Ideal Font Size for Forms 6

[MwTV]

Initially created controls on a form using size 5 Tahoma font.

After working on database for over 2 months, I realized that some people complained that they could not see the text on the command buttons, etc.

What is the ideal font size to use? Size 6? Size 8? Tahoma?

Next question, as you might expect, any quick method to dynamically increase the size of controls on a form when there is a increase in font size?

Thanks for assistance.

 

[Remou]

What is your target audience? The older the people using your database, the larger the font required. In my opinion 8 pt is too small for constant use.

You can resise a number of controls with Size to fit, but changing the font size will require the forms to be reworked.

 

[Pampers]

If it has to be small, like sometimes on a button, you could use arial narrow...

Pampers
Keeping it simple can be complicated

 

[MwTV]

Great point! I did not consider the age of everyone in the target audience. Most of the people are in their 40s and two persons in their 50s.

Hopefully, the following question is valid;

Immediate thought is to query the end-user as to the desired font size that he/she is most comfortable with and then having the "appropriate" form displayed. In other words, I would need to create maybe 3 forms - 1) with font size of 8 arial narrow, another form with font size of 10, and the last form with a font size of 12. Then, I would automatically display one of the forms based on the users preference.

Any additional thoughts? Any precedence - has anyone done this before?

I am not aware of having a conditional statement to determine a startup form...

Thanks in advance.

 

[TheAceMan1]

[blue]I am not aware of having a conditional statement to determine a startup form...[/blue]

Not a problem! . . . what you do is use an [blue]AutoExec[/blue] macro to run a [blue]VBA Function[/blue] on startup. [blue]AutoExec[/blue] is a special macro the runs on startup when you open a DB.

To test this perform the following:
[ol][li]Copy/paste the following function to a module in the modules window:

[blue]Public Function TestAutoExec()
   MsgBox "AutoExec Macro Is In Control! . . ."
End Function[/blue]

[/li]
[li]From the menubar in the database window select [blue]Insert[/blue] - [blue]Macro[/blue]. (Takes you to a macro window).[/li]
[li]On the toolbar select the [blue]save icon[/blue] and when prompted enter [blue]AutoExec[/blue][/li]
[li]Now . . . put the cursor in the [blue]Action[/blue] column on the first line.[/li]
[li]From the combobox select [blue]RunCode[/blue][/li]
[li]On the bottom left set the [blue]function name[/blue] to: [purple]TestAutoExec()[/purple][/li]
[li]Save & close the macro.[/li]
[li]Close then open the DB![/li][/ol]
Your eyes will be all revealing! Just remember the function [blue]TestAutoExec()[/blue] can do what ever you like!

[blue]Your Thoughts? . . .[/blue]

BTW: I've done two db's for elderly homes sponsered by the [blue]Red Cross[/blue] (here in New York USA) and during delelopment the font requested was [purple]16pt![/purple] . . . So [blue]Remou[/blue] is on target!

See Ya! . . . . . .

 

[fneily]

So according to Remou and TheAceMan1, only the elderly have bad vision. They don't know anyone in their teens, 20's or 30's wearing glasses. And they have actual data showing people from 40 on have worse vision then those younger. Interesting. The Wilmer Institute at Johns Hopkins Hospital would like to see their studies.
I find their age discrimination to be not only obvious but insulting.
The next time I spar a "youngster", I'll ask him to be easy on me.

 

[Remou]

I have very poor vision indeed, and have had since I was very young. When I was very young, I was prepared to hunch over a screen to read it, I am not prepared to do so now. I can only offer what I have experience of, and I have found that older clients ask for larger fonts. AceMan has clearly had the same experience.

 

[Remou]

You inspired me to some research, will the Mayo Clinic do instead of John Hopkins?

[tt]Presbyopia is the gradual loss of the eye's ability to focus actively on nearby objects. It is a natural part of aging that usually begins to affect people after age 40.[/tt]

--

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/presbyopia/DS00589

 

[TheAceMan1]

How are ya fneily . . .

Although I have perfect 20/020 vision, [blue]I dont see why I should have to strain to see my monitor.[/blue] As such I'm in the habit of programming in 10pt instead of 8pt (I'm in the habit of leaning back in my chair as I work). I can't begin to tell you how many clients have thanked me for this!

8pt does require more focus and always pulls the user closer to the screen . . .

BTW: although 16pt was requested, they had to settle for 14pt. With enough textboxes to display 16pt fast becomes unusable . . .

See Ya! . . . . . .

 

[Tarnish]

The Wilmer Institute at Johns Hopkins Hospital would like to see their studies.
I find their age discrimination to be not only obvious but insulting.
The next time I spar a "youngster", I'll ask him to be easy on me.

Wow.

 

[MwTV]

Considering the cost vs. benefits of displaying a larger font, would the display of the larger font "disadvantage" the individuals younger than 40?

Consequently, I am still pursuing the display of the initial message box that inquires as to the preference for 8, 10, or 12 font size and then displaying the appropriate form. Definitely, I will have to build more forms.

Therefore, anyone have specific code that would display one of three forms conditional on the user's response to the initial question?

Scenario: User 1 is presented with the initial question about desired font size. Then, everytime that user 1 logs in after the first login, the appropriate forms would be displayed. How difficult would this be to implement? Is it feasible?

Currently researching the use an AutoExec macro to run a VBA Function on startup to implement but having some challenges as to how to specifically setup.

 

[Pampers]

Mmmh, I'm over 40 but yet no signs of Presbyopia (the typos are just typos)... Is this good or bad ?

Anyway, MwTV says: "...I will have to build more forms."

Not necessarely so. I think you could set the lettertype dynamically when the forms load, depending on what the user selected.

Pampers
Keeping it simple can be complicated

 

[MwTV]

Pampers,

How would I go about setting the lettertype dynamically?

This sounds like something worth exploring!

Additional details would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Remou]

It is not difficult to loop through the controls and set the font size, however, getting a neat appearance at three different sizes is more difficult. I think it would be necessary to size the controls to suit the largest font size and if that is the case, why not just design in the larget font size to begin with?

There are more accessibility features available in HTML, if changing font sizes is important, it may be worth considering.

 

[MajP]

A little science for you choice:

http://psychology.wichita.edu/surl/usabilitynews/41/onlinetext.htm

Buy the older people bigger monitors and be done with it.

 

[Pampers]

Hi MwTV,
I agree with Remou. Another thing to consider is, is that you could store the users preferences, and load them if a certain users logs in.

Pampers
Keeping it simple can be complicated

 

[MwTV]

Pampers,

How would I store the users' preferences and load them if a certain user logs in?

I assume that it is possible to offer the end-user choices such as font size, form backcolor, etc.

 

[randy700]

How about...

Create a table of user preferences. Or, depending on your current design, add fields to your Users table.

If you opt for changing colors, fonts, etc, do it in the Form's OnLoad or OnOpen event. Just run the code based on the current user's preferences.

If you decide to create separate forms, the one to be opened can be determined by looking up the user's preferences in the same routine that opens the form.
Something like...
Dim FormName as String
FormName = dlookup here
DoCmd.OpenForm FormName

Personally, I'd select the separate forms method because I think it would look much better.


Randy

 

[Pampers]

Sorry for keeping you waiting... At home my DSL is out of order - and that can take weeks for this is fixed on this tiny island.
Anyway, here is something perhaps you can use, similar to what randy has posted.

http://www.etrend-consultants.com/personalize.pdf

Pampers
Keeping it simple can be complicated

 

[MwTV]

Pampers,

Thanks for the link. Quite interesting concept. Currently researching.