Colour Pallet Usability

[Nidonocu]

I'm wondering if some users will be confused as to how the colour pallet works as its not clear right away that you have to click the pallet after choosing add or delete to set which colour you want to delete or which square you want to set with the new colour.

As it stands, the interface is 'learnable' but not that 'discoverable'.

Ideas:

• After clicking add or delete, the button stays depressed to indicate what function on the pallet you are about to perform. Clicking the button again deselects and cancels it.
  When you are in normal 'colour selection' mode, the cursor becomes the 'Colour Picker pippet' over the swatches (and as a side note, could a + cursor over the wheel be used to aid targeting?).
  When in add or delete mode, the cursor gains a + or - symbol near the standard cursor as required when hovering over the swatches.
  When add or delete is selected, the swatch panel is highlighted in a bold border till the operation is complete to encourage the user to point at it, when they do, a status bar help message displays the information for them to click a swatch square (along with the cursor change).

[BoltBait]

Hey, isn't that what I said on September 7th?

http://paintdotnet.12.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=2059

[Nidonocu]

Hey, isn't that what I said on September 7th?

http://paintdotnet.12.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=2059

Erm.. similar yes. Consider this some alternative solutions and a 'vote' for your original comment.

Maybe I should suggest a feature tracking system for the site? n_-;

[Rick Brewster]

After clicking add or delete, the button stays depressed to indicate what function on the pallet you are about to perform. Clicking the button again deselects and cancels it.

Yes, it already does this ...

When you are in normal 'colour selection' mode, the cursor becomes the 'Colour Picker pippet' over the swatches (and as a side note, could a + cursor over the wheel be used to aid targeting?).

The color swatch already has an outline when the mouse is over it to indicate that it is clickable. This is not necessarily the final design for this UI though. I don't see why a + on the wheel would aid targetting, you can just click near where you want, and then drag around until you get exactly the color you need.

When in add or delete mode, the cursor gains a + or - symbol near the standard cursor as required when hovering over the swatches.

I don't believe this is the right solution for this at all.

When add or delete is selected, the swatch panel is highlighted in a bold border till the operation is complete to encourage the user to point at it, when they do, a status bar help message displays the information for them to click a swatch square (along with the cursor change).

It already highlights with a border and it blinks to remind the user where to click.

I'll probably just remove the 'delete' button. It's non-intuitive and not overly useful. You can just overwrite a color if you want to 'delete' it.

[Nidonocu]

Yes, it already does this ...

Ah yes, I see that it does now, though I would point out it doesn't use quite as dark colours (as I didn't notice it under slightly different lighting conditions last nigh!) to indicate a pressed state as either the toolbox or the toolbars.

It already highlights with a border and it blinks to remind the user where to click.

I'll probably just remove the 'delete' button. It's non-intuitive and not overly useful. You can just overwrite a color if you want to 'delete' it.

Again, I can also see this today, but personally feel the border could be stronger or darker, just to make it more apparent. Right now, its a bit light. I also agree that removing the delete function would be fine, Paint.net's general law is not to have unneeded controls and options like that.