Color change in Display Text Large (a hidden preference)

Macro Library
1

The action “Display Text Large” has great potential in a system of macros for memorizing.
I’m using it to memorize foreign language vocabulary.
But the ugly gray/black display color was a problem.

Searching this forum found a link to documentation for KM's hidden preferences.
So, instead of complaining, or begging for a feature request, I simply followed instructions and got a pleasing result:
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Screen .jpg1228×256 48.5 KB

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Here is the link to preferences documentation:
https://wiki.keyboardmaestro.com/manual/Preferences
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(Note 1: I’m not posting the macro, because I may offer for sale to learners of foreign languages. But mentioning the ability to change this color is worth mentioning here.)

(Note 2: The foreign language you see above is Thai -- The Kingdom of Thailand, not the Republic of Taiwan.)

2

I've read those hidden prefs before I got to this thread; I'm just not seeing the pref for transparency or other options for Display Text Large; it has only two listed options for duration and text color. Is this in the 'Custom Palette Theme' CSS section, rather than under the only two options listed for Display Text Large? Or in the four years since you posted this, has KM 9 eliminated more prefs for DisplayTextLarge? @peternlewis?

3

The only preferences the Display Large Text action allows are color control via defaults write or display period via the Set Action Delay action:

image

4

Understood. So then how is @Mark getting the results above (transparent window; text size; multiple lines; title; etc.)?

5

It's always a transparent window. The color preference includes alpha. Carriage Returns are supported for multiple lines of text, and the text determine the font size - basically it is as large as can be and fit on the screen. So a long line of text results it a smaller font size.

6

Doh! I mistakenly assumed it would only change the color of the font.

I'll try to suss it out, but a sample would be welcome that includes color and alpha; I'm struggling with pain meds and my nurse uses Windows. (;

7

I apologize for the denseness; is this just a hex colorspace, corresponding to RGB? Other? I used to do Web/CSS; but it's been an age.

8

RGBA hex I believe.

9

For anyone following along, it's RRGGBB; no option for Alpha transparencies; and it only affects the background color; text is always pure white.

However, strangely, setting it to '000000' (Pure Black), nets a greater level of transparency than if left to the default (no key/deleted key).

If you try to use 8 characters, it will variously ignore the key and display the System default, or read only the first six characters.

Frustrating.

@peternlewis, can you tell me which API you're calling to display the window? Perhaps I can research and find additional parameters.

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