Request for choosing colors through a color palette in Filter Window

[dsp0105]

Scenario:

Currently, if I am adding a filter, then I can choose only from restricted set of colors for foreground/background, which is very limiting, since I have large number of filters (say 20) and don't have sufficient unique colors

Can we have the option to select any color (through color palette)?

Thanks!

[dsp0105]

This enhancement is really needed for my work.

If adding a color palette chooser is lot of work, I was wondering if the settings file (containing the preset colors for filter window) be exposed? Then I can add the colors I need manually to it.

Thanks for such a wonderful tool!

[vincec-msft]

You can manually edit the filter file to specify the foreColor and backColor of a filter in RRGGBB format.

I created a quick test of a red gradient background with the text going from white to black. Pretty ugly, but you get the idea.

Editing the filter in the UI will revert that one filter to a pre-defined color, but the other filters will remain unchanged.

Here's the tat (filter) file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" standalone="yes"?>
<TextAnalysisTool.NET version="2017-10-31" showOnlyFilteredLines="False">
  <filters>
    <filter enabled="y" excluding="n" description="" foreColor="ffffff" backColor="000000" type="matches_text" case_sensitive="n" regex="n" text="0" />
    <filter enabled="y" excluding="n" description="" foreColor="eeeeee" backColor="110000" type="matches_text" case_sensitive="n" regex="n" text="1" />
    <filter enabled="y" excluding="n" description="" foreColor="dddddd" backColor="220000" type="matches_text" case_sensitive="n" regex="n" text="2" />
    <filter enabled="y" excluding="n" description="" foreColor="cccccc" backColor="330000" type="matches_text" case_sensitive="n" regex="n" text="3" />
    <filter enabled="y" excluding="n" description="" foreColor="bbbbbb" backColor="440000" type="matches_text" case_sensitive="n" regex="n" text="4" />
    <filter enabled="y" excluding="n" description="" foreColor="aaaaaa" backColor="550000" type="matches_text" case_sensitive="n" regex="n" text="5" />
    <filter enabled="y" excluding="n" description="" foreColor="999999" backColor="660000" type="matches_text" case_sensitive="n" regex="n" text="6" />
    <filter enabled="y" excluding="n" description="" foreColor="888888" backColor="770000" type="matches_text" case_sensitive="n" regex="n" text="7" />
    <filter enabled="y" excluding="n" description="" foreColor="777777" backColor="880000" type="matches_text" case_sensitive="n" regex="n" text="8" />
    <filter enabled="y" excluding="n" description="" foreColor="666666" backColor="990000" type="matches_text" case_sensitive="n" regex="n" text="9" />
    <filter enabled="y" excluding="n" description="" foreColor="555555" backColor="aa0000" type="matches_text" case_sensitive="n" regex="n" text="a" />
    <filter enabled="y" excluding="n" description="" foreColor="444444" backColor="bb0000" type="matches_text" case_sensitive="n" regex="n" text="b" />
    <filter enabled="y" excluding="n" description="" foreColor="333333" backColor="cc0000" type="matches_text" case_sensitive="n" regex="n" text="c" />
    <filter enabled="y" excluding="n" description="" foreColor="222222" backColor="dd0000" type="matches_text" case_sensitive="n" regex="n" text="d" />
    <filter enabled="y" excluding="n" description="" foreColor="111111" backColor="ee0000" type="matches_text" case_sensitive="n" regex="n" text="e" />
    <filter enabled="y" excluding="n" description="" foreColor="000000" backColor="ff0000" type="matches_text" case_sensitive="n" regex="n" text="f" />
  </filters>
</TextAnalysisTool.NET>

[DavidAnson]

Nice, thanks Vince!

[dsp0105]

Thanks Vince for quick reply.

I was already doing that as a workaround :) Also I was using the gradient colors too.

But it lacks the basic functionality (you mentioned it in your reply too)

1. The TAT file with the colors is static i.e. I cant change the filter text dynamically from Textanalysis Tool, if I change the filter text, then the customized color settings are lost (except for "Standard colors" defined in the filter window UI)

[vincec-msft]

Sorry, I was replying to "I was wondering if the settings file (containing the preset colors for filter window) be exposed? Then I can add the colors I need manually to it." The settings file is exposed and you can manually change it. :)

I'm not sure when we'll get the pallet functionality in and wanted to give you a stop gap. I'll look at how hard it would be to just not stomp on custom colors.

[DavidAnson]

FYI, the reason there isn’t a palette chooser already is that I thought it would be hard for a person to quickly tell the difference between more than about 20 colors.

[dsp0105]

Thanks Vince for getting back.

The reason I am asking for a palette chooser is not for choosing > 20 colors, but for choosing a color I want. It is very useful in grouping lines in a log based on a color scheme, for example:

1. light blue for lines in a log from an IP address IP1
2. darker blue (from the gradient which Vince showed) for lines in a log from an IP address IP1 but containing say "error"

I hope I was able to explain the use case.

[dsp0105]

Thanks Vince, sorry, I missed seeing your reply.

"Non stomping of custom colors" would be really helpful, and would serve my purpose. I understand Color palette chooser would need lot of more work from your side.

[dsp0105]

Vince, wondering if you got a chance to look at the issue... Thanks!

[dsp0105]

Sorry, missed your message, sent the mail. Thanks!

[vincec-msft]

Oops, this was added to the 2018-11-20 release but the issue wasn't closed. @dsp0105, I hope you saw the [Custom] color choice or the release note in the readme.txt about this enhancement. Sorry for leaving this open.