Scratch's high contrast editor update is out now!

CST1229

(formerly called “Optional high contrast blocks (and non-optional purple menu bar) coming very soon”)
The update's out! Scratch 2.0 pages are also purple now, seems like they were updated a bit after 3.0 pages.

The ST is planning on releasing an update to the Scratch website and editor at the end start (!) of June June 28th (confirmed by announcement).
Official announcement: https://scratch-mit-edu.ezproxyberklee.flo.org/discuss/topic/689659/
This will include: (alongside website changes)

Most blues (like in the menu bar) being changed to purple (not togglable): (and also some other menu bar changes)

This was probably done for the text to better contrast with the background (though they could have also used a darker shade of blue instead).
A theme picker, with original and high contrast options:
Other style changes for contrast:
neon extensions

You can see it here: https://scratchfoundation.github.io/scratch-gui/develop/

There's an unused dark mode in the code, but it isn't in the selector and is very incomplete (currently only changes the Code tab). It's probably postponed for Later™.

Activate it with: (credit to Jeffalo for the original code for the beta editor, modified by me)

document.querySelector('#app')._reactRootContainer._internalRoot.current.child.stateNode.store.dispatch({
    type: "scratch-gui/theme/SET_THEME",
    theme: "dark"
});

NOTE: The below replies are from back when this topic was also about dark mode (which was an option earlier in this feature's development).

Last edited by CST1229 (June 30, 2023 09:52:20)

JackyBorderCollie

hopefully they will add this to the offline editor, we use that in school a lot, and it is pain to look at the light mode since i use dark mode for the school chat app

WojtekGame

Probably in night mode

INSERT-USER_NAME

This is definitely quite cool. I hope this gets added sometime soon.

Also bump.

lolecksdeehaha

CST1229 wrote:
The themes look like this (obviously they won't look like this once fully implemented):

that doesn't look very high contrast to me…

TheSecondGilbert

Aw, I thought the dark mode would be using the normal contrast blocks but with a dark background… (because the contrast would be even better that way)
That's a pity.

SavetheAtlantic

lolecksdeehaha wrote:
CST1229 wrote:
The themes look like this (obviously they won't look like this once fully implemented):

that doesn't look very high contrast to me…

People complained about the original design which had a much higher contrast. Granted, there wasn't much information and it was assumed that the high contrast mode would be the default.

mybearworld

I'm not a contrast expert by any means, but doesn't that new mode have less contrast?

TheSecondGilbert

SavetheAtlantic wrote:
lolecksdeehaha wrote:
CST1229 wrote:
The themes look like this (obviously they won't look like this once fully implemented):

that doesn't look very high contrast to me…
People complained about the original design which had a much higher contrast. Granted, there wasn't much information and it was assumed that the high contrast mode would be the default.

What the- they already had the design worked out, and now they retracted it because people hated it? It's not even properly done; now the contrast is worse than it was before!

INSERT-USER_NAME

Y'all,

CST1229 wrote:
obviously they won't look like this once fully implemented

They're a work in progress, the text is supposed to be black on the high contrast blocks and probably will be when they release.

Last edited by INSERT-USER_NAME (Feb. 15, 2023 06:10:04)

TheSecondGilbert

INSERT-USER_NAME wrote:
Y'all,
CST1229 wrote:
obviously they won't look like this once fully implemented

They're a work in progress, the text is supposed to be black on the high contrast blocks and probably will be when they release.

Good point.

ajskateboarder

As you may have known, I've tried messing around with scratch-www's CSS to try making a consistent dark mode, only to realize that the site breaks in most places. So, ummm, in combination with a ~1m30s build time, good luck to anyone adding dark mode in the future :\

At least scratch-gui's colors are more consistent

CST1229

TheSecondGilbert wrote:
What the- they already had the design worked out, and now they retracted it because people hated it? It's not even properly done; now the contrast is worse than it was before!

That isn't final!! It will probably look like Scratch Lab when it's finished (probably that changing text color hasn't been implemented yet).
(oops, i keep not reading context; someone already responded)

Last edited by CST1229 (Feb. 15, 2023 14:04:36)

gilbert_given_189

CST1229 wrote:
TheSecondGilbert wrote:
What the- they already had the design worked out, and now they retracted it because people hated it? It's not even properly done; now the contrast is worse than it was before!
That isn't final!! It will probably look like Scratch Lab when it's finished (probably that changing text color hasn't been implemented yet).

TheSecondGilbert wrote:
Good point.

I've should've said “point taken”.

ScratchCatHELLO

ajskateboarder wrote:
As you may have known, I've tried messing around with scratch-www's CSS to try making a consistent dark mode, only to realize that the site breaks in most places. So, ummm, in combination with a ~1m30s build time, good luck to anyone adding dark mode in the future :\

At least scratch-gui's colors are more consistent

it’s way easier to just apply/write a userstyle or use scrape modules. I’ve done both.

ajskateboarder

ScratchCatHELLO wrote:
ajskateboarder wrote:
As you may have known, I've tried messing around with scratch-www's CSS to try making a consistent dark mode, only to realize that the site breaks in most places. So, ummm, in combination with a ~1m30s build time, good luck to anyone adding dark mode in the future :\

At least scratch-gui's colors are more consistent

it’s way easier to just apply/write a userstyle or use scrape modules. I’ve done both.

It was for a pull request, not just for me. I would obviously use an extension otherwise

ScratchCatHELLO

ajskateboarder wrote:
ScratchCatHELLO wrote:
ajskateboarder wrote:
As you may have known, I've tried messing around with scratch-www's CSS to try making a consistent dark mode, only to realize that the site breaks in most places. So, ummm, in combination with a ~1m30s build time, good luck to anyone adding dark mode in the future :\

At least scratch-gui's colors are more consistent

it’s way easier to just apply/write a userstyle or use scrape modules. I’ve done both.
It was for a pull request, not just for me. I would obviously use an extension otherwise

k. how does it break the site to change css? couldn’t you, say, have variables for each color (primary, background, foreground, etc) and then modify the variables based on a cookie?

thmnko

scratch team did another thing

ajskateboarder

ScratchCatHELLO wrote:
k. how does it break the site to change css? couldn’t you, say, have variables for each color (primary, background, foreground, etc)

Basically, some parts of the site may use a UI color for a background while others use it as a text color.

cookieclickerer33

This is the beginning, of the end..

The fact that there is a theme selector gives me some hope that it will be optional

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