WIP: Evaluate Red Auto Keying Button #105574

Changing the icons used for auto keying to be more noticeable.

Currently when we have auto-keying enabled, and manipulating an object, we show a warning message at the top-right. But I doubt many people have noticed it at all. We don't get bug reports about it yet it has displayed awkwardly overlapping the navigation widget for years:

My guess is that this warning was added because we don't indicate very strongly that auto-keying is on. Because we are using monochrome icons in the interface there isn't a big difference between a filled circle at full blackness versus that same circle when grey.

This patch replaces the icon used with a pair for off and on. The "on" version using the color red to better simulate a "record" button in use. The "off" state uses an unfilled circle because that seems to better indicate off.

The color itself can be changed in the theme, so it can be set back to white (or anything else) if desired:

Changing the icons used for auto keying to be more noticeable. --- Currently when we have auto-keying enabled, and manipulating an object, we show a warning message at the top-right. But I doubt many people have noticed it at all. We don't get bug reports about it yet it has displayed awkwardly overlapping the navigation widget for years: ![KeyingWarning.png](/attachments/25d1733e-c5a1-47c0-9520-f348b9f9fbaf) My *guess* is that this warning was added because we don't indicate very *strongly* that auto-keying is on. Because we are using monochrome icons in the interface there isn't a big difference between a filled circle at full blackness versus that same circle when grey. This patch replaces the icon used with a pair for off and on. The "on" version using the color red to better simulate a "record" button in use. The "off" state uses an unfilled circle because that seems to better indicate off. ![RecordButton6.gif](/attachments/76f0beef-8d94-4239-96ea-1d6ccf0987c1) The color itself can be changed in the theme, so it can be set back to white (or anything else) if desired: ![image](/attachments/34ed2768-230c-4ee8-8d6b-036fd0d7c068)

KeyingWarning.png

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RecordButton6.gif

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image.png

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I like "red" is record, that is kind of a universal "recording is going on" indicator.
The only change would be to keep the white outline so you don't change size just red fill.

I like "red" is record, that is kind of a universal "recording is going on" indicator. The only change would be to keep the white outline so you don't change size just red fill.

I like "red" is record, that is kind of a universal "recording is going on" indicator.

I do too. But there is a chance that the perception of it could differ by age with older people seeing it as normal because of audio and video recorders, while younger people could just see it as an "error" color.

Some red-green colorblindness could also alter this perception. Usually for them we push the color toward yellow into orange. Which could make sense for all since that is more of a warning color. Or maybe a bright orange-yellow?

The only change would be to keep the white outline so you don't change size just red fill.

The icons are created and stored as monochrome, just shades of white. But we are able to recolor these at will, so showing them as white on the dark theme while black on the light theme. So we can make it any color as long as it is one hue, not multiple at a time.

The change of size though is because I am just using our "radio button off" icon here, which isn't quite the right size. If this is something we like then we'd have to create a new icon in the set specifically for "record off"

> I like "red" is record, that is kind of a universal "recording is going on" indicator. I do too. But there is a **chance** that the perception of it could differ by age with older people seeing it as normal because of audio and video recorders, while younger people could just see it as an "error" color. Some red-green colorblindness could also alter this perception. Usually for them we push the color toward yellow into orange. Which could make sense for all since that is more of a warning color. Or maybe a bright orange-yellow? > The only change would be to keep the white outline so you don't change size just red fill. The icons are created and stored as monochrome, just shades of white. But we are able to recolor these at will, so showing them as white on the dark theme while black on the light theme. So we can make it any color as long as it is one hue, not multiple at a time. The change of size though is because I am just using our "radio button off" icon here, which isn't quite the right size. If this is something we like then we'd have to create a new icon in the set specifically for "record off"

I do too. But there is a chance that the perception of it could differ by age with older people seeing it as normal because of audio and video recorders, while younger people could just see it as an "error" color.

Audacity also has a 'red dot' recording button, and so does Reaper. These are always red, though, and not just when they are enabled.

Some red-green colorblindness could also alter this perception. Usually for them we push the color toward yellow into orange. Which could make sense for all since that is more of a warning color. Or maybe a bright orange-yellow?

I think either of these would work:

The current proposal, where the background colour changes, coupled with a lightness increase of that background.
An alternative, where the dot is always red, but rather dark/dim when it is disabled, and bright when it is enabled.

In both cases the red colour is not the only thing that conveys the information, so it should be fine for colourblind people.

The icons are created and stored as monochrome, just shades of white. But we are able to recolor these at will, so showing them as white on the dark theme while black on the light theme. So we can make it any color as long as it is one hue, not multiple at a time.

That's a shame.

The change of size though is because I am just using our "radio button off" icon here, which isn't quite the right size. If this is something we like then we'd have to create a new icon in the set specifically for "record off"

👍

> I do too. But there is a **chance** that the perception of it could differ by age with older people seeing it as normal because of audio and video recorders, while younger people could just see it as an "error" color. [Audacity](https://www.audacityteam.org/) also has a 'red dot' recording button, and so does [Reaper](https://www.reaper.fm/). These are always red, though, and not just when they are enabled. > Some red-green colorblindness could also alter this perception. Usually for them we push the color toward yellow into orange. Which could make sense for all since that is more of a warning color. Or maybe a bright orange-yellow? I think either of these would work: - The current proposal, where the background colour changes, coupled with a lightness increase of that background. - An alternative, where the dot is always red, but rather dark/dim when it is disabled, and bright when it is enabled. In both cases the red colour is not the only thing that conveys the information, so it should be fine for colourblind people. > The icons are created and stored as monochrome, just shades of white. But we are able to recolor these at will, so showing them as white on the dark theme while black on the light theme. So we can make it any color as long as it is one hue, not multiple at a time. That's a shame. > The change of size though is because I am just using our "radio button off" icon here, which isn't quite the right size. If this is something we like then we'd have to create a new icon in the set specifically for "record off" :+1:

@dr.sybren - That's a shame.

My comment about that was a bit wrong-ish. All our current icons are white so that we can re-color them for display. So we can turn that white source icon into one that is black or blue or green.

But... it works just fine if the source icon image has colors, even multiple colors or gradients, etc. Just doing so would not allow us to recolor it later. Of course that does not matter in this case. So the icons in this PR have both a white ring and a red interior. And it looks just fine in both dark and light themes.

> @dr.sybren - That's a shame. My comment about that was a bit wrong-ish. All our current icons are white so that we can re-color them for display. So we can turn that white source icon into one that is black or blue or green. But... it works just fine if the source icon image has colors, even multiple colors or gradients, etc. Just doing so would not allow us to recolor it later. Of course that does not matter in this case. So the icons in this PR have both a white ring and a red interior. And it looks just fine in both dark and light themes.

@blender-bot package

Package build started. Download here when ready.

Package build started. [Download here](https://builder.blender.org/download/patch/PR105574) when ready.

Currently (not in PR yet) have a "disabled" state here that I quite like:

Currently (not in PR yet) have a "disabled" state here that I quite like: ![RecordButton3.gif](/attachments/ff793c88-09fb-494a-a47d-3fabe286eed7)

RecordButton3.gif

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My worry with it being that grey/faded it looks like it can't be clicked vs. off, if you have the white circle the same brightness as the play buttons, full white then it doesn't look disabled/unclickable maybe.

Because if you compare the drop down arrow next to it, it is the same light grey and it is disabled... unclickable.

My worry with it being that grey/faded it looks like it can't be clicked vs. off, if you have the white circle the same brightness as the play buttons, full white then it doesn't look disabled/unclickable maybe. Because if you compare the drop down arrow next to it, it is the same light grey and it is disabled... unclickable.

well.. clicked the wrong comment

it looks like it can't be clicked vs. off...

Good point. I'll keep playing.

> it looks like it can't be clicked vs. off... Good point. I'll keep playing.

![RecordButton4.gif](/attachments/27c220f7-6def-4b5b-8bd0-27fba3918786)

RecordButton4.gif

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Some users will have a tough time with the red indication and blue background. So I updated the the icons to use only a single color, but you can set the color in the theme. That way anyone who hates the red can set it to white or yellow or anything else. I updated the original comment and the images there.

My worry with it being that grey/faded it looks like it can't be clicked vs. off, if you have the white circle the same brightness as the play buttons, full white then it doesn't look disabled/unclickable maybe.

Because if you compare the drop down arrow next to it, it is the same light grey and it is disabled... unclickable.

we coukd maybe consider it as the other play forward, play backward, pause buttons.
~~they don't have a pressed blue state.~~
in that case we can use the white circle for disabled autokey, and white circle and red fill for auto key on.

edit:
i was wrong, they have pressed blue state. What i was looking at is the play button which changes from play to pause but doesn't stay in pressed blue state.

> My worry with it being that grey/faded it looks like it can't be clicked vs. off, if you have the white circle the same brightness as the play buttons, full white then it doesn't look disabled/unclickable maybe. > > Because if you compare the drop down arrow next to it, it is the same light grey and it is disabled... unclickable. > we coukd maybe consider it as the other play forward, play backward, pause buttons. ~~they don't have a pressed blue state.~~ in that case we can use the white circle for disabled autokey, and white circle and red fill for auto key on. edit: i was wrong, they have pressed blue state. What i was looking at is the play button which changes from play to pause but doesn't stay in pressed blue state.

I updated the animated gif capture in the first comment. Now using icons that exactly match the design language of other icons that have an on and off state:

I updated the animated gif capture in the first comment. Now using icons that exactly match the design language of other icons that have an on and off state: ![image](/attachments/4031315d-3155-4532-8ad9-e93680d0f459)

image.png

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I like the button in your last comment 👍

I like the button in [your last comment]( https://projects.blender.org/blender/blender/pulls/105574#issuecomment-911723) :+1:

I guess this wasn't finalized in any of the meetings, what is left to do?

@BClark - I guess this wasn't finalized in any of the meetings, what is left to do?

I think the last version is pretty nice (in the first comment), and allows users or theme designers to change the color if needed.

The next step should really be your module deciding if this is wanted or not. If yes I can then see what UI module thinks.

> @BClark - I guess this wasn't finalized in any of the meetings, what is left to do? I _think_ the last version is pretty nice (in the first comment), and allows users or theme designers to change the color if needed. The next step should really be your module deciding if this is wanted or not. If yes I can then see what UI module thinks.

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WIP: Evaluate Red Auto Keying Button #105574