Suggestion: Icon should reflect connection status [Archive]

Aramir

04-10-2003, 04:51 AM

FlashFXP icon (both when minimized in traybar and when just minimized) should reflect current connection status: idle, connecting, connected, transferring

say - change colors for this "globe thingy" or change background, or whatever.

And "bring to front when connected" alaso a nice option. "Popup login messages" is not a suitable substitute.

MxxCon

04-10-2003, 05:33 AM

changing icon based on status have been suggested many times yet nobody is willing provide good icons to use, hense this feature is not implemented.

Aramir

04-10-2003, 06:06 AM

Ok. Here. I did it.

Attached zip:

0_idle.ico
1_connecting.ico
2_connected.ico
3_transferring.ico

bigstar

04-10-2003, 05:35 PM

Originally posted by Aramir
FlashFXP icon (both when minimized in traybar and when just minimized) should reflect current connection status: idle, connecting, connected, transferring

say - change colors for this "globe thingy" or change background, or whatever.

And "bring to front when connected" alaso a nice option. "Popup login messages" is not a suitable substitute.

Thanks for the icons, we'll give this go unless anyone has any objections to them?

Why isn't popup login messages suitable?

Aramir

04-10-2003, 06:20 PM

np. :)

if you need any modifications in them - let me know.

MidKnight

04-10-2003, 07:13 PM

this will be awesome bigstar, im glad final this one has come around

N-S

04-11-2003, 12:09 AM

Originally posted by bigstar
Why isn't popup login messages suitable? [/B]

My opinion, and I guess most will agree, is that it just creates another window that has to be closed immediately. Even though we love flashfxp, most of us hate popup windows, especially if the popup window itself doesn't have any information that we want (or in a format that we want).

Horray for the changing icon idea. Excellent initiative.

MidKnight

04-11-2003, 12:20 AM

yep i agree i hate the popup window, thats why i dont use it

bigstar

04-12-2003, 08:51 PM

It was pointed out to me that you only included the 16x16 icons, In order for me to replace the main application icon (taskbar icon) I also need the 32x32 icons, which is also used for ALT-TAB. Can you please re-make the icons with the 32x32 icons.

In the mean time i'll probably remove this feature since it looks pretty crappy :(

Raccoon

04-12-2003, 10:05 PM

I have nothing against Aramir's icon set (http://forum.flashfxp.com/showthread.php?threadid=2832), except that the 16 color versions seem corrupt. Though, simpler and crisper icons would be interesting I suppose.

Could someone explain XP color, btw?

- Raccoon

PS. I think there should also be an icon to represent when the program is Locked-Minimized To Tray with a password (Ctrl+F9). The status may be a bit of information the user wants to be kept private, or not. I suggest allowing the user to choose this by placing an icon of their own named lockicon.ico in the FlashFXP directory. This allows the user to go as far as disguising FlashFXP as something entirely different like AIM or Volume Control.

Celerex_2

04-13-2003, 12:26 AM

XP Colour is basically high colour mode with some blending options. You'll notice XP icons kinda have that washed smooth effect to them that makes them look so nice.

The problem with the icons Aramir posted is they're only 16x16 and we need 32x32 icons. ANd no resizing wont work, they look like dung! ;)

Aramir

04-13-2003, 03:49 AM

Originally posted by bigstar
It was pointed out to me that you only included the 16x16 icons,In order for me to replace the main application icon (taskbar icon) I also need the 32x32 icons, which is also used for ALT-TAB. Can you please re-make the icons with the 32x32 icons.

Ok.
Working on this one.
I'll post it here when its finished.

Aramir

04-13-2003, 05:40 AM

Whew...

finally.. it is done...16x16_0_idle.ico
16x16_1_connecting.ico
16x16_2_connected.ico
16x16_3_transferring.ico"old" files (from first archive) 16x16@16M/256/16 icons - for traybar icon.ALL_0_idle.ico
ALL_1_connecting.ico
ALL_2_connected.ico
ALL_3_transferring.iconew ALLxALL@XP/256 icons - main app/taskbar icon

I also made all XP-color icons a little bit sharper. Think its better this way.

Aramir

04-13-2003, 05:42 AM

Check out the original thread (http://forum.flashfxp.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=13107#post13107).

(added all 32x32@XP icons)

Aramir

04-13-2003, 05:49 AM

Originally posted by Raccoon
I have nothing against Aramir's icon set, except that the 16 color versions seem corrupt. :) it was like this. Check out 16x16_2_connected.ico - this one is the original one (extracted right from flashfxp.exe) - this one seems "corrupted" too.

Its hard to re-do smth in 16x16@16 the way it wont look corrupted...

Raccoon

04-13-2003, 07:24 AM

... Why back in my day, we only had 16 colors -- And we liked it!

Aramir

04-13-2003, 07:32 AM

Originally posted by Raccoon
... Why back in my day, we only had 16 colors -- And we liked it! back in _my_ day, we only had 4 colors (CGA) or even 2 colors (Hercules) -- and we liked it even more :)

but like I said - its hard to _re-do_ something _very_ small and highcolor in 16 colors...

Aramir

04-13-2003, 10:06 AM

[i]PS. I think there should also be an icon to represent when the program is Locked-Minimized To Tray with a password (Ctrl+F9). Exellent idea, btw... I forgot about "locked" state, cause I do not use this option...

I'll try to make icon for this state also..

bigstar

04-13-2003, 12:51 PM

threads merged

bigstar

04-13-2003, 12:54 PM

We need a 32x32 for the schedule icon too

Zer0Racer

04-13-2003, 04:41 PM

Originally posted by bigstar
We need a 32x32 for the schedule icon too

Here's how I think the 32x32 schedule icon should look. It's of course the same format as the 310.ico with 32bit XP icon with alpha channel and 256 and 16 colors as well.

bigstar

04-13-2003, 06:22 PM

Originally posted by zer0racer
Here's how I think the 32x32 schedule icon should look. It's of course the same format as the 310.ico with 32bit XP icon with alpha channel and 256 and 16 colors as well.

Nice effort but the quality is just a bit lacking.

Zer0Racer

04-14-2003, 03:06 AM

I know.. they're not 100%. I guess I rushed it. The 32-bit one is good though.

Aramir

04-14-2003, 03:29 AM

Originally posted by bigstar
Nice effort but the quality is just a bit lacking. and it only contains 32x32 versions.

complete/required listing of application icon formats in .ico library by XP standard is:48x48@16M+alpha(XP)
32x32@16M+alpha(XP)
24x24@16M+alpha(XP)
16x16@16M+alpha(XP)

48x48@256
32x32@256
24x24@256
16x16@256

Aramir

04-14-2003, 03:31 AM

Here. My version.

I'll also try to finish "locked" state icon today.

Aramir

04-14-2003, 04:19 AM

Here is another version of schedule icon. Clock thingie is now "under" the "F-box" thingie. I'll leave it for you to decide which one is better.

(Me, myself - I think first version, with "clock" over "F-Box" is better one)

Celerex_2

04-14-2003, 05:33 AM

Some good stuff. I like the one with teh clock ontop. Stands out a bit more.

MidKnight

04-14-2003, 07:25 AM

please note, that the lock icon, we only need a 16x16 icon for this one

Aramir

04-14-2003, 07:29 AM

locked state icon

16x16@16/256/XP

Kibe

04-15-2003, 12:31 AM

As MidKnight asked, here is the suggestion I made in Beta Forum:

I really like that colours for FlashFXP icon. But since we are gonna have colors, why not some more:

- Gray: disconnected
- Yellow: trying to connect
- Green: transfer in progress
- Red: server error/disconnect
- Blue: idle with empty queue

What do you think about it?

MidKnight

04-15-2003, 01:25 AM

sounds good, but i think one icon of any should be something very eye catching for the idle/connected state. This way its going to catch the eye better when you've finially got connected to that server you have been trying to get into for the last few hours.

Which of course is a large portion to this feature, but yet, i still lost my connection the other night because it of the 2 colours at present are too closely matched.

But of course with the other new feature we have now, this could would have gotten my attection if i was using the activate flashfxp option, but for me this feature being on would be an annoying one for me. BUT, if there was either a toolbar button or some other shortcut to temparly activate this option for the single flash window, then maybe it would be more useful for my usage habits

Aramir

04-15-2003, 03:40 AM

I really like that colours for FlashFXP icon. But since we are gonna have colors, why not some more:
well.. first of all - I think that too many states/colors will mix the things up making it hard to understand...
Really, there are almost no difference (for user) between gray (disconnected) and red(server error/disconnect), you offered. What important is state ("disconnected").

Right now it is this way:

0 - gray: idle/disconnected
1 - yellow - trying to connect
2 - green - connected/idle
3 - green with green "flame" - connected/transferring

see, for user there is not such important to be notified of a switch from state 2 to 3, right? Thats why there are not a lot of difference between them.
But there are a lot of difference between 3 or 2 and 0 - hence the different colors...

Aramir

04-15-2003, 03:54 AM

There is a feature in Win2K/ME/XP, called "tray baloon". Looks like this:

http://www.beseder.net/temp/traybaloon.gif

(screenshot was taken from Watznew program)

I think its a great way to notify user about important stuff, which can not be expressed via icon color changes. - file download started/completed, queue completed etc...

I will create a new topic under "suggestions" for this.

Kibe

04-15-2003, 10:47 AM

Well, I think there is quite a diference when I'm connected to 2 sites and idle, and when I'm doing transfers between them. That's why I thought about blue for idle state.

And I really hate those ballon tips, so I think bigstar shouldn't waste his time to implement this feature...

Raccoon

04-16-2003, 06:21 AM

Originally posted by MidKnight
please note, that the lock icon, we only need a 16x16 icon for this one It's my opinion we need the full suite of icon formats for this icon too, just as we do with any other. The stretched 16x16 icon at 32x32 when you ALT+TAB looks funky, and what about people with large icon settings enabled?

Aramir, If you have time I'd really like to see this icon at 16,32,48 @ 16,256,XP. I really enjoy your version of the schedule icon, with the clock in the foreground especially.

My opinion on the 5 state vs the 4 state suggestions.
Both in their pros and cons depending on what you're interested in. I can see how someone would be interested in seeing a Red icon when they wake up in the morning to tell if their transfer failed over night... where Aramir's gray icon (if disconnected) or flames (if still connected) could simply be overlooked. Connected-Idle and Connected-Transferring might be the difference between night and day for some users, and insignificant to others. But then again we sacrifice simplicity by adding to many options.

I also think that any Connected/Idle state should be a Blue icon, as this is the color of the default FlashFXP logo.

- Raccoon

PS. Yeee! Post #50!!!

bigstar

04-16-2003, 07:36 AM

Originally posted by Raccoon
It's my opinion we need the full suite of icon formats for this icon too, just as we do with any other. The stretched 16x16 icon at 32x32 when you ALT+TAB looks funky, and what about people with large icon settings enabled?

The only time you ever see the lock icon is when FlashFXP is minimized to the tray & locked, FlashFXP can't be locked unless it's in the tray.

Celerex_2

04-16-2003, 10:08 AM

Um, I was wondering aramir if you could change 1 of the icons. The FlashFXP Transfering icon tooks EXTREMELY close to the Idle icon. One simple change that at high resolutions blends in with the rest of the icon to make them look almost identical. Maybe changing the flame on the Transfering icon to RED or some other colour that stands out against the green to differenciate the 2 would be useful. Just a thought. ;)

MidKnight

04-16-2003, 10:16 AM

yes i would dearly love to see this, we really need the idle and transfering to be much differant. currently they blend in too much together

bigstar

04-16-2003, 12:26 PM

I dont think red would be a wise choice for the color.

Celerex_2

04-16-2003, 01:09 PM

May I ask why?
it's just the flame so a very small portion of the icon.

It was realy more to just get peopel started and thinking about it more than to really suggest a real colour that should have been chosen.

Linkster

04-16-2003, 03:09 PM

I kind of like the blue color idea for transferring.

bigstar

04-16-2003, 03:10 PM

well red is usually an indication of a warning, an error, or stopped. green is the appropriate color for such an operation though i'm not sure how well it stands out, i haven't had any time to use flashfxp. i've been extremely busy lately.