[Pidgin] #3061: Font Controls Inconsistent and Unclear + Proposal for Revision

[Pidgin]

#3061: Font Controls Inconsistent and Unclear + Proposal for Revision
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 Reporter:  irv           |       Type:  defect
   Status:  new           |   Priority:  minor 
Component:  pidgin (gtk)  |    Version:  2.1.1 
 Keywords:                |    Pending:  0     
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 The controls for setting font formatting are really ambiguous, and they
 are in 6 different places(!) using terms that change meaning:

 1) Conversations tab in Preferences: "Use font from theme"-- is this the
 displayed font or the transmitted font formatting or both?  Does it apply
 to font, size, and/or color?  Is it the "text[ACTIVE]" font, another font,
 or the conversation font selected optionally in the GTK Theme Control
 plugin?

 2) Conversations tab in Preferences: "Conversation font"--  Again, is this
 the transmitted formatting, the displayed formatting, or both?  Does it
 apply to received as well as sent messages?  What is the text color
 transmitted if there is formatting transmitted (you can specify only font
 and size)? (I use the GTK theme Aero modified with white text on a dark
 background, but white text is bad for sending).

 3) Conversations tab in Preferences: "Default formatting"-- is this an
 override of the selections above?  Does checking none of the properties in
 the Font dropdown menu therefore transmit no formatting information (it
 appears that the answer is "no"-- the font itself (e.g. Georgia) at least
 is transmitted.)

 4) GTK Theme Control plugin: "Conversation entry"-- What precisely is this
 overriding?  Does this apply only to the text in the input field in the
 chat window and not the scrollback?  How is this setting prioritized over
 other settings such as in preferences?  What about text color (only font
 and size can be specified here)?

 5) Conversation window: "Font" dropdown menu-- Is this for the buddy
 always or just for this session?  Does this override every other text
 setting?

 6) Conversation Colors plugin

 '''I would totally redo font selection in Pidgin by having a Fonts tab in
 preferences with the following settings (this would also replace the GTK
 Theme Control Plugin, the Conversation Colors plugin, and several settings
 in the Conversations tab in Preferences).'''  My proposal is as follows (I
 hope my outline terminology makes sense):

 1. Message font (defaults from theme, Pidgin defaults for platform):
 (font, size, style, color, background)
   a. Transmit formatting selected above to buddy? (yes/no-- DEFAULT: no)
     i. If above is "no" (unchecked), otherwise inactive: Message font
 appearing to buddy: (font, size, style, color, background-- DEFAULT:
 Arial, 12pt, normal, black, white)
     ii. Note: Formatting specified using Font button in conversation
 window will override above settings.
   b. Use this font for logging? (yes/no-- DEFAULT: no)
      i. If "no" (unchecked) above, otherwise inactive: Logging font:
 (font, size, style, color, background-- DEFAULT Arial, 12pt, normal,
 black, white)
   c. Screenname color and style: Self, Buddy (DEFAULT: blue normal, red
 normal)
      i. Use for logging? (yes/no: DEFAULT: yes/checked)
      ii. If "no" (unchecked) above, otherwise inactive: Logging screenname
 (colors, styles)
   d. Optional (yes/no) special formatting for system messages, etc.
 (specifications in new dialog unless "no" and is greyed-out) (DEFAULT:
 no[unchecked] and button is greyed-out/inactive)
 2. Pidgin menus and buttons (defaults from theme): (font, style,
 color)[[BR]]

 3. Buddy list (background color DEFAULTS from theme)
    a. Available buddy (font, size, style, color)
    b. Away buddy (font, size, style, color)
    c. Idle buddy (font, size, style, color)
    d. Group (font, size, style, color, highlight)
 4. Reset Font settings (re-read theme file) [button]


 ''
 And then for the conversation window, next to or under the Font drop-down
 menu:''

 Remember settings for this buddy? (yes/no)

 ''I figure that any consistent widget for selecting font formatting would
 be fine, as long as they allow selections as noted above.  Checkboxes
 should substitute where I say "yes/no" above.''

-- 
Ticket URL: <http://developer.pidgin.im/ticket/3061>
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