White Text Over Dark Background

[Alex K]

Hi Guys,

Sorry if this is not the appropriate area to post this question, but this is my first on this forum.

I've already done a search but could not find a useful answer.

My problem is white text disappears upon entry into a field.

I have a field (text set to white with transparent background) over a dark colored graphic element that I have inserted. Looks cool, but when I select the field to change the text (which is numerical) I can't see the previous entered text.

This is a main function of my program - to change the number and re-calculate a fomula. It's important that the user sees the previous data in the field.

It's not a problem if I set the field backgound to a color, or if I set the text to a different color - but I don't want to do that! - I want my graphic to show through under the white text.

I would be greatful if anyone has a solution.

Cheers

[RalphL]

Have you pushed the graphic to the back?

[comment]

Make the body of the layout a dark color. If necessary, add a large white rectangle (the height of your entire body, the width of your entire layout) between the body and your graphic.

[dwins]

Maybe you can change the text to black and put the field behind the graphic, and create a text box with the <> and text in white and have it lined up on top of the graphic.

Edited August 12, 2005 by Guest

[Steve T.]

Hi, Alex! Welcome to FMFORUMS! Yeah, that used to bug me a lot, too... I just started using light gray instead of pure white or avoided transparent reverses altogether.

Wow.. I just tried Comment's suggestion and it seems to be the closest you can get, although I would have probably tried to do something like dwins if I really had to have something. Use Comment's advice, though.. I think you'll be satisfied with that. Figuring out Comment's suggestion took me a while, though, so if you don't know how to change a layout part's background color, here's my synopsis of what I found buried in the HELP...

Go to LAYOUT mode, click on the title label of the part, and then apply a color from the palette. The part will be that color (in your case, a dark color) and FM's behavior will use white text when you click in the field (but the background will be solid and block your image). Not perfect, but probably good enough, eh?

Thanx, Comment!

--ST

[Alex K]

Thanx Comment & ST!

That did the trick! - I changed the part background to a dark gray color, then placed a white box the size of the layout and put it at the back.

Problem Solved! except that when I enter the field the graphic is now obscured by a dark grey box, but at least I can see the text - I can live with that.

Which brings me to another question.

On the same layout I have some other fields that have a graphic behind them (text black this time) when I enter in to any of the fields, all the other fields highlight (as if in sympathy) and obscure the graphic behind them.

I can live with it, but it does detract from the overall professional look that I want to create.

I already have the "nuts & bolts" of the program working well - now I want to add a little "fairy dust" but FM seems to fall down in some areas.

Mind you, you can't beat FM for ease of use and development time compared with VB.NET.

BTW, I'm a graphic designer by trade, and have been programming for some time. I have sucessfully sold some of my solutions to the printing industry - I'm wanting to change my career. It's not easy!

Thanx again for your help.

Cheers. :(

[comment]

I kind of envisioned the body background being the same color as the graphic - at least in the areas under the fields. So the change would be unnoticeable by the user.

Regarding your second question - I don't know of a solution for that, other than an upgrade to version 7.