Bug 166082 - Difficult to distinguish inactive tabs from one another SIC22
Summary: Difficult to distinguish inactive tabs from one another SIC22
Status: RESOLVED FIXED
Alias: None
Product: Oxygen
Classification: Plasma
Component: style (show other bugs)
Version: unspecified
Platform: Ubuntu Linux
: NOR normal
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: Camilla Boemann
URL:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2008-07-08 20:42 UTC by Dotan Cohen
Modified: 2009-08-29 22:41 UTC (History)
5 users (show)

See Also:
Latest Commit:
Version Fixed In:
Sentry Crash Report:


Attachments
Screenshot showing difficult to distinguish tabs. (9.22 KB, image/png)
2008-07-08 20:45 UTC, Dotan Cohen
Details
Akregator is also affected (20.24 KB, image/png)
2008-07-08 20:47 UTC, Dotan Cohen
Details
Kmail settings tabs (7.75 KB, image/png)
2008-07-10 12:02 UTC, Dotan Cohen
Details
Proposed fix (7.25 KB, image/png)
2008-07-10 12:13 UTC, Dotan Cohen
Details
improved version (21.45 KB, image/png)
2009-05-20 16:13 UTC, Huynh Huu Long
Details
one more (21.95 KB, image/png)
2009-05-20 21:40 UTC, Huynh Huu Long
Details

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Description Dotan Cohen 2008-07-08 20:42:43 UTC
Version:            (using KDE 4.0.83)
Installed from:    Ubuntu Packages

In KDE4's Konqueror the only distinction between two open tabs is a one-pixel wide line, which is almost the same colour as the tab itself. Please make the tabs easier to distinguish. Thanks.
Comment 1 Dotan Cohen 2008-07-08 20:45:57 UTC
Created attachment 25952 [details]
Screenshot showing difficult to distinguish tabs.
Comment 2 Dotan Cohen 2008-07-08 20:47:03 UTC
Created attachment 25953 [details]
Akregator is also affected

Akregator is also affected, however I do not think that this warrants a new
bug. At the dev's discretion I will open a new bug for Akregator.
Comment 3 Camilla Boemann 2008-07-08 23:43:11 UTC

*** This bug has been marked as a duplicate of 163990 ***
Comment 4 Dotan Cohen 2008-07-09 00:02:59 UTC
I find that the active tab is distinguishable, however, there is only a single pixel separating inactive tabs from one another. That single pixel is of a shade that is very similar to the colour of the tab itself.
Comment 5 Camilla Boemann 2008-07-09 01:15:11 UTC
ah ok understood.

We will take a look at it but not before 4.1.1
Comment 6 Dotan Cohen 2008-07-10 12:02:14 UTC
Created attachment 26002 [details]
Kmail settings tabs

The issue is affects not only tabs used in MUI applications. Internal tags used
for options configurations are affected as well. See screenshot of Kmail
settings tabs.
Comment 7 Dotan Cohen 2008-07-10 12:13:01 UTC
Created attachment 26003 [details]
Proposed fix

This is my proposed fix, based upon the previous kmail tabs screenshot. Please
compare the two images. Thanks.
Comment 8 Dotan Cohen 2008-11-28 20:55:47 UTC
> We will take a look at it but not
> before 4.1.1

Now that 4.1.1 and even 4.2 beta are out, can this issue be considered?
Comment 9 pinheiro 2008-11-28 21:37:53 UTC
Dont agrea with this bug....
tabs might need a redesign but its a looks issue, not an bug.
Comment 10 Dotan Cohen 2009-01-30 03:04:23 UTC
The issue persists in KDE 4.2 and makes it very painful on my eyes to use many tabs in Konqueror.
Comment 11 Philby 2009-05-12 13:12:09 UTC
(In reply to comment #9)
> Dont agrea with this bug....
> tabs might need a redesign but its a looks issue, not an bug.

Its indeed a looks issue but it still is a bug. Anything that impairs visibility needs to be fixed. One can realize the seriousness from the numerous duplicate bugs reported on the same problem. I hope a sombre approach is taken and a fix for this found ASAP.
Comment 12 pinheiro 2009-05-12 13:21:56 UTC
for people that have visibility  problems please use a difrent style that takes your problems into acount. with all Onestly I dont see any problem distingushing 2 difrent tabs.
THERE Is no good fits all solution to all problems.
Comment 13 Philby 2009-05-12 13:33:04 UTC
(In reply to comment #12)
> for people that have visibility  problems please use a difrent style that takes
> your problems into acount. with all Onestly I dont see any problem
> distingushing 2 difrent tabs.

Isn't the problem being reported for Oxygen and Plastique good enough? They are the best and most widely used styles. It problem is worse when using Konsole. I do not understand why do don't *see* the issue at hand.
Comment 14 pinheiro 2009-05-12 13:41:15 UTC
Its not that I dont see the problem, I just dont see a good solution taht dosent opens other bugs... i have been trying to get a beter solution for the tabs for a long time and still had no good anser... Longh asner is ok but it opens a new batch of visual inconsistencys Im not extremly happy with ... :(
Comment 15 Dotan Cohen 2009-05-12 16:17:35 UTC
> Its not that I dont see the problem, I just dont see a good
> solution taht dosent opens other bugs.

What bugs do you see in the proposed fix from comment #7?
Comment 16 pinheiro 2009-05-12 16:45:01 UTC
Frist bug its ugly, the way beauty  is precived is by order and constant flow of information paterns and stul like that, this proposed fix creates less visual coerency betwin the images (tabs), to me ugliness is a bug. The fix Longh proposed is pretier specialy if we set size rules there and should fix your bug.
Comment 17 Dotan Cohen 2009-05-12 16:55:16 UTC
> to me ugliness is a bug

More so than usability?

In any case ugliness is in the eye of the beholder and not only do I find the proposal from comment #7 not ugly, I find the current implementation hurts one's eyes.


> The fix Longh proposed is pretier

Who is this Longh of which you speak? Where can we see his proposal?

Thanks!
Comment 18 pinheiro 2009-05-12 17:12:46 UTC
you just commented on the other bug were longh (aka Huynh Huu Long) showned his patch
Comment 19 Dotan Cohen 2009-05-12 18:24:26 UTC
I see, thanks. If you are referring to the proposed fix in comment #37 on bug # 163990, then I agree completely! Here is a screenshot for reference:
http://bugsfiles.kde.org/attachment.cgi?id=32757

I agree that is a great improvement for KDE, and solves several issues.
Comment 20 Huynh Huu Long 2009-05-17 21:23:20 UTC
I committed the new tabs, please make some suggestion how to improve them further
http://websvn.kde.org/?view=rev&revision=969240
Comment 21 FiNeX 2009-05-20 12:54:19 UTC
I like the commit.
Comment 22 Dotan Cohen 2009-05-20 14:15:09 UTC
The screenshot of Huynh Huu Long's commit is here:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__JNFVYfijS4/ShNk92Z9QJI/AAAAAAAAAkE/ZWZhlk6ZtY0/s400/p4c3pD0.png

All that remains is to colour the inactive tabs a separate colour from the background strip separating them, and this issue could be closed.

Alternatively, using a bolder border around the tabs would work as well.
Comment 23 Dotan Cohen 2009-05-20 14:28:41 UTC
Current tab data:
Inactive tab background = R209 G208 B207
Inactive tab border = R194 G192 B190

sqrt( (209-194)^2 + (208-192)^2 + (207-190)^2 ) = 27.75

That is hardly enough difference, especially when we are talking about a line only one pixel wide!
Comment 24 pinheiro 2009-05-20 14:42:26 UTC
maybe we can but the active glow around the active tab...
Comment 25 Huynh Huu Long 2009-05-20 16:13:31 UTC
Created attachment 33860 [details]
improved version

About the lacking contrast: I didn't notice that the fill interfered with the border, here is a better version. Depending on the color scheme (more precisely the window background color) you can get better contrast. I also raised the height difference from unnoticable 1px to 2px, it that helps. The latter doesn't please *my* eyes though, but if it makes sense I'd commit it...
Comment 26 Dotan Cohen 2009-05-20 21:24:16 UTC
Huynh Huu Long, your work is great. The 2px does make a difference: it is barely noticeable to the eye, but it does make the taller tab look like it is at the front of a filing cabinet of tabbed folders. I would suggest a tad more contrast (inactive tabs darker) and maybe a slightly lighter colour for the inactive tab text.

Thanks!
Comment 27 Huynh Huu Long 2009-05-20 21:40:41 UTC
Created attachment 33871 [details]
one more

Ok, I hope this is ok for most users.
Comment 28 pinheiro 2009-05-20 21:51:57 UTC
Works for me :)
Comment 29 Dotan Cohen 2009-05-20 21:54:47 UTC
It is hard for me to tell the difference from the previous, but it looks great!

I notice that the halo does not seem to be on the active tab, is that on purpose?
Comment 30 pinheiro 2009-05-20 21:56:48 UTC
Dotan Cohen there is active state and hover state the hallo is in the hover meens you mouse is on top of it... the active one as a biguer shadow...
Comment 31 Dotan Cohen 2009-05-21 08:28:09 UTC
I see, pinheiro, thanks!
Comment 32 Huynh Huu Long 2009-05-22 03:24:02 UTC
Dotan, do you mind if I revert my last change (very subtle shadow) and make it optional for KDE 4.4 or some bugfix release of 4.3 if that is even possible, because the change was not obvious to you but annoys the hell out of me ;) If we make it optional I would be willing to make the shadow stronger, so that it actually serves its purpose.
Comment 33 Dotan Cohen 2009-05-23 20:19:24 UTC
As you see fit, Huynh Huu Long. If it annoys you then it certainly should _not_ be there.
Comment 34 pinheiro 2009-08-29 22:41:53 UTC
think its fixed by long commit