DTP


 
Lively discussions on the graphic arts and publishing — in print or on the web


Go Back   Desktop Publishing Forum > General Discussions > Software

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 07-16-2017, 03:43 PM   #1
groucho
Staff
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 501
Default Adobe Indesign CS6: tiny menus?

I realize CS6 is obsolete but it runs and runs without the cloud. I was trying to do something in CS6 last week and unpleasantly baffled by the way all the menus, all the title bar choices, appear to be set in teeny tiny type with a fixed resolution, and no way to make them bigger and easier to read.

Is that just Adobe being Adobe? Or is there some apparently undocumented way to make it easier to read the screen choices?

Besides sticking to the old PageMaker on my own old system, which is much easier to read.
groucho is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-17-2017, 06:46 AM   #2
Steve Rindsberg
Staff
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 7,714
Default

Strictly a WAG, but have you upgraded to a sleek new computer with a high resolution display since you last used CS6?

   
__________________
Steve Rindsberg
====================
www.pptfaq.com
www.pptools.com
and stuff
Steve Rindsberg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-17-2017, 09:11 AM   #3
groucho
Staff
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 501
Default

Wild ass guess? Hell no, we both know you've been hacking into my computers for years.
(WEG)

I'm not sure that a 19xx by whatever UXGA screen counts as high res anymore when common videocams are shooting at 4K resolution, but yes, I am aware that if the numbnuts at Adobe hardcoded their menu text by pixels, it would make everything terribly tiny on high res screens.

Of course, Adobe would (cough, cough) be aware of that, since they are in the uhm, graphics business?

The question is whether they allow for any control over it. Or if they just skipped the Windows command controls interface (which compensates for things like that) and did something dumb like a Windows 3.x program hard-coding fonts in pixels.

My friend Polyanna says I shouldn't be so quick to judge, it just could be user error.

And if that's my reality check you're bringing, I'll have you know the service charge is way out of line, I won't pay a penny more than 22%.
groucho is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2017, 07:35 AM   #4
Steve Rindsberg
Staff
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 7,714
Default

>> Of course, Adobe would (cough, cough) be aware of that, since they are in the uhm, graphics business?

Ya think?

IAC, I was thinking 4k-ish for high rez. Being that I have such a thing on one of my laptops and have to cope with smallish text in some apps. And until I'd tweaked a couple of VMs into shape, literally had to use a magnifying glass to read prompts and dialog boxes. And that's a literal "literally", not a figurative one.

So no, I don't think 19xx by whatsit would affect this.

But you might try rightclicking the proggie's icon, Properties, Compatibility tab and see if the options there bring joy. Or at least legibility.

   
__________________
Steve Rindsberg
====================
www.pptfaq.com
www.pptools.com
and stuff
Steve Rindsberg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-17-2017, 11:28 AM   #5
terrie
Sysop
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 10,478
Default

Photoshop's menus have always had a fixed resolution. If you are running WinXP or Win7, playing with the system DPI can be helpful. It ain't magic but it should make the menus a bit more legible--at least it helped with Photoshop 7 on my Win7 system (my Photoshop CS 6 is still floorware...'-}}).

In Win7, access the DPI setting via:
Control Panel > Display > Set Custom Text Size (DPI) and then drag in the ruler to set the size--I have mine set to 115% (24" screen, 1920x1200).



Also, via the Windows Appearance settings, bumping up the "Icon" setting can might also help--this setting controls the text size in the Explorer window.

In Win7, Appearance settings can be found via:
Control Panel > Personalization > Window Color (2nd option from the left, bottom of the screen) > drop down menu "Icon"



Terrie
terrie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-17-2017, 12:20 PM   #6
groucho
Staff
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 501
Default

Thanks, Terrie. I know where to access the system dpi settings (in W7 and W10, this is 10) but I hate to go reset the whole system every time I go in or out of one program. I can also use the accessibility features, there's an on-screen magnifier, which beats all hell out of not having any options, but that's still a PITA too.

I almost afraid to ask...apparently Quark is still being sold? And can ingest old PM files?
groucho is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-17-2017, 03:05 PM   #7
Bo Aakerstrom
Member
 
Bo Aakerstrom's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Derby,UK
Posts: 1,509
Default

Try Scribus. Although I have not tried to, it is supposed to open Pagemaker files.

Find the appropriate version here: https://www.scribus.net/downloads/unstable-branch/

I know it says "unstable branch" but it does work just fine.

What I meant was that I haven't tried to open Pagemaker files with it. I've used Scribus for a long time and it does work well.

   
__________________
www.boaakerstrom.com
Behance Portfolio
Bo Aakerstrom is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2017, 12:08 PM   #8
terrie
Sysop
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 10,478
Default

Quote:
groucho: but I hate to go reset the whole system every time I go in or out of one program
Oh definitely that is annoying pitaness! The 115% setting I use (along with the "Icon" setting in Appearances--not available in Win10) works for me across all software in my system. Photoshop 7 menus are a tad small but legible enough--never thought to use the magnifier...good idea!


I know squat about Quark...



Terrie
terrie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-18-2017, 01:04 PM   #9
groucho
Staff
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 501
Default

Oooh, that's painful. *ing around with the compat mode choices, I exhausted the easy ones and then told it to go 640x480, scaling disabled, and WinXP. And you know, when the damned thing opens my WHOLE SYSTEM tries to cram itself into 640x480 which pretty much stashes away the whole desktop and the other apps, out of sight. But I will concede, the I'mResigned menu listings are nice and big and legible.

Which, one might rashly assume, confirms the damned things are not using the common dialogs settings, they are indeed pixel-mapped, so the only way to cure them will be to....throw out the high-res screen that is normal for publishing work and only run the app in Crayola mode?!

Hey, Steve, do me a favor and help get the hangar doors open. I gotta gas up the B17 and make a little visit to my friends at Adobe. I'll teach you how to use the bombsight on the way, if you want to come along.

Scribus will bear looking into.

Terrie, I used to hate working in Quirk, I found PageBreaker to be better in every way. Until NT4 came along. Adobe never could figure out how to write code for NT, and somehow, damn Quirk managed to just work without complaint, mainly because it had been coded to long-standing MS standards. Duh.

I know there are a few good programmers out there, but as Will Rogers said, "The only good programmer is a dead programmer."

How can these guys be stuck in sophomore year, thirty years in a row?!
groucho is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-19-2017, 06:42 AM   #10
Steve Rindsberg
Staff
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 7,714
Default

>> I'll teach you how to use the bombsight on the way, if you want to come along.

Drop loads of old Ventura Publisher boxes on 'em, eh? I'm game.

Whatever opinions we may have of MS, I have to give them credit for this: that if programmers adhere to MS' recommendations, MS gives them pretty darn stout assurance that their stuff will continue to work across many future generations of Windows. One of my favorite apps, a PIM called Ecco, dates back to the Win 3.0 or 3.1 days, was updated early on for Win95/16-bit and has continued to work brilliantly ever since, despite having been abandoned by its owners. At one point, Windows refused to run its installer app, but a loyal fan created a new one that works just peachily. I've now got it running on Win 10/64 on a 4k screen among other places. And using the same main data file that I've been using since what, '90 or so?

Sometimes being a rule follower has its rewards. Just don't get too close to Adobe ... as I recall, the main coder for Ecco later went on to write Persuasion, which They of the Mud Hut bought and killed, may their souls burn eternally in the afterlife.

   
__________________
Steve Rindsberg
====================
www.pptfaq.com
www.pptools.com
and stuff
Steve Rindsberg is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Adobe InDesign for iPad, iPhone ktinkel The Corner Pub 3 04-01-2011 12:13 PM
Templates and CSS menus BobRoosth Web Design 0 11-30-2008 01:47 PM
Adobe InDesign 3: Open PM6.5 files? groucho Software 15 01-26-2008 01:01 PM
Importing XML Into Adobe Indesign?? LukeSlyTalker Print Design 1 11-04-2006 08:44 AM
Pull-down Menus dthomsen8 Web Design 24 04-13-2006 08:35 AM


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 09:21 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Contents copyright 2004–2019 Desktop Publishing Forum and its members.