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#1 2010-07-22 09:42:29

coolstuff
Community Moderator
Registered: 2008-03-06
Posts: 1000+

Better ways to browse fonts

At the moment, if you want to select a font from a list, you get this ugly drop-down popup type thing:

http://i32.tinypic.com/5as8kz.png

It's often very difficult to find the font you're looking for: You have no idea what the font looks like, and the only way to get to more fonts is by clicking the "more..." option at the bottom. More often than not I end up clicking it a few times too many and having to click it a few more times to get back to the font I wanted. It's nowhere near being an efficient way to browse the system fonts - especially with the increasingly vast variety of fonts available on most modern computers.

So what I'd like to suggest just now is a better way to browse these fonts. I was thinking something like in Microsoft Office, minus the theme fonts:

http://i31.tinypic.com/x25q38.png

There`s a list of your most recently used fonts, and it's a heck of a lot easier to browse than the current font selector. The font preview really helps out, too.

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#2 2010-07-22 09:57:04

melikecheese
Scratcher
Registered: 2010-06-09
Posts: 500+

Re: Better ways to browse fonts

Yeah, I find it annoying too. I tend to look for a font with a nice name, and click on it.


http://i51.tinypic.com/987rb5.jpg
I am Dave! Yognaught.

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#3 2010-07-22 14:16:37

iCode-747
Scratcher
Registered: 2009-11-21
Posts: 1000+

Re: Better ways to browse fonts

I 100% agree.

GIMP needs something like this.  tongue

Goes in siggeh after Olympics are over.  smile


-End Transmission-

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#4 2010-07-22 14:22:54

Greatdane
Scratcher
Registered: 2007-06-05
Posts: 1000+

Re: Better ways to browse fonts

iCode-747 wrote:

I 100% agree.

GIMP needs something like this.  tongue

Goes in siggeh after Olympics are over.  smile

GIMP has it, sorry to ruin your fun.  tongue

Last edited by Greatdane (2010-07-22 14:23:03)


The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
        ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

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#5 2010-07-22 14:23:19

Wolfie1996
Retired Community Moderator
Registered: 2009-07-08
Posts: 1000+

Re: Better ways to browse fonts

I support... It would save me a lot of time  smile

My, my, Greatdane... that's quite a tall signature...  hmm


"...Jargon - the practice of never calling a spade a spade, when you might instead call it a manual earth-restructing implement..." - Bill Bryson, Mother Tongue

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#6 2010-07-22 14:27:10

iCode-747
Scratcher
Registered: 2009-11-21
Posts: 1000+

Re: Better ways to browse fonts

Greatdane wrote:

iCode-747 wrote:

I 100% agree.

GIMP needs something like this.  tongue

Goes in siggeh after Olympics are over.  smile

GIMP has it, sorry to ruin your fun.  tongue

Really?

Never knew that!

How does one change?


-End Transmission-

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#7 2010-07-22 15:43:37

Greatdane
Scratcher
Registered: 2007-06-05
Posts: 1000+

Re: Better ways to browse fonts

Wolfie1996 wrote:

I support... It would save me a lot of time  smile

My, my, Greatdane... that's quite a tall signature...  hmm

I'm so sorry, maybe it's only 150 pixel pictures with text underneath? I thought it wasn't "illegal".  yikes


The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
        ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

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#8 2010-07-22 15:48:01

Wolfie1996
Retired Community Moderator
Registered: 2009-07-08
Posts: 1000+

Re: Better ways to browse fonts

Maybe it's my browser that's doing this (IE7... I know, awful browser, but I don't feel like downloading anything better), but here's what it looks like to me  hmm

http://i31.tinypic.com/saz0bt.jpg


"...Jargon - the practice of never calling a spade a spade, when you might instead call it a manual earth-restructing implement..." - Bill Bryson, Mother Tongue

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#9 2010-07-22 16:11:27

sanddude
Scratcher
Registered: 2009-06-29
Posts: 1000+

Re: Better ways to browse fonts

I think this is a great idea, coolstuff! It's annoying for me too! You're definitely living out your username! wink  cool

Last edited by sanddude (2010-07-22 16:11:38)


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#10 2010-07-22 16:19:35

hdarken
Scratcher
Registered: 2008-06-26
Posts: 1000+

Re: Better ways to browse fonts

I support 100%.


http://i.imgur.com/VskBk.png
http://i.imgur.com/tgxVZ.jpg

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#11 2010-07-22 20:44:17

jackrulez
Scratcher
Registered: 2009-08-01
Posts: 1000+

Re: Better ways to browse fonts

Support!


Yawn, another boring text signature. I should really make something better.

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#12 2010-07-26 09:14:28

coolstuff
Community Moderator
Registered: 2008-03-06
Posts: 1000+

Re: Better ways to browse fonts

*Ahem* I would like to quite formally bump this topic, as I believe it is a much-needed GUI change.

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#13 2010-07-26 09:28:41

JeanTheFox
Scratcher
Registered: 2010-06-14
Posts: 1000+

Re: Better ways to browse fonts

coolstuff wrote:

*Ahem* I would like to quite formally bump this topic, as I believe it is a much-needed GUI change.

big_smile

I support and will add a link in my sig

big_smile  again


http://i51.tinypic.com/20gcn5j.png

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#14 2010-07-26 09:33:27

JTxt
Scratcher
Registered: 2010-05-19
Posts: 100+

Re: Better ways to browse fonts

I agree that would be nice...

I've had this problem with many programs, so I learned to:
WORKAROUND:
You can use another program to browse fonts.
MS Office like coolstuff did above is a good way,

OR if you don't own it:
For windows,
1. Open wordpad (start, accessories, wordpad)
2. In the top menu click "Format", "Font"
3. Scroll through the font list with your mouse or arrow keys and watch the preview.

If you want to see what certain words or phrases look like in a certain font, hit cancel to close the font window.
A. Type your words or phrase.
B. Select your text you want to preview. (pressing Ctrl+A is one way.)
C. Follow steps 2 and 3 above.

(You can do something similar with a mac or linux.)

Last edited by JTxt (2010-07-26 09:51:38)


http://scratch.mit.edu/static/icons/buddy/524717_med.png?t=2010-06-15+09%3A48%3A36

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#15 2010-07-26 10:54:07

Lucario621
Community Moderator
Registered: 2007-10-03
Posts: 1000+

Re: Better ways to browse fonts

I definitely support. Great idea,


http://i.imgur.com/WBkM2QQ.png

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#16 2010-07-26 11:06:26

colorfusion
Scratcher
Registered: 2009-10-03
Posts: 500+

Re: Better ways to browse fonts

Agree.
You cant see the font until you select it, and if you are looking for one and miss it you have to start all over again.

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#17 2010-07-26 11:29:27

johnnydean1
Scratcher
Registered: 2010-02-12
Posts: 1000+

Re: Better ways to browse fonts

Personaly I only have 3 fonts in it so im not bothered...


You can now reach me on Twitter @johnnydean1_

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#18 2010-07-26 14:21:13

coka
Scratcher
Registered: 2007-11-03
Posts: 1000+

Re: Better ways to browse fonts

It is a great idea.  smile  In scratch, efficiency is key, so this definitely should be implemented. I also wouldn't mind having a scroll bar instead of the 'more...' button

Last edited by coka (2010-07-26 14:22:02)


http://i42.tinypic.com/2rot8c2.png

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#19 2010-07-26 15:11:53

Harakou
Community Moderator
Registered: 2009-10-11
Posts: 1000+

Re: Better ways to browse fonts

Wolfie1996 wrote:

Maybe it's my browser that's doing this (IE7... I know, awful browser, but I don't feel like downloading anything better), but here's what it looks like to me  hmm

http://i31.tinypic.com/saz0bt.jpg

It must be. I have Chrome and all three pictures are next to each other. You know what they say...The only thing IE is good for is downloading a better browser!  big_smile


http://www.blocks.scratchr.org/API.php?action=random&return=image&link1=http://i.imgur.com/OZn2RD3.png&link2=http://i.imgur.com/duzaGTB.png&link3=http://i.imgur.com/CrDGvvZ.png&link4=http://i.imgur.com/POEpQyZ.png&link5=http://i.imgur.com/ZKJF8ac.png

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#20 2010-07-26 15:49:54

lilacfuzz101
Scratcher
Registered: 2010-05-22
Posts: 1000+

Re: Better ways to browse fonts

Add your suggestion on the new Scratch suggestion page and then people can vote for it!!!! Click here to see it!


http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lzqaicLrY01r5wdo7o1_500.gif

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#21 2010-07-28 10:11:58

ThePCKid
Scratcher
Registered: 2009-09-16
Posts: 1000+

Re: Better ways to browse fonts

Wolfie1996 wrote:

Maybe it's my browser that's doing this (IE7... I know, awful browser, but I don't feel like downloading anything better), but here's what it looks like to me  hmm

http://i31.tinypic.com/saz0bt.jpg

It comes up right in IE8 (yuck!) and five other browsers on my PC (Chrome, FireFox, Safari, Opera, Flock)  hmm

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#22 2010-07-28 11:11:07

Usatt1337
Scratcher
Registered: 2008-08-27
Posts: 500+

Re: Better ways to browse fonts

I support this.


http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/9183/fmod.jpg

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#23 2010-07-28 11:34:27

fullmoon
Retired Community Moderator
Registered: 2007-06-04
Posts: 1000+

Re: Better ways to browse fonts

I agree! The good news is that this is definitely going to be included in 2.0 because Flex/Flash includes a real combobox:
http://www.flexibleexperiments.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/iconcombobox2.jpg
instead of the button-with-a-dropdown-menu that Squeak uses.


http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn100/fullmoon32/wow.jpg

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#24 2010-07-29 19:11:17

lasc12
Scratcher
Registered: 2007-11-18
Posts: 100+

Re: Better ways to browse fonts

I totally agree. All I can do is click on the ones with the weirdest names. Sometimes I'll get something really good (although that rarely happens), but I have no way of knowing if there was something better.


Thus I have spoken.

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