Increase size of vs_redist text.

[SirMangler]

Make the "require the 64-bit Visual C++ redistributable for Visual Studio 2019" string larger. Many users miss this or download incorrect versions of vc_redist from other sources. This text being larger (or more obvious) will hopefully reduce this when users are downloading the latest versions of Dolphin.

I understand this exact change might want to be tweaked aesthetically but the request itself to make the text/warning larger is the reason for this PR.

Showing the change. https://i.imgur.com/jzbezZB.png

[Techjar]

I believe this messes up translation in its current state.

[SirMangler]

I believe this messes up translation in its current state.

This isn't something I had considered and I believe it does too. I'm not certain what the best way to go about this is. I intentionally separated the vs_redist text from the main paragraph due to it being visually much less appealing: https://i.imgur.com/Nk0qBXj.png

What about adding an extra 'translation block' to the translation template? I'm not familiar with how the rest of the files are meant to be updated. I believe there's a degree of automation, as well as a group of translators, though I have noticed in a lot of files this paragraph doesn't appear to be translated yet.

Is a change like this suitable?

downloads-index.html

<h1>{% trans "Development versions" %}</h1>

<h3>{% blocktrans %}
    The development versions require the <a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/2977003/the-latest-supported-visual-c-downloads">64-bit Visual C++ redistributable for Visual Studio 2019</a>
    to be installed.
{% endblocktrans %}</h3>

<div class="alert">{% blocktrans %}  

template.pot

#: downloads/templates/downloads-index.html:31
msgid "Development versions"
msgstr ""

#: downloads/templates/downloads-index.html:33
"\n"
msgid ""
"<h3>The development versions require the <a href=\"https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=48145\">64-bit Visual C++ redistributable for Visual Studio 2015</a> to be installed.</h3>\n"
msgstr ""

#: downloads/templates/downloads-index.html:38
msgid ""
"\n"
"    <p>Development versions are released every time a developer makes a "
"change to\n"
"    Dolphin, several times every day! Using development versions enables you "
"to\n"
"    use the latest and greatest improvements to the project. They are "
"however\n"
"    less tested than stable versions of the emulator.</p>\n"
"\n"
"    <p>The development versions require the <a href=\"https://www.microsoft."
"com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=48145\">64-bit Visual C++ redistributable "
"for Visual Studio 2015</a>\n"
"    to be installed.</p>\n"
msgstr ""

I can understand if this task requires extra effort and attention, then this PR might be worth discarding and the idea (should it be accepted) being implemented when someone more familiar has time.

[Techjar]

I don't mean it messes up existing translation text, that's not an issue, it'll be fixed on the Transifex side. I just mean you removed the ability to translate that text, so yeah you just need to mark it for translation again.

Also don't touch the translation files, those will be updated when we sync from Transifex.

[SirMangler]

I don't mean it messes up existing translation text, that's not an issue, it'll be fixed on the Transifex side. I just mean you removed the ability to translate that text, so yeah you just need to mark it for translation again.

Also don't touch the translation files, those will be updated when we sync from Transifex.

Oh. That's a relief for me. How do I mark it for translation? Adding the {% blocktrans %} tag?

[Techjar]

For a single line string it looks like you just use {% trans "string to translate" %}. If it needs to span multiple lines though yeah you probably need {% blocktrans %} (and the corresponding {% endblocktrans %}).

[delroth]

This clashes with the rest of the design and I don't believe it will help with anything. IMO people won't read the text, however big and colorful you make it. Any reason to think this will be effective?

Also can I just hate on Microsoft for still not shipping VC redists through Windows updates? This is ridiculous.

[MayImilae]

As a designer, this is pretty bad. It basically entirely de-emphasizes the description of what development builds are, which is more important to new viewers that talking about something that you need to run those versions. Plus it just looks really bad, with three different sizes of text for one idea.

Also, I don't believe this will even affect anything. Sure we have had a recent spike in VC questions on the forums, but that was because we changed our requirements and when people who are using the upgrader go to run Dolphin and it "randomly" (their perspective) fails, they ask about it on the forum. Making this bigger won't fix it because in that scenario, they never look at the download page in the first place.

[Techjar]

Yeah frankly i blame Microsoft for this problem.

[SirMangler]

In response to both of your thoughts, I certainly agree to a degree about a lot of what you've said. This isn't going to immediately solve the problem but hopefully reduce it. Not only is this a thing on the forum, but this is an occurrence with a small dozen people daily on the Dolphin Emulator Discord, which isn't even an official hub.

In it's current state, the importance of this requirement is very understated on the downloads page. Dolphin cannot explain this in it's own error message due to the nature of the error, which is why it's important users understand before they run Dolphin.

I've known some individuals to have recognised the error and ended up downloading the wrong visual studio redistribution. A couple of the people I have seen and spoke to had suggested this text be made larger or more obvious too, admitting it would have saved them time.

people who are using the upgrader go to run Dolphin and it "randomly" (their perspective) fails

I have no doubt this happens. But even after Dolphin being out for so many years, new people discover and try it out daily. Not to mention new machines and devices.

Plus it just looks really bad, with three different sizes of text for one idea.

Part of my initial message was I understand this might want to be changed aesthetically, but the PR is mainly about making this appear more important and making the change. Any design tweaks you have in mind, it would be great to hear. One idea is turning it into a warning box (a yellow variant of the blue box explaining stable releases) You could add a warning icon to grab the views attention.

crude example: https://i.imgur.com/ER3XxQQ.png