UI Schemes

About UI Schemes

Since v7 all color and other UI appearance parameters are bundled in so-called UI Schemes. These schemes can be switched completely by a user option in MTE's View menu.

UI Schemes do not include any user defined parameters.

UI parameters of former MTE versions completely moved into UI Schemes (this includes ColorSets and older parameters). This means older MTE versions can run with their own colors while v7 MTEs run with new color, for which new defaults are applied, which are composed in their relation.

Multiple Scheme Parameters

Each scheme is bundled in one specific parameter folder (section). Control over available and current folder is defined by these parameters located in <Editor>\Settings:

Parameter name

Description

UIScheme_current

Defines the currently active UI Scheme (user option)

Default entry: UIScheme_dark

UISchemes_available

Defines a list of available UI Schemes

The list consists of pairs with scheme parameter folder name and display name, separated by a = symbols. List entries are separated by | symbols.

Default entry: UIScheme_dark=dark | UIScheme_light=light

On first startup of MTE v7 a dark and a light scheme are generated in user parameters with default values.

Parameters of one Scheme

Naming Conventions

There's some conventions for naming parameters inside a scheme. These are no hard rules, but more likely nice to have conventions. Anyway this helps guessing or finding a parameter and naming new ones.

All color parameters are prefixed “Color_”.
All parameters applying to a type of UI element begin with the type (e.g. “Color_”), followed by the UI element type and underscore (e.g. “Color_Tab_Inactive”).
All parameters applying to special instances of a UI elements begin with the type (e.g. “Color_”), followed by the UI element type and the special instance without underscore (e.g. “Color_TabEasyTrack”).
Very specific parameters use the type prefix followed by the specific element (e.g. “Color_VUMeterPhaseIndicator”).
Different states or variants of an element can be distinguished by a prefix with underscore and the state (e.g. “Color_Text_InverseDimmed”). Combinations usually leave one underscore (e.g. “Color_Button_Def_SymbolChecked”).

Scheme Parameters

Annotations

Button "shape" means the surface behind the button's symbol graphics.
Button "shape mask" is a background behind the shape, which deals to make a complete coloring and covering of background.
The format of color values can be any of the ones listed in Color codes in Digas Parameters. Mind that colors with alpha value are only supported where documented in the following table.
For some parameters alpha values are supported or recommended (noted in the table below). Alpha means an opacity value in addition to a color. Use web standard rgba(r, g, b, a) syntax, where a is a floating point value between 0 (completely transparent) and 1 (completely opaque). If there is a rgb value configured where a rgba would be supported, the default value is applied as if there would be no entry.

Each scheme is located in one parameter folder, which is located below <Editor>\Settings. The content of this folder is this set of parameters:

Parameter	Element	State / Sub-Item / Description
Color_Button_Def_ShapeMaskHover	Round buttons	Default for shape mask in hover state (usually black or white with alpha)
Color_Button_Def_SymbolChecked	Round buttons	Default for checked symbol
Color_Button_Def_SymbolChecked_Deviating	Round buttons	Default for checked symbol where checked shape is deviating from standard (usually applied to the buttons with special color)
Color_Button_Def_SymbolCheckedDisabled	Round buttons	Default for symbol when checked and disabled at the same time
Color_Button_Def_SymbolNormal	Round buttons	Default for symbol
Color_Button_DisabledSymbol	Round buttons	Color for disabled symbol (usually black or white with alpha)
Color_Button_ShapelessHover_Blend	Flat buttons	While hovering: Color to blend with background (usually black or white with alpha)
Color_Button_ShapelessPushed_Blend	Flat buttons	While pushed: Color to blend with background (usually black or white with alpha)
Color_Button_ShapeNormal	Round buttons	Default for shape mask in normal state (usually black or white with alpha or neutral white with 100% alpha)
Color_Button_Toolbar_ShapelessHover_Blend	Toolbar buttons	While hovering: Color to blend with background (usually black or white with alpha)
Color_Button_Toolbar_ShapelessPushed_Blend	Toolbar buttons	While pushed: Color to blend with background (usually black or white with alpha)
Color_ButtonEditMode	So-called “Edit display” mode button	Shape (usually a color with alpha)
Color_ButtonEditMode_Selected	So-called “Edit display” mode button	Shape when selected (usually a color with alpha)
Color_ButtonMute	Mute button	Shape (usually a color with alpha)
Color_ButtonNormalMode	So-called “Block display” mode button	Shape (usually a color with alpha)
Color_ButtonNormalMode_Selected	So-called “Block display” mode button	Shape when selected (usually a color with alpha)
Color_ButtonOnAir	OnAir toolbar button	Background
Color_ButtonPlay_ShapeSelected	Play button associated buttons (Play from, to, inside, etc.)	Shape while playing (may have an alpha value, otherwise a default alpha of 20% is applied)
Color_ButtonPlay_Symbol	Play button	Symbol
Color_ButtonRecSelectTrack	Record select button in track head	Symbol
Color_ButtonRec_Shape	Record button	Shape while recording (may have an alpha value, otherwise a default alpha of 20% is applied)
Color_ButtonRec_Symbol	Record button	Symbol when recording is possible
Color_ButtonResolutionMark	Resolution on marked selection button	Symbol
Color_ButtonSolo_Mute	Solo button	Shape in mute state because other track is in solo (may have an alpha value, otherwise a default alpha of 20% is applied)
Color_ButtonSolo_Solo	Solo button	Shape in solo state (may have an alpha value, otherwise a default alpha of 20% is applied)
Color_ButtonWaveformOffset	Waveform offset button	Shape (may have an alpha value, otherwise a default alpha of 20% is applied)
Color_Clip_1 .. Color_Clip_n	Clipboard and timeline objects	Color is derived for some circumstances (selection, hover, etc.) Define Color_Clip_1 up to Color_Clip_n in a continuous sequence. The amount of clip colors is limited to 99, but not more than 17 are recommended (limit in color selection menu).
Color_DefaultPushButtonTopEdge	Standard buttons in dialogs	Top and left edge of the "default" button
Color_DefaultPushButtonBottomEdge	Standard buttons in dialogs	Bottom and right edge of the "default" button
Color_EffectActive	Track mixer ETS effect buttons	Mark for active effect
Color_FaderHandle	Faders / Sliders	Drag handle
Color_FaderSlitAbove	Faders / Sliders	Slit above drag handle
Color_FaderSlitBelow	Faders / Sliders	Slit below drag handle
Color_GreenLevelLine	Timeline	Green level line in audio objects
Color_InsertionLine	Overview Track	Marker for insertion point during drag&drop
Color_Line_BarBottom	Different bar-like items	Light edges on bottom of elements: Is complemented with the top edge line of the element below, so this is the upper line of a line pair. (Color with alpha)
Color_Line_BarTop	Different bar-like items	Light edges on top of elements: See note for Color_Line_BarBottom. (Color with alpha)
Color_Line_ButtonSeparator	"Hair lines" between flat buttons
Color_Line_Divider	Divider lines	Lines dividing flat buttons and menu entries
Color_Line_SunkenEdgeBottom	“Hair lines”	Visually sunken element’s bottom and right side
Color_Line_SunkenEdgeTop	“Hair lines”	Visually sunken element’s top and left side
Color_Menu_BkgndHighlighted	Main menu	Background of main menu's sub menu entry which is being hovered
Color_Menu_BkgndStandard	Main menu	Background of main menu's sub menus which open interactively
Color_Menu_CheckmarkBkgnd	Main menu	Checkmark’s background
Color_Menu_CheckmarkBkgndHighlighted	Main menu	Checkmark’s background while hovering
Color_RedLevelLine	Timeline	Red level line in audio objects
Color_Scrollbar_ArrowBackground	Scrollbars	Background of scroll arrow item
Color_Scrollbar_Background	Scrollbars	Background of scroll area
Color_Scrollbar_Edge	Scrollbars	Edge lines
Color_Scrollbar_Thumb	Scrollbars	Drag handle
Color_Scrollbar_ThumbBottomEdge	Scrollbars	Drag handle’s bottom and right edge
Color_Scrollbar_ThumbTopEdge	Scrollbars	Drag handle’s top and left edge
Color_Soundhead	Soundhead
Color_Sphere_A	Multiple elements	See below
Color_Sphere_B	Multiple elements	See below
Color_Sphere_C	Multiple elements	See below
Color_Sphere_D	Multiple elements	See below
Color_Sphere_E	Multiple elements	See below
Color_Tab_Inactive	Tab controls	Tabs currently not open
Color_TabEasyTrack	Screen selection tab for ETS
Color_TabMultiTrack	Screen selection tab for MTS
Color_TabOcxDefault	Screen selection tab for OCX	Default applied if OCX doesn’t define its own color
Color_TabRecordMode	Screen selection tab for RMS
Color_TabReporterBox	Screen selection tab for RPS
Color_TabSingleTrack	Screen selection tab for STS
Color_Text_Dimmed	Text	Dimmed down text elements
Color_Text_Disabled	Text	Disabled elements
Color_Text_Highlighted	Text	Highlighted elements (e.g. for hover)
Color_Text_Inverse	Text	Inverse text color (light – dark)
Color_Text_InverseDimmed	Text	Inverse dimmed text color (light – dark)
Color_Text_InverseHighlighted	Text	Inverse highlighted text color (light – dark)
Color_Text_Standard	Text
Color_TextEdit_Bkgnd	Edit controls	Background
Color_TextEdit_ReadOnlyBkgnd	Edit controls Combo boxes	Background in read-only state
Color_TimeCodeButton_Blend	Times Toolbar / Times window buttons	Blending of time buttons in text area (usually black or white with alpha)
Color_TimeSelection_Border	Timeline mark in / out	Border lines (color with alpha)
Color_TimeSelection_Edge	Timeline mark in / out	Edge (color with alpha) The time selection area is drawn with a gradient between this and the midpoint color
Color_TimeSelection_Midpoint	Timeline mark in / out	Midpoint (color with alpha) The time selection area is drawn with a gradient between this and the edge color
Color_Tooltip_Bkgnd	Tooltips	Background
Color_Tooltip_Text	Tooltips	Text
Color_TrackBkgnd_Locked	Track in MTS	Locked state
Color_TrackHead_Selected	Track head in MTS	Selected state
Color_TrackFadeLine	Fade line in track
Color_TrackPanLine	Pan line in track	(Pan = balance)
Color_TrackParameterLine	Parameter line in track	(Effect’s parameter)
Color_TrackZeroLine	Zero dB line in track
Color_VUMeterPhaseIndicator	VU meter	Phase indicator (appears between left and right channel when phase difference is above configured limit)

Color Spheres

So-called color spheres are defined to collect independent UI elements which are drawn with the same color. These collections are described in the next paragraphs; the screenshots mark all elements in green which are defined by the specific sphere.