Apache OpenOffice (AOO) Bugzilla – Issue 96268
Highlighting of selected cells has not enough contrast
Last modified: 2009-05-20 16:49:36 UTC
When selecting several cells highlighting is perfect with default Windows XP color theme. But I am using "Zune" theme. And when this theme is in effect it is very hard to distinguish selected cells. I even thought at first that there is no highlighting at all and only next day noticed on different monitor that it is there but with very low contrast. How to reproduce: I've found that highlighting color depends on "Active menu item background" setting in the theme. With standard Windows XP theme this color is #316AC5 and highlighting is perfect. Zune theme uses gray color #BEBEBE for active menu item background. And in this case highlighting has very low contrast. It is very inconvenient for me to change that color only for selecting in Calc to work. My thoughts on solution: You can set fixed base for highlighting color that works (it can be #316AC5) and maybe enable changing that color in settings.
I'd like to confirm this issue, and also point out a couple details/anomalies about it. At least one other user is reporting this issue only with XP using the Zune (black gloss) desktop theme applied. The issue does not occur for me when a default blue or silver XP theme is applied. http://user.services.openoffice.org/en/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&p=55653 After reading more I associated the trouble with the theme, until I discovered the contrast problem not occurring on a 2nd PC with the same OO.org version, same XP, same theme applied. In fact, the selected cell contrast was fantastic on the 2nd machine I observed. Allow me to link to a a few illustrative screenshots below: First, My application screenshot with cells selected and "options" screen open in foreground. http://www.smick.net/images/OpenOfficeBug/mike_oocalc_selectedcells.png Please note in this image how the selected rows and columns highlight color as well. Next, my XP Display Properties > Advanced Appearance window. http://www.smick.net/images/OpenOfficeBug/mike_displayproperties.png Next, a 2nd machine's calc window, note the selected cell and row column color. Contrast is excellent. I've attempted to mimic this machine's appearance options in OO.org and display properties with no success. http://www.smick.net/images/OpenOfficeBug/mom_oocalc_selectedcells.png Last, 2nd Machine's XP Display Properties > Advanced Appearance window. Again these are what is set when installing Zune theme. Although there are several Zune theme download locations throughout the web. http://www.smick.net/images/OpenOfficeBug/mom_displayproperties.png There are differences between these two machines setup. I have separate video card, the 2nd machine is on board video. Processors, mobo, RAM completel different. The 2nd machine is much older, lower power. There also might be an order which installing the Zune theme before or after OO.org makes a difference. I doubt this to be the case. I have attempted to delete oo.org preferences after changing options to see if it works. No success. Also unlike the original ticket submitter, states a color change to "Active Menu" in Display Properties > Appearances doesn't appear to affect anything. However they may be improperly naming that actual color property as "Active Menu Item" doesn't exist in my XP Pro preferences.
I captured the 2nd machine screenshots with VNC, so that may be causing some of the window color differences. As far as I know they are the same colorsa, but I can't say for sure.
The name of setting that I mentioned may be "Selected menu item" (it is second choice in select combo-box) and background color of that setting (I have Windows XP not in English. It seems that my translation was not accurate).
This problem is tracked in issue 97672. Please move your votes. *** This issue has been marked as a duplicate of 97672 ***
closing duplicate