Background color in an 'answer' dialog?

[Devin Asay]

> On Feb 28, 2018, at 10:02 AM, Graham Samuel via use-livecode <use-livecode at lists.runrev.com> wrote:

> While I’m on to explanations, in all my years of using LC and its predecessors, I have never understood what the right hand column in the ‘colors’ tab of the object inspector is for.

Choosing a background pattern (as you’ve discovered.)

> The left hand column is straightforward: one just picks a color, for example “background fill”. But the next column leads to a strange popup list of icons (some are called ‘standard icons’, whatever that means). Why would I want my background fill to be a repeat of a lot of little forward arrows, for example?

“Standard icons” is in an option list, and the next option on the list is Default Patterns. That gives you a slightly less-unusable selection of background patterns you can apply to your object. The feature is really more useful for setting an image of your choice as the background of an object. Just import the image and use:

set the backgroundPattern of fld 1 to 10003 # the id of the imported image


> And if I did this by mistake, how can I delete this choice? I could not find a way.

It’s not clearly indicated. Right click on the pattern box in the right column and choose “Reset to default”.

> Proper patterns, as in wallpaper, I find easier to understand, even if I’ve never used them. Am I missing some tremendous feature? Or is this just of archeological interest?
> 
See above re setting the backgroundPattern. There are lots of instances where it can be useful. A field with a fancy border, for one example.

HTH

Devin


Devin Asay
Director
Office of Digital Humanities
Brigham Young University