contour regions: colours

Request changes or additions in functionality.

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Balmung
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contour regions: colours

Post by Balmung » Mon Mar 29, 2021 6:46 am

For topographic maps I have a specific colour palette for every height and water level. It would be very nice if I could define contour region colours based on the level, so that level 1 is always a specific green and level 8 is always a specific brown.
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SilverSurfer1221
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Re: contour regions: colours

Post by SilverSurfer1221 » Mon Mar 29, 2021 4:31 pm

You can create your own themes or customize the ones provided. When you do, you can create various regions of your own and name them as you like. This way, you could create your own "levels" and then just draw them out as needed. I know this is not the same as using the Contour Region tool provided, but you can do it (though not automatically) with the Region tool.

I think what we need here is for the Contour Region tool to provide more than 3 levels, though. Then you could set up your own colors for all 8 regions (instead of just three) and draw once and done.

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Balmung
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Re: contour regions: colours

Post by Balmung » Mon Mar 29, 2021 4:42 pm

Well, it's a feature request because I know it's not possible as described by now ;)
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Re: contour regions: colours

Post by Kanchou » Mon Mar 29, 2021 6:04 pm

SilverSurfer1221 wrote:
Mon Mar 29, 2021 4:31 pm
I think what we need here is for the Contour Region tool to provide more than 3 levels, though. Then you could set up your own colors for all 8 regions (instead of just three) and draw once and done.
Contour Region tool allows up to 10 levels (3 is the default), unless I'm missing something in the question :)

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SilverSurfer1221
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Re: contour regions: colours

Post by SilverSurfer1221 » Tue Mar 30, 2021 12:00 pm

Contour Region tool allows up to 10 levels (3 is the default), unless I'm missing something in the question
Nope. I was an idiot. I clicked on Contour Region, hit the drop-down for Contours, and saw "3" under "Color". I wasn't paying attention (dummy me!) and didn't see the "Levels" section that determines the number of contours. So, yeah ... 10. ;)

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SilverSurfer1221
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Re: contour regions: colours

Post by SilverSurfer1221 » Tue Mar 30, 2021 12:04 pm

Well, it's a feature request because I know it's not possible as described by now
True. But it can be done now ... with a little work. You create your custom region colors and label each one. Then, when you simply select the region color you want and draw your region with it. So, you could have one called "Depth Level 1", for example. And you use that for all regions at that depth. The functionality is already there, though you have to set it up. But, really, it's no different than you setting up your custom colors for each depth.

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Balmung
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Re: contour regions: colours

Post by Balmung » Tue Mar 30, 2021 12:28 pm

Right now, somewhere in the code, is defined which colours level 1-10 are getting. I still think it's a good feature to make those definitions editable by the user. That way, a user just had to define his contour colours once and not 75 times.
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SilverSurfer1221
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Re: contour regions: colours

Post by SilverSurfer1221 » Tue Mar 30, 2021 12:41 pm

I think I am miscommunicating. Sorry about that. Instead of using the Contour Region tool, which allows you to define up to 10 regions and create custom colors for each, you can just use the Region tool itself. You can then create a custom color for each "level" you want. Then you draw out each region using the custom level color you created. This way, you are not locked to having to draw a region and getting all 10 (or however many you defined) using the Contour Region tool. You can, for example, define a deep part of the ocean by using the Region tool and selecting a pre-defined color you made for that. You just have to set up the colors you want to use.

If, on the other hand, you want to use the Contour Region tool, you only need to set up the colors for all your "levels" once, and then save that as a custom setting that you can use over and over again. You can create your own theme, too, that will always load the colors you want. And you can even define several different Contours Regions if you like, saving each by name (i.e. have one for deep oceans, one for lakes, one for mountains, whatever).

So, with the Contour Region tool, just open the Contours drop down, select the number of levels you want (say, 8), then go to the Color section (it's not far below where you set levels), select a Section (1-8 will be available if you've set levels to 8) and then click the color box for Shade. This will bring up the Color Palette. You can then define the color for contour level 1, then move on to 2, etc. Once that's done, enter the name for that Contour Region (near the top there is a box next to Name to enter it). And then you can use that whenever you like. It will be available in the large boxed area at the top of the panel.

So, it's not the "code", but you, the end-user, that can define the colors for all 10 regions as you please ... and then save out as many different variations as you like to use over and over again. So, yeah, you can define them once and be done. No need to do it 75 times. Just save your theme.

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SilverSurfer1221
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Re: contour regions: colours

Post by SilverSurfer1221 » Tue Mar 30, 2021 12:49 pm

Here's an example where I created three different Contour Regions, each consisting of 3 levels, and each with their own color scheme:

Image

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Balmung
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Re: contour regions: colours

Post by Balmung » Tue Mar 30, 2021 1:20 pm

It's done via themes and presets ... huh ... okay ...

@SilverSurfer: Thank you, for your explanations :)

@Developers: For new users it would be very helpful, if the applied theme would be shown and selected, so you can be aware about how this works. To apply a theme, but show the empty "My Theme", is (at least for me) not good ;)
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