[Solved] Visibility issues, Windows 8 Toolbar & Format-bar

[serenejean]

I have checked the forum for this topic without finding an answer.

I downloaded OpenOffice 4.1.1 onto my Windows Vista computer. The tiny icons of the Toolbar and the Format-bar are dark, sharp and clearly visible. I made no special adjustment.

I took this same download to a friend's place and installed it on her Windows 8 computer. It works perfectly except that the icons of the Toolbar and Format-bar are so faint that it is difficult for me to see them, and especially so for my friend, with aged eyes. However she would be able to distinguish the icons if they were the same as mine are on Vista. The icons seem to be drawn in light blue "pen" using a dotted line. It is especially bad for Font Colour, Highlighting and Background Colour icons which can only be distinguished by using the roll-over.

Can anything be done to improve the visibility of the icons?

[RusselB]

A few options to try, but all deal with Windows settings, not OpenOffice.
1) Check if Transparency is active and, if so, adjust the level. If not, try turning it on and then, if necessary, repeat step 1.
2) Adjust the desktop theme.
3) Adjust the screen resolution.

While I use Windows 7, there are enough changes from 7 to 8, that I know of from responding to others that are using Windows 8, that I'm unwilling to give direction as to how to get to these various settings in Windows 8.

[Bill]

Can you post a screen shot of the icons? I don't think there should be any difference in the icons on Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8 if default themes are being used.

Is your friend using a custom or high-contrast theme in Windows 8? AOO seems to change the icons when a high-contrast is used. Some of the icons become invisible when the High-Contrast White theme is used. There is an accessibility option in AOO at Tools > Options > OpenOffice > Accessibility > Options for high contrast appearance to detect high-contrast mode in the operating system, but disabling it doesn't seem to have any effect on the icons when a high-contrast theme is being used.

You can also take a look at the UI options in AOO at Tools > Options > OpenOffice > View > User Interface.

[serenejean]

Thank you for the replies. It was reassuring to know that the icons in Writer should look the same on the two operating systems. I will try the advice mentioned when I visit my friend in a couple of days. She personally would never have altered settings intentionally. I will also take a screen shot of the icons to show how they appear. I hadn't thought of doing that before. I hope I'll be able to add it to the post!

[serenejean]

I have taken a screen capture of the low-visibility standard and format bars on my friend's Win8 computer but unfortunately I have not worked out how to add it to this post. Would someone kindly direct me how to do it? I can see an "Img" tab above but I can't work out how to use it.

Something I did notice Win8 computer was that when I went to "Open Office" (with sea gulls) where one sees all the suite of programs, my friend's computer shows a BLACK background, whereas mine is always white. Does this provide a clue?

I went to the "themes" and reset her computer to the defaults but the icons are still so faint and indistinct as you'll see when I'm able to post the screen capture.

Thank you for your advice so far.

[RoryOF]

To add a file (including an image) to the Forum, use the PostReply button (bottom left of screen) or the Full Editor button (under Quick Reply window). Once you have switched to either of these windows there is an Upload Attachment tab under the reply box. Click on that, Browse to the file in question, then click on "Add the file". You will then (shortly) be offered the opportunity of putting the file inline, which is usually best for image files.

[Bill]

Something I did notice Win8 computer was that when I went to "Open Office" (with sea gulls) where one sees all the suite of programs, my friend's computer shows a BLACK background, whereas mine is always white. Does this provide a clue?

On my system, the only themes which show the black background are the high contrast themes. All others have a white background. The AOO icons on the toolbars are OK with most of the hight contrast themes, but are very bad when the High Contrast White theme is used.

[serenejean]

Hi Bill. Could you please tell me your settings for 'themes' and I'll match them.

[Bill]

I use the default settings in any theme which is not a high contrast theme. AFAIK, there's nothing in the theme settings in Windows 8 that should affect the toolbar icons in AOO. The only color setting is for the window borders and taskbar. The only thing I see that affects the icons is using a high contrast theme, which causes the icons to change to high contrast icons. The high contrast themes have more color options available, but I don't use any themes with those additional color settings.

Get started with themes

The high contrast icons are optimized for a dark background, so visibility of the icons on any high contrast theme with a light toolbar background will be a problem.

High Contrast Icons

[serenejean]

oo.o icons.odg

AOO icons in Win8

(58.64 KiB) Downloaded 131 times

Thank you for the help to upload an screen capture. Simple when you know how! I hope it works.

Armed with the advice about the "high contrast theme", I'll check that next time I'm at my friend's. I think it may have been set at that and I left it because my friend's eyesight is poor. It's strange to me that Writer's icons are LESS visible with this setting.

[serenejean]

It seems I shouldn't have clicked on clicked "Place inline". I know you didn't tell me too.

[Bill]

Those are the high contrast icons on a light background. That is the combination that has visibility problems.

[serenejean]

Many thanks, Bill, for resolving this issue. I'm most grateful.

Next visit to my friend, I'll change the settings, as AOO is the program she uses most.

I'm still a bit puzzled why AOO would make the icons LESS visible with Win8 set at "high contrast". I would expect it to be the reverse or at least, the same as I have here on my Vista.