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SSC 4.5 options GUI font INCREDIBLY small

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cathie28:
Sorry, but font on SSC Options GUI (especially some parts) is incredibly small & almost unreadable for me.

Can users change the Options GUI font?
NOTE:  Size of "apparent" font in attached screen (in my Fx browser) appears a bit larger & considerably darker than actual GUI or actual capture, viewed in SSC's editor.

My vision is corrected to 20/20, but all older eyes DON'T focus as well / quickly.  This is similar to reading fine print on Credit Card agreements.

Is there a reason the overall GUI size must be so limited, forcing such tiny font?

Please increase Options GUI size & font size to something everyone can read.  Option to choose one's own font name, size would be very nice, as many apps do for GUIs.
Thanks.

worstje:
The font size looks decent to me, but I notice the caption bar is larger than usual on your system. This makes me think you've increased the DPI on your system so you get larger letters throughout. Thus, rather than forcing letters to always be tiny, it is a simply matter of the UI not having the capability to adjust alongside the dynamic nature of bigger letters (which involves testing whether stuff will disappear off-screen, wraps to the next line, buttons suddenly being too small for their contents, ugly scrollbars appearing where you wouldn't want them, etc.)

Which makes this a typical bug of a program that does not like to play nice a DPI other than the Windows default. xD

@cathie28: There's no reason other than 'many program environments do not give much thought about playing nice with non-standard environments'. Even when a programmer uses the tools he is given, it often ends up with situations like these. (Of course, there's also situations where programmers use said tools wrongly and it is relatively trivial to fix it; I can't judge this situation one way or another given that I'm not mouser!)

With enough effort, this screen can be fixed. However, this often tends to involve a crap load of work - either by forcing said 'tools' to do stuff they weren't created to do, or by rewriting the entire screen from scratch using another method. I know several programs which have stalled exactly because rewriting screens like these is a huge chunk of time the authors do not deem worth it.

In the end, if this is indeed the root of the problem, it would be up to mouser to estimate the amount of effort involved in fixing it. It could definitely involve a lot more work than a non-programmer might think this would involve.

Vurbal:
The first time I read a criticism of this I dismissed it initially but when I looked a little closer I actually found certain parts of the Preferences window pretty hard to read as well. I'm not sure it would be a problem if not for the relatively small dot pitch of my monitor (~0.25mm or ~102DPI).

The thing is it's not so much an issue of font size (at least for me) as character and line spacing. I had to dig around on my system to figure out another program with enough options to make a decent comparison. I ended up using Komodo Edit because it has both lists of checkbox selected options and paragraphs since I see the problem in both. I've attached 2 screenshots from Komodo Edit and 1 from Screenshot Captor to demonstrate the differences.

The line spacing, in particular, makes a big difference for me.

cathie28:
Wow, that's a mouthful.
The font size looks decent to me,
--- End quote ---

Where does it look "decent size?"  In your Actual Options screen?  Or looking at my screen shot?  I noted that AFTER my shot is attached on the forum, it makes the font looks bigger & darker than the actual GUI or the actual screen shot (when viewed in SSC)  - least, to me.  I promise, font is much smaller & lighter in actual GUI.

AND - as mentioned - some font on Options GUI is even smaller than the rest.

What do you consider a "decent size," in terms looking in a word processor, Wordpad, etc., at a similar font style, same SIZE - that's in SSC Options?
Can you type in something in Wordpad (look like Arial) & change font size till it matches SSC Options GUI?  What is the pt size that matches YOUR SSC Options GUI?

If you type in normal Arial (no bold, dark) @ 7 pts or less, in an editor / processor, is 7 pt Arial a "decent size" to you?  It's sure as hell not to me or most people my age, even w/ corrective lenses @ 20/20. 
7 pt or less is what matches my SSC Options GUI.  How old are you (rhetorical question) & how far is your nose from monitor?  Using laptop or desktop?

Yes, I increased my Windows font DPI - only to 110 (default = 96).  That works great w/ 99% of everything & I use a LOT of apps.
But, increasing DPI SHOULD make the font on Options GUI a bit larger - not smaller (if it affects it at all - it doesn't, AFAICT). 

I only recently increased Vista DPI from Default.  The font on SSC's Options GUI has ALWAYS been tiii-nyyy. 

Some apps for some GUIs ignore Windows settings (it seems).  Many increase menu & some GUI font size based on Windows settings - even based on font sizes chosen in Appearance Settings > Advanced.  Some apps ignore it all.
Thus, rather than forcing letters to always be tiny, it is a simply matter of the UI not having the capability to adjust alongside the dynamic nature of bigger letters
--- End quote ---
Not sure I understand your intent, there.  Sounds like you're saying, SSC doesn't have ability to adjust  Options GUI font based on Windows settings.  Not surprising - lots of apps can't.  If so, has absolutely nothing to do w/ Options font size being tiny in 1st place.  UNLESS you're hinting that increasing Windows DPI actually caused SSC to REDUCE its font size?  Don't think it did that (hope not - that'd be crazy).

cathie28:
Verbal & worstje, thanks for replies.

Looking at your 1st screen of SSC Options, font size in the SCREEN you posted is almost 2x my actual GUI font size (easily 1.75x).  If you're actual SSC Options font really is that big, I'd be fine w/ it.  How do I get
it?
I use a 1920x1080 HD - LED monitor.  Set Windows DPI @ 110 to make fonts on most screens plenty big.
 
Yes, tightly spaced lines (w/ small font) are much harder to read; MORE SO, the older you get, EVEN if have 20/20 lenses.  Unless apps / GUIs like this are only intended for those < 40 or w/ perfect sight, 7 pt (or less), light weight, tightly spaced font is hard to read.  And on SSC Options, there's a BUNCH to read.  It makes sense to enlarge the GUI & font.  This GUI size isn't just personal taste for me - it's seriously hard to read THAT much material w/ small, tightly spaced font.

Other apps that have complicated, detailed options / config screens, mostly use considerably larger fonts & often make each "page or menu" of options, extend the entire monitor height, (or what's needed) so they don't make it so tiny and / or crowded.  Because they understand what Verbal said about line spacing (& font size) means to the older crowd or to anyone w/ SOME vision issues.

As mentioned, if anyone can tell me how to make the SSC Options GUI font bigger, I'm listening.  BUT - to do that, the GUI will need enlarging.  Yes?
I don't know who the idiot was that made it so small... Opps - sorry about that.  (I'm just kidding around). ;D

Mouser's not the son of the (or original) leader of the rock band, Mouse & the Traps, based in TX in '60's & 70's?  I jammed w/ that guy & one day, he just disappeared.  Some said he gave up music & became a great programmer...

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