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Subject:Re: Banner colors and browse sequences From:"Susan W. Gallagher" <sgallagher -at- EXPERSOFT -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 9 Oct 1997 14:37:20 -0700
At 03:22 PM 10/9/97 -0500, Gravlin, Betty wrote:
>Our style guide...says I should use different banner colors
>for the two window classes I am using...
>
>The problem starts when I try to mix the two types of topics in the same
>browse sequence...
>
>Should I take the browse buttons off the secondary windows ...
>forget about mixing topic types in a browse
>sequence...make the banners all the same color? But when I convert the
>help to Hyperhelp for UNIX, I'll have to use the same color banner and
>text for all windows.
>
>What is the trend in this design issue?
I don't know if there is really any trend to reference here.
Distinguishing topic types is generally a good thing, but in
the case you describe, changing banner colors is more trouble
than it's worth. And no, I wouldn't get rid of the browse
sequences just to preserve your color scheme.
Why not try distinguishing each topic type with a small graphic --
maybe a book for conceptual information and a computer for procedures?
Your users will be able to distinguish one topic type from another and
you'll be able to keep all the banner colors the same.
If you feel graphically challenged, try this...
Find dingbats that will work for your topic categories in Wingdings,
Zaph Dingbats, or some other graphic font. Open MS Paint and type
them in at a large point size, then color them. Use the selection
tool to draw a marquee around a graphic (crop it rather tightly),
then select Edit -> Copy To to save just the selected area to a
bitmap file. Include the graphic (in bmc notation) just before the
title text for each topic.
The _Guide_ is definitive.
Reality is frequently inaccurate. --Douglas Adams
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