Tim Young [Elevate Software] wrote:

> The default TIconLibrary interface will use font icons

Doesn't that pretty much mean that we *have* to include the font in our
projects? I think this is probably fine, but perhaps should be a bit
more automatic in that if the project doesn't have icons, then it
doesn't include the font, but add an icon and it does.

> 4) Controls that use icons that are hard-coded will default to using
> *font icons* instead.   For example, the close button for tabs on
> TPagePanel controls, or the close button on TDialog/TPanel controls.

Doesn't that pretty much settle it? If the basic components have font
icons, then it isn't optional any more.

--

Matthew Jones

Uli,

<< That's the only point I don't understand. What do you mean with "hard-coded" Icons? >>

I mean things like the close buttons for panels/dialogs.  They're not icons in the TIconLibrary interface that can be selected, but rather icons that are intrinsically part of that control's interface.

Tim Young
Elevate Software
www.elevatesoft.com

Matthew,

<< Doesn't that pretty much mean that we *have* to include the font in our projects? >>

No.  You're still free to use image-based icons, especially if you've customized them.

<< I think this is probably fine, but perhaps should be a bit more automatic in that if the project doesn't have icons, then it doesn't include the font, but add an icon and it does. >>

The only problem with that logic is that it can't possibly account for runtime modifications.  This is why the web fonts are included/excluded via the project manager.  Only the developer knows what they intend to do in terms of icon usage.

<< Doesn't that pretty much settle it? If the basic components have font icons, then it isn't optional any more. >>

Well, nothing is settled at this point, hence the thread.  But, just like the icon library, you'll be free to continue using the older image-based interfaces, or I could ship both and allow you to select that which you would prefer to use.

Tim Young
Elevate Software
www.elevatesoft.com

Tim,

> I mean things like the close buttons for panels/dialogs.  They're not icons in the TIconLibrary interface that can be selected, but rather icons that are intrinsically part of that control's interface.

Thanks, I got it now.

Uli

Tim Young [Elevate Software] wrote:

> you'll be free to continue using the older image-based interfaces

I'm presuming around a fresh install and new application. If your
interface definitions use the new font, then the project will depend on
it, which is fine, but obviously it needs to "just work" and sort it.
I'd be happy with that, and that someone can edit things to change it
if they don't want this, but the default is what will need the font.

This will of course emphasise the difficulty of maintaining customised
interface designs. I was going to upgrade to the latest, but will hold
off for this one so I don't have to keep repeating the adjustments I
make. But I have some contract work coming where I'll need a bigger
update, and that will be harder to keep merging.

In summary, go Font Awesome - it will be a good thing.

--

Matthew Jones

Matthew,

<< This will of course emphasise the difficulty of maintaining customized interface designs. I was going to upgrade to the latest, but will hold off for this one so I don't have to keep repeating the adjustments I make. But I have some contract work coming where I'll need a bigger update, and that will be harder to keep merging. >>

Interfaces are applied on an element-name basis, so as long as you pay attention to any breaking changes in the release notes *in that regard*, you should be fine with a separate set of customized interfaces, even if they use the older versions with images.  In other words, even if I add a new "FontIcon" element to an existing control for the purposes of displaying a font icon, and add an actual font icon in the default interfaces that ship with EWB, it won't affect you at all.  The only time that you need to *possibly* take any action is in the case of a new control with a new associated interface, or if I add/rename/remove a UI element from a control. And, as is the case with the font icons, it is often the case that you *still* won't need to do anything if I add a new UI element.

That's the whole point of the control interfaces: to completely separate out the interface design from the control code.  I've gone to great lengths in the component library to always try to make sure that any controls included with EWB do not rely on hard-coded measurements or assumptions about how the interfaces will be designed/modified.

Tim Young
Elevate Software
www.elevatesoft.com

Tim Young [Elevate Software] wrote:

>>I'm finishing up font icon support for the next release of EWB, but I'm torn at this point as to what to do about the >>*default* state of EWB with respect to using images vs. font icons with the built-in, default TIconLibrary interface.  >>I'm currently using Font Awesome (thanks Mark !) for the font icons, but you'll also be able to use *any* web font >>that you like with the next release (Roboto, Open Sans, etc.)  You'll just need to install the TrueType font into >>Windows to use it in the IDE, and then include the WOFF web font as an external file with your project via the >>Project Manager (there are new options for specifying the font name and styles for external web fonts).

No idea how I missed this, but anyway I think FA is the default way to go. This is gonna be wonderful. Colours and sizes all supported? It is Christmas already!

Mark,

<< No idea how I missed this, but anyway I think FA is the default way to go. This is gonna be wonderful. Colours and sizes all supported? >>

Yep.  Now I just need to figure out what to do with the stock Android browsers that won't eat WOFF fonts (half the size of OTF/TTF), and we're all set.  I might have to subset the default set of icons to just the bare minimum, and let everyone decide for themselves how they want to handle additional icons.

It's a pretty noticeable difference on an iPhone in terms of the clarity of the icons, and they're much easier to work with than images, especially if you need to change the colors while tinkering with the interfaces.

Tim Young
Elevate Software
www.elevatesoft.com