Poll: Dark mode for panels and components?

VCV Rack
1

Many users have requested a choice of dark panels for modules.

I could add a “View > Dark mode” setting to Rack’s menu bar, which would suggest to all panels, components, and other widgets to switch to dark alternatives. All Component Library graphics (included in Rack, developed by Grayscale) would have dark alternatives that would automatically switch when the user chooses Dark mode. However, plugin developers would explicitly need to create dark versions of their panels and custom components. Therefore not all plugins would support Dark mode. Even worse, they will likely have a mix of dark Component Library graphics and default panels.

The Fundamental and Core plugins (both included with Rack) would have dark panels if Dark mode is added, such as the mockup below.

2019-12-18-101904_1600x900_scrot
2019-12-18-101904_1600x900_scrot904×735 159 KB

For a technical discussion, see https://github.com/VCVRack/Rack/issues/1663.

  • I don’t need Dark mode. The default colors are fine.
  • I would use Dark mode, but I understand that not all plugins would switch to dark graphics.
  • For developers only: I will add dark graphics if Dark mode is accepted.
  • For developers only: I will probably not add dark graphics if Dark mode is accepted.
0 voters
8 Likes
3

my modules are already pretty dark. By this poll would this mean the inverse is true - I would need to add a corresponding Light mode?

3 Likes
4

By my understanding I think you would just not do anything, unless it is that you would want to set the “light mode” as default.

5

It is not specified one way or another. That’s why I asked, :slight_smile:

6

Why not? I like alternate themes and a generic interface would be a good idea since also other developers already use that.

7

Non-Dark mode means “default”, not “light mode”. If your modules are already dark, there is no need to implement other color themes. You can choose to switch your default mode to “light” if you wish, but it is not required.

1 Like
8

several of my modules have 3 colors to choose from, making “dark mode” and “light mode” not make sense.

having this at the system level could be confusing for those modules that want to support more than “dark” and “light”.

EDIT: I will note that once I responded to the poll (as a non-developer only click), I was not able to finish the developer section of the polll, or change my answer.

1 Like
9

Not related but I do miss the “lights off” mode… Maybe this is also an option?

5 Likes
10

Not sure where I stand with this but I’d probably add light or alternative panel colours as I’m Dark already. Because of this the option per plugin would probably be needed?!

I’m not too fussed about dark / light, which ever way a panel has been made is fine by me in most cases.

1 Like
11

I never saw the ‘lights off’ mode, before my time, sounds great though. My visualisation modules will do the equivalent of lights off soon. Also they now do ‘any colour you like’ so I won’t use the dark / light toggle facility but would appreciate it on other modules with no other colour options.

Must add, the white knobs on dark background on the fundamentals mockup are still way too contrasty for my eyes.

12

Depending on how you’ve implemented multiple color themes, you could use a default “Auto” choice which selects two of your existing themes based on whether Dark mode is enabled.

To change your vote, click “Hide results” and then click the checkbox of your new vote.

2 Likes
13

Rack has had no such thing.

25

I am locking this thread due to too much technical discussion, but members are still welcome to vote. Technical discussions about the proposal must take place in the GitHub issue.