Automatically invert the score colors when the dark mode is enabled
Reported version
4.0
Type
Ergonomical (UX)
Frequency
Once
Severity
S5 - Suggestion
Reproducibility
Always
Status
active
Regression
No
Workaround
No
Project
As suggested in another feature request , I open a new ticket for this one.
This is not clear to me why one would want a light score on a dark UI, or a dark score on a light UI.
I suggest that, optionally or by default, the score colors matches the UI colors. That would mean inverting the score colors (like the preferences panel permits) when the dark mode is enabled.
What do you think?
Comments
See #305619: Invert the score colors in dark mode
In reply to (No subject) by Jojo-Schmitz
This is the ticket where you told me to open a new feature request :)
I know, just wanted to cross-link
FWIW, I disagree with this. I would virtually never want to read white music on a dark background, but can see the value of a dark mode interface in general. Conversely, I can also see cases where a visually impaired person might want the inverted score but still prefer the light UI.
These should remain separate controls.
In reply to FWIW, I disagree with this. … by Marc Sabatella
I understand your point, indeed I did not think of those usecases.
What do you think of making an option then?
There already is an option to invert the score. I can't see the value of having another option to control the behavior of the existing option.
In reply to FWIW, I disagree with this. … by Marc Sabatella
Marc--Look, I know developers have bigger fish to fry, but I find blasts of white light from scores or any other screens EXTREMELY distasteful. Open Office, Windows Explorer, and many other Windows programs require no special adjustments to avoid large white areas under my Windows High Contrast "Acquatic" theme, and I wish MuseScore would also do this automatically. Otherwise, it's like the very old days where you had to install printers separately for individual apps. The OS should take care of themes globally. Of course, this is burdensome for apps that work with different OSs.
Presently I am getting inverted scores in MS 3 via the magnifier work-around, but it's an inelegant pain. I'm avoiding MS 4 until it get metronome count-in, as in MS 3.--Thanks for your tireless efforts, MFN
In reply to There already is an option… by Marc Sabatella
> There already is an option to invert the score. I can't see the value of having another option to control the behavior of the existing option.
I was more thinking about a three-states toggle button: on - auto - off. I think that would be more elegant and wouldn't add UX complexity.
As mentioned, if you'd like to make a request to the developers, you'd need to open an issue on GitHub for that. I am simply stating my own personal opinion here - I think the existing toggle to invert the score is completely sufficient. it's clear and requires no special explanation of how to operate some fancy control. If you like reading music white on black (I suspect most people would find that entirely unreadable), you have that option. That's my own opinion but I'm not the one making decisions.
Music is different from very text, BTW. It's much easier to read white-on-black text than it is white-on-black music, because we read text very differently from how we read music, and we also have much collective experience with white-on-black text that most of us lack for music.
In reply to As mentioned, if you'd like… by Marc Sabatella
I understand. Thank you for taking time to answer me.
In reply to As mentioned, if you'd like… by Marc Sabatella
Marc--OK, as usual, at age 82, I'm a step or two behind.
Yes! The score inversion toggle in 4 works fine, and, combined with Dark Mode, is very pleasing to me, if not to you. HOWEVER, mouse clicking doesn't work well! I can't reliably open menus, use X to close the app, or save a modified file to my computer. I'm running the current version of Windows 11 and I have never had this problem in previous versions of MuseScore on any other program. Perhaps I'm doing something very stupid.--Frank Norman
I can make a guess - do you perhaps have essential tremors (shaky hands)? It is known that the current version of MuseScore does not register mouse clicks if the mouse moves between the time to you press and release the mouse button. There is a fix for this in the coming 4.0.2 update. Meanwhile, try waiting a moment after moving your mouse to a button before actually clicking it - this should reduce the likelihood of the mouse moving during the click.
If you continue to have trouble, please ask for help on the Support forum.