# Seeking New User-settable Preferences for Specify 7

**URL:** <https://speciforum.org/t/seeking-new-user-settable-preferences-for-specify-7/386>\
**Category:** Give Development Feedback\
**Created:** [April 13, 2022, 8:44pm UTC](https://speciforum.org/t/seeking-new-user-settable-preferences-for-specify-7/386 "2022-04-13T20:44:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![JimBeach](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/speciforum.org/jimbeach/32/2_2.png) [@JimBeach](https://speciforum.org/u/JimBeach)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2022, 8:44pm UTC](https://speciforum.org/t/seeking-new-user-settable-preferences-for-specify-7/386/1 "2022-04-13T20:44:19Z")

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We are finalizing the set of new user preferences to add to the next Specify 7 release. These are in addition to Specify 6 user preferences that we will carry forward where appropriate. Here is a table of new user-settable prefs for Specify 7, some related to accessibility with tie-ins to browser settings, all will be scoped to the user account level. Specify 7 (and 6) also have many implicit variables set by users through the user interface, and also ‘state’ variables to keep track of various user data. The preferences below will be settable in a new user preference setting form, similar to what exists in 6, but nicer. We would be happy to entertain suggestions for other new user interface preferences not currently in Sp6 or Sp7.

| Proposed UI settings: | Default Value | Possible values | | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| general.ui.language | (automatic) | (e.g.) en-us, ru-ru, ca, es-es | | User Interface Language |
| general.ui.theme | system | system, light, dark | | Follow system (browser) preference or explicitly set to light/dark mode |
| general.ui.reduceMotion | system | system, reduce, noPreference | | Whether to disable transitions and animations |
| general.schema.schema | (automatic) | (depends on database) | | Schema Langauge |
| general.ui.fontSize | 100 | Percentage | | User Interface font size as a percentage of default browser font size |
| form.ui.fontSize | 100 | Percentage | | Forms font size as a percentage of default browser font size |
| form.ui.maxWidth | 1200 | Integer | | Max form width in pixels |
| form.ui.fieldBackground | | Color | | Default field background |
| form.ui.disabledFieldBackground | | Color | | Disabled field background |
| form.ui.invalidFieldBackground | | Color | | Invalid field background |
| form.ui.darkFieldBackground | | Color | | Default field background (in dark mode) |
| form.ui.darkDisabledFieldBackground | | Color | | Disabled field background (in dark mode) |
| form.ui.darkInvalidFieldBackground | | Color | | Invalid field background (in dark mode) |
| form.ui.dialogFieldBackground | | Color | | Field background in a dialog |
| form.ui.darkDialogFieldBackground | | Color | | Field background in a dialog (in dark mode) |
| form.ui.background | | Color | | Form background |
| form.ui.darkBackground | | Color | | Form background (in dark mode) |
| form.ui.dialogBackground | | Color | | Dialog form background |
| form.ui.darkDialogBackground | | Color | | Dialog form background (in dark mode) |
| general.ui.transparentDialog | FALSE | Boolean | | Whether dialogs have translucent background (easter egg) |
| choosecollection.main.alwaysprompt | TRUE | Boolean | | Whether to always prompt user to chose collection. If false, uses last chosen collection |
| Treeeditor.TreeColColor1.Taxon | | Color | | Odd column color |
| Treeeditor.TreeColColor2.Taxon | | Color | | Even column color |
| Treeeditor.SynonymyColor.Taxon | | Color | | Synonomy color |
| Treeeditor.TreeColColor1.Geography | | Color | | Odd column color |
| Treeeditor.TreeColColor2.Geography | | Color | | Even column color |
| Treeeditor.SynonymyColor.Geography | | Color | | Synonomy color |
| Treeeditor.TreeColColor1.LithoStrat | | Color | | Odd column color |
| Treeeditor.TreeColColor2.LithoStrat | | Color | | Even column color |
| Treeeditor.SynonymyColor.LithoStrat | | Color | | Synonomy color |
| Treeeditor.TreeColColor1.GeologicTimePeriod | | Color | | Odd column color |
| Treeeditor.TreeColColor2.GeologicTimePeriod | | Color | | Even column color |
| Treeeditor.SynonymyColor.GeologicTimePeriod | | Color | | Synonomy color |
| Treeeditor.TreeColColor1.Storage | | Color | | Odd column color |
| Treeeditor.TreeColColor2.Storage | | Color | | Even column color |
| Treeeditor.SynonymyColor.Storage | | Color | | Synonomy color |

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**Author:** ![Plarson](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/speciforum.org/plarson/32/797_2.png) [@Plarson](https://speciforum.org/u/Plarson)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2022, 3:23pm UTC](https://speciforum.org/t/seeking-new-user-settable-preferences-for-specify-7/386/2 "2022-05-13T15:23:55Z")

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My suggestion is palette swap or other color options for different collections. I sometimes spend an embarassing amount of time looking for something in the icthyology collection that only exists in the invertebrate collection. The little text in the corner isn’t quite enough to always remind me of where I am in the database.  
I don’t care if we can customize it or not, just some visual difference for multiple collections would be nice.

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**Author:** ![JimBeach](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/speciforum.org/jimbeach/32/2_2.png) [@JimBeach](https://speciforum.org/u/JimBeach)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2022, 3:02pm UTC](https://speciforum.org/t/seeking-new-user-settable-preferences-for-specify-7/386/3 "2022-05-17T15:02:01Z")

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Hi Paul –

Do you mean different color for each collection in the top level menu bar, maybe the specify logo an the colored rule at the top of the page, and the TLM mouse overs?

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**Author:** ![Plarson](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/speciforum.org/plarson/32/797_2.png) [@Plarson](https://speciforum.org/u/Plarson)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2023, 2:29pm UTC](https://speciforum.org/t/seeking-new-user-settable-preferences-for-specify-7/386/4 "2023-01-09T14:29:40Z")

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Sorry, I’ve just seen this reply and my suggestion has been handled by all the customization options that have been implemented since then. Thanks!
