Discussion: Update Reveal control styles to work with the Visual Design refresh

[mdtauk]

Proposal: Update Reveal control styles to work with the Visual Design refresh

Light - Buttons

Light - SplitButtons

Light - Accent Button

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Dark - Buttons

Dark - SplitButtons

Dark - Accent Button

Summary

Whilst Reveal is no longer being used by default, the feature is not going away - so the Reveal control styles should be updated to work with the new control styles.

I would suggest the Highlight should be hidden, the control borders should still display the Reveal effect

Rationale

Visual inconsistencies with Reveal currently

• Despite the effect no longer being used by default, devs may already be using Reveal styles and so they should reflect the new control designs.
• New control designs have added borders to many elements - these borders can have the Reveal effect overlaid.
• The spotlight effect only works well in Dark Mode, so could be ommitted.
• At the moment the Reveal control styles make controls resemble their WinUI 2.5 and previous designs.

Scope

Capability	Priority
All existing Reveal control styles should update to match the updated visual styles	Should
The spotlight effect could be ommitted to focus on the borders as your cursor approaches the control	Could
Reveal styles will still be removed by default for all controls hosting controls	Won't

Important Notes

This will ensure all controls will sit together comfortably, with or without Reveal.

Open Questions

[shaheedmalik]

If reveal was reworked in this manner, then it should be default. The only reason why it was removed as default is because it was broken.

[mdtauk]

If reveal was reworked in this manner, then it should be default. The only reason why it was removed as default is because it was broken.

It won't work day one with WinUI 3, but it's not broken, the design team just don't think it is effective for their visual style goals, and now controls have borders and spacing between items, no longer looks clean and elegant.

But if someone's app has the reveal styles on their controls, it's going to look inconsistent with the new control designs.

Better to update the styles that apply reveal, and choose to not use them with Microsoft's own control defaults, shell designs, and apps.

[mdtauk]

Here are some more examples, again with no spotlight on the background plates, but overlaying the reveal border on the control's border or around the backplate

Light Mode Reveal Styles

Dark Mode Reveal Styles

[jordan-msftfan]

We have to admit that some people like Reveal and some people don't.

• In summary, Reveal can bring a unique visual experience to the Windows user interface that sets it apart from other systems.

• Especially with holographic devices like HoloLens that Reveal can bring a very vivid interactive experience.

• But in a traditional PC/Laptop context, Reveal can sometimes get really annoying.

  ---

  If reveal was reworked in this manner, then it should be default. The only reason why it was removed as default is because it was broken.

I agree with the first sentence to some extent but not entirely.

• If Reveal were an option, it would certainly create visual fragmentation across different applications.
• As I said before, some users don't like Reveal.

  ---

  This is my compromise idea:

1. Reveal should be default.

2. Reveal should have integrated a switch into the system's Settings app once it was implemented in WinUI 3.

• In current Windows 10, we can choose to turn on/off Acrylic Effect in the Personalize -> Color settings. Then a Reveal Effect switch can also be implemented.

[chigy]

@mdtauk , thank you for your thoughtful proposal. Discussed with design team about your proposal and I confirmed that reveal is not our current or near future design language and principles as I had indicated in a separate reveal related item. While we can never say it will never come back, but it is not realistic to believe it will in the near future, thus I'm turning this item into discussion.

[mdtauk]

@mdtauk , thank you for your thoughtful proposal. Discussed with design team about your proposal and I confirmed that reveal is not our current or near future design language and principles as I had indicated in a separate reveal related item. While we can never say it will never come back, but it is not realistic to believe it will in the near future, thus I'm turning this item into discussion.

The proposal is not about retaining Reveal as part of the design language, but to consider what not updating the existing Reveal styles will do for apps which are currently using them. Those buttons for instance will look like the WinUI 2.5 ones, alongside the new Latest Button designs.

By all means take away the Reveal Styling from controls like the Application Bar or Navigation View by default - but there are control styles for Reveal included, and these should be updated.

My proposal is just about demonstrating how the styles can be adapted to work with the new styles.

[Shomnipotence]

@mdtauk , thank you for your thoughtful proposal. Discussed with design team about your proposal and I confirmed that reveal is not our current or near future design language and principles as I had indicated in a separate reveal related item. While we can never say it will never come back, but it is not realistic to believe it will in the near future, thus I'm turning this item into discussion.

Ask you, does the design team think acrylic is still needed? Although this is not the goal of WinUI31.0, I just want to know whether acrylic is still one of the important languages for design.