Background color

JazzyScott · 04-27-2009, 01:10 PM

In previous versions of SereneScreen, the user was able to completely eliminate the blue coloring in the background until the background was completely black.

I've used F1-F2 and F3-F4, but these only darken or lighten the shades of blue.

Is there any way to "blacken" the background?

I'm using Beta 9M on Windows Vista Home Premium.

I've used SereneScreen for years and it's only getting better and better all the time! Thanks for all the hard work you've put into this!!

Jav400 · 04-27-2009, 01:23 PM

Not at this time. Eventually, when some more important things, like improving the fish and a few other things are taken care of first, then steps will be taken to implement much more user choices for the background colors.

Welcome to the forum Scott.

Jim Sachs · 04-27-2009, 01:28 PM

Well, Jazzy - the interface for doing this is not in place yet, but I'll let you in on a little secret. If you are comfortable monkeying around with the Registry, you can use Regedit to navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/SereneScreen/MarineAquarium3. Change the values for BackgroundTopColor and BackgroundBottomColor to ff000000 for full black.

Overlord · 04-27-2009, 01:35 PM

Now that's how I like my background. Thanks a bunch for the registry tip! I also googled "hex values for colors" and made the background midnight blue.

JazzyScott · 04-27-2009, 04:38 PM

AWESOME! That worked perfectly, Jim! That's exactly how I like my background, too! Again, keep up the great work; we appreciate it immensely!

cjmaddy · 04-27-2009, 04:53 PM

Yes, - I used ff000080 for the BackgroundTopcolor, then lightened the existing bottom colour just a little. - The result? ... Perfect!

dwax · 04-27-2009, 05:15 PM

Will these color codes work?
http://www.bmk.com.au/cgi-bin/colors.php

Jav400 · 04-27-2009, 05:59 PM

yep

For me a top color of 220088 and a bottom color of 000022 looks good. Or maybe slightly darker wouldn't hurt................

dwax · 04-27-2009, 06:21 PM

I notice I can change the colors, but if I try to lighten or darken with F1 to F4 it reverts back to the original color.

Jim Sachs · 04-27-2009, 06:41 PM

dwax - Yes, those color codes will work fine. Just remember that the first two digits must be FF (that's the Alpha component). You are also correct that using the keys to adjust the color will eventually cause it to revert to the default colors. (That's one reason why it's a Secret Tweak, and not a Feature.)

henemly · 04-27-2009, 06:48 PM

Thanks! for the sick tip Jim!!!!

but be careful or else:

Jim Sachs · 04-27-2009, 08:22 PM

What did I just say about FF?

Overlord · 04-27-2009, 09:06 PM

This is a site with the hex codes for probably any color or combination you may want.
Because I'm a nice guy this information is absolutely FREE!

http://www.web-source.net/216_color_chart.htm

feldon34 · 04-27-2009, 09:17 PM

That's a cool color chart.

Just be aware that information on that page, specifically the "216 safe colors" chart (which only applies to computers with 256 color displays) as well as the HTML examples on that page are about 10 years out of date.

Did I mention it's a cool color chart?

Jim Sachs · 04-27-2009, 10:04 PM

This seems incredibly simple to me, but for those who don't think in hexidecimal -

Hex is simple, instead of each column only being able to contain 0-9 as in decimal math, there are sixteen possible values per digit: 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,A,B,C,D,E,F.

There are four 2-digit components to a color, like this: FF 24 36 89. The first pair is the alpha component, and must always be FF (full on), or the background will be invisible.

Then comes the red component, green component and blue component, each with a value of 0 to FF (255). So, FF 00 00 FF would be full blue. FF 88 88 88 would be medium gray, etc. You don't really need a chart, you can just tell from the numbers what color you'll get.

Overlord · 04-27-2009, 10:58 PM

I totally agree with you Jim. I just figure there are some people who won't grasp hex or just don't feel like trying to figure out what numbers give what colors. The chart gives some basics that anyone can use. Hell, I understand hex but I like the chart because I am lazy. Besides, as feldon mentioned, it is a cool color chart!

henemly · 04-28-2009, 09:09 AM

Originally posted by Jim Sachs:

What did I just say about FF?

I know. I got overzealous at first and accidentally pasted over the 2nd f.

liquidarrow · 11-08-2009, 04:26 PM

On a Mac and f1-4 just make the screen saver go away?
assuming you know this already, but if there is a Mac way to adjust please let me know!
Thanks
-S

feldon34 · 11-08-2009, 08:25 PM

The Mac version doesn't have adjustable background color yet, and when it does, it will use different keys.

04-27-2009, 01:10 PM	#1
JazzyScott Registered Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 2	Background color In previous versions of SereneScreen, the user was able to completely eliminate the blue coloring in the background until the background was completely black. I've used F1-F2 and F3-F4, but these only darken or lighten the shades of blue. Is there any way to "blacken" the background? I'm using Beta 9M on Windows Vista Home Premium. I've used SereneScreen for years and it's only getting better and better all the time! Thanks for all the hard work you've put into this!!

04-27-2009, 01:23 PM	#2
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	Not at this time. Eventually, when some more important things, like improving the fish and a few other things are taken care of first, then steps will be taken to implement much more user choices for the background colors. Welcome to the forum Scott. Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

04-27-2009, 01:28 PM	#3
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,788	Well, Jazzy - the interface for doing this is not in place yet, but I'll let you in on a little secret. If you are comfortable monkeying around with the Registry, you can use Regedit to navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/SereneScreen/MarineAquarium3. Change the values for BackgroundTopColor and BackgroundBottomColor to ff000000 for full black. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

04-27-2009, 05:15 PM	#7
dwax Registered Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: SOUTH DAKOTA Posts: 83	Will these color codes work? http://www.bmk.com.au/cgi-bin/colors.php By dustywax at 2011-12-13

04-27-2009, 06:21 PM	#9
dwax Registered Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: SOUTH DAKOTA Posts: 83	I notice I can change the colors, but if I try to lighten or darken with F1 to F4 it reverts back to the original color. By dustywax at 2011-12-13

04-27-2009, 01:35 PM	#4
Overlord Registered Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 72	Now that's how I like my background. Thanks a bunch for the registry tip! I also googled "hex values for colors" and made the background midnight blue.

04-27-2009, 04:38 PM	#5
JazzyScott Registered Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 2	AWESOME! That worked perfectly, Jim! That's exactly how I like my background, too! Again, keep up the great work; we appreciate it immensely!

04-27-2009, 04:53 PM	#6
cjmaddy Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lancashire, UK Posts: 7,854	Yes, - I used ff000080 for the BackgroundTopcolor, then lightened the existing bottom colour just a little. - The result? ... Perfect!

04-27-2009, 06:41 PM	#10
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,788	dwax - Yes, those color codes will work fine. Just remember that the first two digits must be FF (that's the Alpha component). You are also correct that using the keys to adjust the color will eventually cause it to revert to the default colors. (That's one reason why it's a Secret Tweak, and not a Feature.) Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

04-27-2009, 06:48 PM	#11
henemly asdf Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Hiko, CommieFagnia Posts: 278	Thanks! for the sick tip Jim!!!! but be careful or else:

04-27-2009, 08:22 PM	#12
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,788	What did I just say about FF? Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

04-27-2009, 09:06 PM	#13
Overlord Registered Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 72	This is a site with the hex codes for probably any color or combination you may want. Because I'm a nice guy this information is absolutely FREE! http://www.web-source.net/216_color_chart.htm

04-27-2009, 09:17 PM	#14
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	That's a cool color chart. Just be aware that information on that page, specifically the "216 safe colors" chart (which only applies to computers with 256 color displays) as well as the HTML examples on that page are about 10 years out of date. Did I mention it's a cool color chart? "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

04-27-2009, 10:04 PM	#15
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,788	This seems incredibly simple to me, but for those who don't think in hexidecimal - Hex is simple, instead of each column only being able to contain 0-9 as in decimal math, there are sixteen possible values per digit: 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,A,B,C,D,E,F. There are four 2-digit components to a color, like this: FF 24 36 89. The first pair is the alpha component, and must always be FF (full on), or the background will be invisible. Then comes the red component, green component and blue component, each with a value of 0 to FF (255). So, FF 00 00 FF would be full blue. FF 88 88 88 would be medium gray, etc. You don't really need a chart, you can just tell from the numbers what color you'll get. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

04-27-2009, 10:58 PM	#16
Overlord Registered Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 72	I totally agree with you Jim. I just figure there are some people who won't grasp hex or just don't feel like trying to figure out what numbers give what colors. The chart gives some basics that anyone can use. Hell, I understand hex but I like the chart because I am lazy. Besides, as feldon mentioned, it is a cool color chart!

04-28-2009, 09:09 AM	#17
henemly asdf Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Hiko, CommieFagnia Posts: 278	Originally posted by Jim Sachs: What did I just say about FF? I know. I got overzealous at first and accidentally pasted over the 2nd f.

11-08-2009, 04:26 PM	#18
liquidarrow Registered Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 2	On a Mac and f1-4 just make the screen saver go away? assuming you know this already, but if there is a Mac way to adjust please let me know! Thanks -S

11-08-2009, 08:25 PM	#19
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	The Mac version doesn't have adjustable background color yet, and when it does, it will use different keys. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman