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Old 11-06-2023, 05:42 PM   #1
smeagol
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Default Font Sizes, Color, and Bolding

Hi,

I'm on my third try with REAPER using 7.02. The two previous times, I got exhausted by the work required to get the text/fonts legible. Was never able to achieve acceptable results.

Tried many themes, but none have a visual clarity on par with Logic/PT. I prefer using the White Tie Modders kit and then tweaking the available options/actions from there.

But, the fonts are the deal breaker. Track names, FX plugins, BPM, etc. Many of these are so small I need to get right up to my 24" UHD screen just to read them.

I have to be able to read track names or plugins from 2-3 feet away with a guitar around my neck at 10pm. In Logic and PT (my usual DAWs) this is easy right out of the box because somebody has grasped the importance of legibility and implemented some crisp UI/UX around it.

I've tried changing fonts from Actions/Theme development/tweaker and nothing happens. Some fonts seem to change size and even style (unintentionally) - but not color. I change what I think is the right Walter option, but it either doesn't work or it reverts to what was there. This is messy.

Also in v7.02, there are no TCP, Mixer, or Envelope tweak options under the Theme Adjuster. These were a thing in v6.xx so what happened? Did they just discontinue this useful option?

I'm confused.
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Old 11-10-2023, 03:02 AM   #2
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I feel your pain.

So many colours are directed by the theme - this is a text file buried in the theme file.

I'm going from memory here.

If you're using the default theme (sounds like you are) then what I've discovered is Walter Fonts 1-5 correspond to the 5 track label sizes you can use with the Default 7 theme script. I set mine to +5 or 5px (whatever it says) Tip.. You can set text brightness in here too.

If you like, I'll upload my tweaked theme when I get back to the studio
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Old 11-10-2023, 06:35 PM   #3
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Thanks for replying!

So, are you talking about the Walter numbers in the the Theme development/tweaker?
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Old 11-10-2023, 06:43 PM   #4
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I changed all of those (up by 2 sizes), saved, restarted, and there is no change.

Also tried messing with the rtconfig.txt file but got nowhere.

I'm very confused by how weirdly difficult it is to make Reaper useable. The BPM is downright microscopic (see attached.)

Thanks for your help.
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Old 11-12-2023, 04:07 PM   #5
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In the tweaker try Walter font 11 for FX and Walter font 13 for track titles. Adjust size to about 32-36 or so. If it doesn't work in default 7 theme try in v.6 theme.
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Old 11-13-2023, 08:22 AM   #6
Stroudy
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Quote:
Originally Posted by smeagol View Post
I changed all of those (up by 2 sizes), saved, restarted, and there is no change.

Also tried messing with the rtconfig.txt file but got nowhere.

I'm very confused by how weirdly difficult it is to make Reaper useable. The BPM is downright microscopic (see attached.)

Thanks for your help.
Apologies for the delay, I've been quite ill. Urgh

So, I've found out that the walter font number is dependant on what hidpi you're running, i.e. what resolution you're at.

Anyway, I loaded Reaper on my home setup and found similar problems to you because it runs at a different rez to my studio.

Basically, I had to edit Walter Font 5 for the studio, and 15 for home.

BPM in my Studio Setup is Walter Font 6

In case you missed it, this is what I tweaked in the Theme Adjuster for track labels

Also, if you're having major issues, you should say so in this sub-forum - https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=285010

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Old 11-13-2023, 10:23 AM   #7
smeagol
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Wow, thank you.

I will try using this somewhat Commodore 64 looking theme adjuster and see what happens. I tried using it before and got weird script errors.

When you say "Walter Font 5" etc. do you mean the Walters located in "Theme development: Show theme tweak/configuration window" or somewhere else?

Like the rtconfig.txt file?
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Old 11-13-2023, 11:11 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by smeagol View Post
Wow, thank you.

I will try using this somewhat Commodore 64 looking theme adjuster and see what happens. I tried using it before and got weird script errors.

When you say "Walter Font 5" etc. do you mean the Walters located in "Theme development: Show theme tweak/configuration window" or somewhere else?

Like the rtconfig.txt file?
Correct - the Theme Tweak window.

The script looks that way because it's a Work-in-progress. This is why you should report things like this to White Tie in the thread I linked to.
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Old 11-13-2023, 11:16 AM   #9
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OK, I updated to Reaper v7.05 per White Tie instructions.

Then installed the new v7 theme adjuster Lua script and ran it.

I get "PARAM ERROR" all over the place and it's impossible to understand what is going on.

Since the forum does not allow uploading of high res screen grabs, I'm using Imugr:

https://imgur.com/Z9pvEKf

Any idea what is going on?
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Old 11-13-2023, 11:32 AM   #10
smeagol
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Tx.

Posted the error in forum where White Tie placed the link.
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Old 11-13-2023, 12:07 PM   #11
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smeagol you're now talking about this in three different threads. If you're shopping around for a different opinion than the one I've given you already that is your prerogative, but I'm doing my best to give it to you straight as I see it.

As I said many times here, Help with font sizes?, I don't think you have a theme problem, I think you have a scaling problem with perhaps also a retina filtering thing going on. Better quality screenshots will be needed to help you further. Since changing themes hasn't solved your problem, I don't think its a theme thing. Changing to yet another theme would be a continuation of that mistake.

The Default 7 theme's theme adjuster is only for one specific build of the Default 7 theme, for testing, in pre-release. It won't work with your theme, it won't help with your problem, I suggest you should ignore its existence. Either way, please don't discuss it outside the pre-release forum.

Please pick a thread for you problem. I suggest this one, since I believe what you have might be an OSX problem. And, again, not a theme problem.
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Old 11-13-2023, 02:22 PM   #12
smeagol
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Hey White Tie, thanks for responding.

I actually posted this before the other thread. Came here to upload better screenshots and repose the question - and saw someone had responded. Since they recommended something new to try well, I just went for it...

But, I fully admit to being a not quite having theme adjuster, theme tweak, and theme assembler all quite right in my head until now. I'm new and this is very confusing to me. I suppose this is because some fonts are tweakable and others not, or at least not simply so.

Anyway, here are hires screenshots of where I am at:


https://imgur.com/a/ImRht6A

https://imgur.com/a/SBNNeMd


Thanks to both of you. Apologies if I'm dense...
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Old 11-14-2023, 03:31 AM   #13
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I stand entirely corrected, your screenshots show that Reaper is running at 3840x2160 (aka 4k) and 200% scaling, pin sharp with no filtering. And the fonts are the correct size, though fractionally smaller within the standard deviation of Reaper's translation to OSX. In short : you're seeing the correct thing, as intended.

Some of Reaper can be made bigger than you are currently seeing it with theming, but since you're already at 200% most of it can't. Sorry.
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Old 11-14-2023, 10:01 AM   #14
smeagol
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Hey, thanks.

This is closure of a sort then. I guess my next step is to put in a mod request and check back a few versions down the line? I've been warned not to hold my breath over on Reddit.

Coming from outside Reaper-land (PT & Logic since 1998, 2" tape before that) it seems odd that this clearly well-written and flexible software allows some text elements to be changed yet forbids others.

Fwiw, the fonts of concern about are not obscure trifles tucked away in a sub-menu somewhere. They are the main events of audio production, used almost constantly, and getting the UI/ergonomics right is crucial, at least to me.

My 2c:

- Track names should be bold (by default) and scalable (within reason)
- Plugin/FX names should be bold and scalable
- BPM, time sig, etc. should be bold and scalable

Thanks again...
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Old 11-14-2023, 10:07 AM   #15
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You can change all those things. The WALTER fonts I told you about.
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