer. LV's default set is so much prettier than what I was used to, that I probably won't feel the need to "tweak" for quite some time.

[Yair]

You might wish to search for Greg's presentation from one of the NIweeks (I think it was 2000) called "The good, the bad and the Ugly", where he shows a nice example of how to analyze the problems with a UI and correct them.

The things I write are usually not for scientists and engineers, but for simpler people, and can involve running complex systems, sometime with touch screens, which are harder to design for (you need larger buttons, can't really use menus). A favorite technique is taking a relevant picture and using that as part of the interface. If the picture is too colorful, reducing the amount of color helps to make the indicators stand out (the same thing that happens when winXP's shutdown dialog pops up, and I swear I thought about it before them, or at least before they published XP). That makes it much clearer to the operator, better than any text label can.

I agree that using gray as the background is usually good, because it helps make your stuff stand out, and that using too many colors is usually bad, because then nothing stands out. A good UI should be clear to the operator.

[Michael Aivaliotis]

Too many colours: Bad.

Default OS attributes + colors: Good.

Icons on buttons with text: Good.

BTW, Irene, To reduce the amount of work, reduce the colors. Use the OS attribute. This way if they don't like the colors then let them change the OS colors which in turn will automatically change your panel colors.

PS. Color=US, Colour=Canadian\British.

[Irene_he]

Ok, Ok, I get what you guys all saying, using system/OS coloUr (Ok I want to be more canadian), attributes. But good programming habit maybe one thing, but not the only thing, colours will brighten up your mood which will make you more creative, don't you get that?

Another thought just came cross my mind, maybe the LabVIEW programming language should add personality toolkit to it. Personalities like cool (buttons when you press them, they don't react anything), emotional (buttons when mouse just barely over them, trigger the event) and maybe a nagging button for software protection and license warning.

Irene