The Definitive State/Color/Icon Guide

[bonienl]

gif doesn't support transparent colors

I remember doing transparent background colors with gifs years ago.  Am I missing something?

 

With tranparent color, I mean "no background color",  this is definitely not possible in gif format, contrary to png format, but the latter one doesn't support animation.

[limetech]

Don't recall if it shows an icon or not but what about array is in "maintenance mode"?

 

There is no specific 'color' status for that mode, but that's a good reason to add one.

[sparklyballs]

gif doesn't support transparent colors

I remember doing transparent background colors with gifs years ago.  Am I missing something?

 

With tranparent color, I mean "no background color",  this is definitely not possible in gif format, contrary to png format, but the latter one doesn't support animation.

 

 

 

 

test

 

 

 

 

http://graphicdesign.stackexchange.com/questions/39772/making-backgrounds-of-animated-gif-files-transparent

[bonienl]

ok, I eat my words 

 

but it notes ...

 

Also note that GIF files only support 1-bit transparency, which means that the edges of the transparent regions will not be anti-aliased. This is OK as long as the background you're showing the animation on isn't too far from the original background color, but if it is, you may find that there will be some ugly color fringing around the edges of the animation.

 

So how well will this work on a black background, I guess not !!!

 

[trurl]

The darker/lighter approach doesn't work well either with the white/black themes. It may work well in one theme, but is totally indistinguishable in the other theme.

I do remember that problem now that you mention it. I only briefly tried the black theme but quickly decided the white theme was easier to see. I remember when CRTs were light text on dark background and still think the black-on-white "printed page" look is much easier to understand.

 

The idea of animations is a good one for the "modifier" notion I mentioned earlier, but not sure how much can be done with the limited space. I would hate for the page layout to bloat and I have a small array. (And this was posted simultaneously to your edit above.)

[RobJ]

Questions to consider -

 

* Spin status (active/standby state) - this once was handled by temps showing or not, I prefer not using this method, as I believe we are moving toward always showing temps for those drives that support it.  Then it was handled by a steady or blinking green ball.  Now it's a green or grey ball.  The question is, keep it roughly the way it is, with spin status mixed into drive status, or separate the spin status - add a second column with up and down arrows, large enough to click on to spin up or down (hover text could be "Standby - click to spin up" and "Active - click to spin down").  This option unfortunately means a little more coding (but little testing time) ...

 

* If spin status stays mixed into ball color, how should it be represented, green/grey like the current?  Or slow blink, or animation switching between filled and unfilled shapes?  (Does the fact that the border stays drawn (filled/unfilled) remove the 1-bit problem, and the differing backgrounds problem?

 

* I like Tom's comment about yellow-blink representing a rebuild in process, might be nice for any rebuild including parity.  (subject to complaints about blinking though)

 

* Sounds like everyone likes the new shapes (green=round, yellow=diamond, red=square, blue=? ? ?, grey=? ? ?), any further objections, especially from those who most need them?  Are red and blue confused by certain color-blind people?

 

* I thought I remembered seeing an orange ball, probably in a past release, and I *think* it was an array state.  Am I wrong?  Is that changed now?

 

* User Share State colors - I agree with WeeboTech, I'd rather not see red for an informational color use, blue would be better.  And since the share state color is informational only, perhaps there's something better than yellow?  Grey?

[WeeboTech]

* User Share State colors - I agree with WeeboTech, I'd rather not see red for an informational color use, blue would be better.  And since the share state color is informational only, perhaps there's something better than yellow?  Grey?

 

 

Magenta and a Cyan tend to stand out among the crowd

[NAS]

This is not my "thing" but isnt there a documented standard somewhere?

[WeeboTech]

There were some other suggestions and icon examples posted over in this thread.

 

Section 508 Compliance (webGUI Indicator Support for Color Blind Users)

http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=34762.0

 

 

As long as different names or directories are used for each of the major state areas, people can make up their own packs and colors per status.

[jumperalex]

This is not my "thing" but isnt there a documented standard somewhere?

 

Obligatory xkcd post http://xkcd.com/927/?cmpid=pscau

[trurl]

There were some other suggestions and icon examples posted over in this thread.

 

Section 508 Compliance (webGUI Indicator Support for Color Blind Users)

http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=34762.0

 

 

As long as different names or directories are used for each of the major state areas, people can make up their own packs and colors per status.

Thanks for reminding us of that thread. The "sixpack status icons" in that thread go down to 32x32. What size are the current icons?

 

That thread also brings up the MyMain icons. What is the complete set and how big are these MyMain icons? I don't think bjp999 is in this thread yet.

 

 

Of all the ideas floated so far, I like this one

... separate the spin status - add a second column with up and down arrows, large enough to click on to spin up or down (hover text could be "Standby - click to spin up" and "Active - click to spin down")...

I think separating the spin status would clarify things considerably, and would allow for a smaller set of icons/colors for the other state indicator.

 

We already have the click to spin up/down which has confused some. It currently represents what it would do if you clicked it. It could instead represent the current state and clicking it would toggle the state.

[sparklyballs]

Thanks for reminding us of that thread. The "sixpack status icons" in that thread go down to 32x32. What size are the current icons?

 

i think bonieni said the current icons were 16x16 somewhere in this thread.

 

 

[bonienl]

... people can make up their own packs and colors per status.

 

Giving users the option to install their own icons/colors will result in a support nightmare, or do I misunderstand your request ?

 

[bonienl]

Another take ... (size enlarged for display)

[dmacias]

I like it. It still keeps the term "red ball" relevant.

[RobJ]

I like them.  I'm unsure about all of the 'offs' being undecorated squares though.  Could there be red/green confusion, or are those never used in the same context?

 

Could you link these with their meanings/purposes from Tom's first post - 3 Array States, 9 Array Disk States (5 and 4), 4 Cache Disk States, and 3 User Share States.

 

I'd prefer separate columns for spin status and drive status, but it would require a little more coding, so I don't think we want that for v6.0 final.  So I'm happy with the above, once their purposes are sorted out.

[bonienl]

I am not finished yet, here yet another take ...

 

(this time just the symbols - both large and real size)

[NAS]

To my eye there are just too many. When users cant remember them and have to refer to a legend we have failed and icons are pointless

 

I would stick to red, yellow and green because users will get that without trying. Add in grey because that is intuitive.

 

If we must go beyond this use sub icons which is just one of the normal icons with another sub component added e.g. a normal icon with a small cross to signify.

 

But my preference would be stick with just four icons and have extra information via a popup or readable txt.

 

Edit: spooky bonienl. I like where your going although I personally dont thing we need sub icons and also differernt top level icons i.e. squares, circles and subicon  ! etc

 

My fundamental worry is that we will end up having to add more and more and its already far too many. It should be intuitive

[bonienl]

It would give a view like this ...

 

Just giving some food for thought 

[archedraft]

 

I am not finished yet, here yet another take ...

 

(this time just the symbols - both large and real size)

 

FWIW, I am liking these. They make sense to me...

[sparklyballs]

To my eye there are just too many. When users cant remember them and have to refer to a legend we have failed and icons are pointless

 

I would stick to red, yellow and green because users will get that without trying. Add in grey because that is intuitive.

 

If we must go beyond this use sub icons which is just one of the normal icons with another sub component added e.g. a normal icon with a small cross to signify.

 

But my preference would be stick with just four icons and have extra information via a popup or readable txt.

 

Edit: spooky bonienl. I like where your going although I personally dont thing we need sub icons and also differernt top level icons i.e. squares, circles and subicon  ! etc

 

My fundamental worry is that we will end up having to add more and more and its already far too many. It should be intuitive

 

it doesn't address the issue of red/green colour blindness though.

[NAS]

That is a very fair point. So i suppose the colour and shape could be linked and you could rely only on sub icon for variation i..e all green is always a circle, red is always a square etc

 

 

[JonathanM]

That is a very fair point. So i suppose the colour and shape could be linked and you could rely only on sub icon for variation i..e all green is always a circle, red is always a square etc

But if you do that, then having a red ball drive is impossible.  :'(

 

How about red being pear shaped? That way when a drive fails, it's gone pear shaped?  ;D

 

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=pear+shaped

[RobJ]

To my eye there are just too many. When users cant remember them and have to refer to a legend we have failed and icons are pointless

 

I would stick to red, yellow and green because users will get that without trying. Add in grey because that is intuitive.

 

If we must go beyond this use sub icons which is just one of the normal icons with another sub component added e.g. a normal icon with a small cross to signify.

 

But my preference would be stick with just four icons and have extra information via a popup or readable txt.

 

Edit: spooky bonienl. I like where your going although I personally dont thing we need sub icons and also differernt top level icons i.e. squares, circles and subicon  ! etc

 

My fundamental worry is that we will end up having to add more and more and its already far too many. It should be intuitive

 

I think everyone likes the blue ball for a new drive.  And for the User Shares state, we don't want a red ball for Cache-only shares, especially a red ball with X.  Need a 4th color.

 

A color blind user needing support could describe what he sees as the check ball (green with check), the X ball, (red with X), and the bang ball (yellow with '!') (or the exclamation ball).  can't remember what discipline calls it the bang

[trurl]

I'd prefer separate columns for spin status and drive status, but it would require a little more coding, so I don't think we want that for v6.0 final.  So I'm happy with the above, once their purposes are sorted out.

I don't know any of the details, but it seems to me the code for separate spin state is already there.

 

When a drive is spun down, we already have an up arrow. When a drive is spun up, we already have a down arrow. Clicking on an arrow toggles it to its opposite state.

Can't we just change it to

 

When a drive is spun down, we will have a down arrow. When a drive is spun up, we will have an up arrow. Clicking on an arrow toggles it to its opposite state.

by swapping the arrow symbols?

 

Then there is no need to mix the spun up / spun down with the other kind of states. The grey triangle is what started this discussion in the first place and the reason it was confusing everyone is because it was trying to convey spin state and something else at the same time.

 

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The other kind of states could still be represented with colored balls as long as the ball also had another symbol inside it like X or ! or a checkmark that would convey the same meaning as the color as already suggested.

A color blind user needing support could describe what he sees as the check ball (green with check), the X ball, (red with X), and the bang ball (yellow with '!') (or the exclamation ball).  can't remember what discipline calls it the bang

(The old hacker's dictionary is where I first encountered ! = bang, some others that nobody thinks about are . = dot, * = star, @ = at)

 

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I don't like the idea of letting the user customize this for the reason already stated, it would greatly complicate support. Everyone would have to include a legend of their symbols with each screenshot they post.