Display label count

[Edgar]

Just wondering, is this info available to screen readers? (Does not appear to be on Linux unless I'm missing a trick).

Probably not, the Track Info Panel is not a wxWidgets Sizer, so we are drawing the text directly into the bitmap. There has been some rumbling in the past about making it a Sizer.

[steve]

Regarding the size/length of text and localization, how do we get round that for audio track info?
I'm guessing that we don't.

[Edgar]

Just wondering, is this info available to screen readers? (Does not appear to be on Linux unless I'm missing a trick).

Take 2:
Take a look at srcTrackPanelAx.cpp (Track Panel accessibility) starting at or near line 281, there is a function (Get Name()) which makes this stuff readable by screen readers. LLL points out that some if not all of this will change when the Track Info Panel gets re-factored.

To make these strings accessible to screen readers will require changing them into some kind of "child" and adding the appropriate code to GetName.

[Edgar]

Regarding the size/length of text and localization, how do we get round that for audio track info?
I'm guessing that we don't.

Right in one:
In srcTrackPanel.cpp at or near line number 9343 change the value of the string "Solo":

Code: Select all

_("this is an extremely long Solo button") :

Check out the results:

long.png (4.85 KiB) Viewed 1679 times

Note that not only does the text extend out into the wave track but the first 10.8 characters are clipped!

[steve]

In that case, perhaps it would be better to have small icons rather than the text "point labels", "region labels", "labels behind zero", and have the text as tooltips (which if I recall, don't work on the track info panel)

[Edgar]

In that case, perhaps it would be better to have small icons rather than the text "point labels", "region labels", "labels behind zero", and have the text as tooltips (which if I recall, don't work on the track info panel)

My design criteria was something that was constantly updated; we can always display the Label Editor Dialog, scroll down the bottom and look at the number of the final label to see how many labels we have – way too intrusive.

[Gale Andrews]

Why not have it on permanently? We don't switch of the audio track info.

I thought it might increase probability of acceptance (and I don't especially want to see it always on myself). But if most want it always on that's OK by me.

Gale

[Gale Andrews]

I see no need for the font size for the label to affect the font size of the label info.

Monitor resolutions of 2560x1600 & 5120×2890 are out there and 1920x1080 is pretty much the norm for desktop monitors and most laptops now. The Audacity Developers have seen fit to give the user control of the font family & size when drawing labels; there's a reason for this – almost all the other text is fixed (it doesn't change constantly) so once a user gets out a magnifying glass and reads it a few times they can ignore it, however, the Label text must be easily read. (Aside – I contend that the Time Text Controls and the Rulers also fault (sic - I spoke the word "fall") into this must-be-easily-readable category.)

For Audacity the default 2.8 wxWidgets font (on Windows) is 8, 10 or 12 points (depending on where the font is being used); the 8 point is virtually illegible at 1920×1080, the 10 point is barely better and, with my reading glasses on, I still need to get uncomfortably close to a 19 inch screen to read 12 point.

If so there must be the same issue with the Audio Track info text and other static text, and the correct solution must surely be to fix that globally, not piecemeal fashion for label tracks only.

[…]the simpler the better. I think three fields (Regions/Points/Before Zero) would fit default label height with the label count alongside.

As Steve points out, given the current default height of 73 pixels, the third line is only partially visible; we would need to make the default about 80 +/- depending on language localization and if there are descenders in the strings. I can also tighten up (even more - I am already subtracting two pixels between each line) the vertical spacing. Unfortunately, "Before Zero" (and probably even "Before 0", but not the very ugly "pre-0"), even at the default font size) completely fills the width of the trackinfopanel. Language localization could also impact Points & Regions in a similar manner.

OK then the default label track height "could" be higher, but arguably the default is too high now. Accommodating two labels stacked above each other ought to be enough for the default height, shouldn't it? I am always having to reduce the label track height so I can see all the tracks without scrolling up and down.

That might argue for having the label info off by default. If label info is switched on, then the default height could be increased to accommodate the info.

If we want more options such as default label track height, then I suggest the count display, font choices and other options are accessed by a "Label Preferences..." item in the Label Track Menu.

I really hate the idea of scattering Preference editing all over the place. If we have a menu item (main or context) which brings up a dialog affecting a "sticky" preference value (one that is recalled by being stored in the configuration file) then the "dialog" should just be the proper Preference page (if it is a value which requires textual input we could get fancy and activate the appropriate field). Of course, this brings up the concept of "non-sticky" preferences; these are rightly (pun intended) the purview of a context menu and specialized dialog; however, AFAIK, there are none of these currently.

IMO you simply won't get the enhancement in if it requires extending the main Preferences. Meter Preferences is a case in point where .cfg settings are not activated in the main Preferences.

My use of label info would be to turn it on when I wanted to check the labels, otherwise off, so I don't want to wade into Prefs to do that.


Gale

[Gale Andrews]

In that case, perhaps it would be better to have small icons rather than the text "point labels", "region labels", "labels behind zero", and have the text as tooltips (which if I recall, don't work on the track info panel)

Perhaps it would be acceptable to abbreviate Pt: Reg: Invis: or similar? We already use L and R as abbreviation for Left and Right.

Gale

[steve]

Perhaps it would be acceptable to abbreviate Pt: Reg: Invis: or similar? We already use L and R as abbreviation for Left and Right.

There's not a problem with "Point" or "Region" (at least in English). The problem is with "behind zero" being rather too long.
If it can be printed reliably, how about (with some fictitious values):

Point: 1
Region: 17
←0.0 : 1

That might argue for having the label info off by default. If label info is switched on, then the default height could be increased to accommodate the info.

So a smaller default height when label track info is off, and a tiny bit higher when info is on? That sounds good to me.

IMO you simply won't get the enhancement in if it requires extending the main Preferences.

I agree, and I'd quite like to see this feature, so I think keep it simple for now - it can always be extended later if there is the will.