Draw content of items below labels

[Phazma]

I would like to show item labels inside of items but currently that option is not that usable as item labels can get pretty unreadable when items and peaks overlap and it is difficult to theme around this (it even affects the default theme):



This could be avoided if we get an option to draw content of items below labels as suggested in this post by Odys:



It would then probably look like this in the default theme:



Of course the label part of the item should remain static in size and only the content part stretch or compress. When the item is at minimum track size it would look like this in the default theme:



Also, as mentioned in the post of Odys, it would give themers more possibilities.

I could imagine a themer creating an area for the item label that is a bit darker or less transparent than the area for item contents but still inherits the item colors. Like in this example (of course just a quick mockup, not beautifully executed):

[bFooz]

There is an option to draw BG behind the text.

It's in preferences, "Draw labels over solid background".

[DarkStar]

Related:
https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=239941
and
https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=240034

[Phazma]

Originally Posted by bFooz

There is an option to draw BG behind the text.

It's in preferences, "Draw labels over solid background".

Thanks for the suggestion but I already know about this and while it helps reading the item label it doesn't help with the buttons. Also it covers the peaks and looks pretty bad and improvised in general.

[Phazma]

Originally Posted by DarkStar

https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=239941

I am aware of this thread and in fact Odys' idea from this thread inspired me to create my FR. I feel it is simpler and the devs might be more inclined to just nudge the item contents down by the label height instead of designing a new colored item area underneath the label which might come with who knows what implications.

Originally Posted by DarkStar

https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=240034

I missed this FR but it seems to be exactly the same as mine! Will support!

[bFooz]

Originally Posted by Phazma

...and improvised in general.

That's a spot on expression! Also for many other things.

[Daodan]

Nice FR. +1

[Daodan]

Bump

[Pashkuli]

Daodan, what is this fuss all about?
Could it be a theme related feature (Walter?).

Here is how it is in Echolot theme. All good.



But personally I think it is a waste of vertical space.
It should be a transparent ... button to be clicked and reveal the item-buttons.

You click it: opens the buttons including the cross-fade!



What a "revolutionary" idea, right?
For 5 tracks it could show another 6th track from the saved space!
for 10 it would be 2 more...

UI is something to be considered in Reaper now. It is time.

[FeedTheCat]

Big +1 on this FR

@Pashkuli
I think what you're saying is already possible. Uncheck the option "Draw labels above item, rather than within item"

[Pashkuli]

Originally Posted by FeedTheCat

Big +1 on this FR

@Pashkuli
I think what you're saying is already possible. Uncheck the option "Draw labels above item, rather than within item"

True but I do not want them all the time visible. So a simple transparent Menu [...]-button would be so much appreciated as shown.

[nappies]

+1 for it!

[Pashkuli]

Originally Posted by nappies

+1 for it!

The feature has long been implemented. +1 for what?
Seriously.

[nappies]

Originally Posted by Pashkuli

The feature has long been implemented. +1 for what?
Seriously.

I need solid colored rects above for my config. I use it as drag zones.
So that they are clean and opaque. So I need to draw it yourself.
I don't want to use extra hack drawing. More questions?

[Pashkuli]

Originally Posted by nappies

I use it as drag zones.

Quite funny really.
Are you also one of those folks who hover the mouse cursor over the folders when trying to find a specific one?
Or do you follow your reading on the screen with the mouse cursor?

[Phazma]

Originally Posted by nappies

I don't want to use extra hack drawing.

Even with the drawing hack you cannot have backgrounds which follow the item color, it will always be the color that is drawn into the itembg image.

[nappies]

Originally Posted by Pashkuli

Quite funny really.
Are you also one of those folks who hover the mouse cursor over the folders when trying to find a specific one?
Or do you follow your reading on the screen with the mouse cursor?

Literally.And use OSARA. It's very funny to laugh at a visually impaired person.

[nappies]

Originally Posted by Phazma

Even with the drawing hack you cannot have backgrounds which follow the item color, it will always be the color that is drawn into the itembg image.

Yes exactly.

[Pashkuli]

No worries, I am a bit visually impaired too. I wear glasses, quite helpless without them.
But won't use mouse cursor as a guide on where to look at the screen.

[nappies]

Originally Posted by Pashkuli

No worries, I am a bit visually impaired too. I wear glasses, quite helpless without them.
But won't use mouse cursor as a guide on where to look at the screen.

You can feel part of my pain bro.And these multi-colored labels for the whole item would be a huge help in orientation and work with the arrangement.That is why I support it.

[Pashkuli]

Originally Posted by nappies

You can feel part of my pain bro. And these multi-colored labels for the whole item would be a huge help in orientation and work with the arrangement. That is why I support it.

Yes, with regards to the colouring, I am also with you on that.
But would prefer a single button as illustrated above to control such behaviour for showing the item-controls (buttons). Colour should be matching either the content (user tag) or track colour (default).

The idea is to save vertical space and decluttering the UI.
Of course that behaviour should depend on selection.

Selection should be quite an extensive preference panel IMNHO, with tons of options, but that is another topic.

[Phazma]

Bump. The FR probably just needs the peaks display to compress a bit depending on the label font size. I hope that is not too complicated to implement, I would appreciate a lot.

[nappies]

Yes, we still need it!

[strachupl]

It is possible using yellow lines in item background but it creates another problem:
https://forum.cockos.com/showpost.ph...9&postcount=18

[Phazma]

Originally Posted by strachupl

It is possible using yellow lines in item background but it creates another problem:
https://forum.cockos.com/showpost.ph...9&postcount=18

I actually do use the yellow lines method, but beside the problem you mentioned, the yellow lines part can't follow the color of the item, which is one of the main points of this FR, to be able to clearly see the item color even when there are big waveforms.

Also the yellow lines area disappears below a certain zoom level for whatever reason (and at very small heights even the label itself disappears):



So looks like these preferences don't work correctly:



But even if they did work correctly, the problem then would be that the item color isn't visible at minimum height (because as said, the yellow lines area is static and can't follow item color).

So the only way to make this work properly is with an option to draw the peaks below labels when the draw labels above items preference is deactivated.