Experimental Physics and
Industrial Control System

[email protected] (Bill McDowell) · Fri, 5 Jun 1998 17:11:57 -0500

At APS the following color conventions are to be used when creating displays: 

Any control button, slider, menu, related display, text entry etc that
makes something happen should be BLUE (second row blue in the MEDM
default color palette). This is useful because operators can quickly
observe "hot spots" on a display where they can make something happen
(change a value, call up another display, etc). The context or icon of
"the blue thing" should adequately convey WHAT will happen if they
click on it.

Text:

All text updates should be displayed on a background that allows all
alarm colors to be visible (if the alarm dynamic is set). We usually
use light grey or dark grey (almost black). Another "RULE OF THUMB"
that we tell the operators is "If the text is WHITE, don't believe the
reading. The computer cannot communicate to it".  Therefore, white
static text is discouraged.

Likewise, since RED, GREEN, and YELLOW reflect alarm conditions, these
colors should not be used for static text or text updates.

No colors are "disallowed" from being used for graphical images
(magnets, waveguides, etc) because it is usually very obvious that
these are pictures and NOT dynamic objects.

Colors:

DIN Standards 4844 and 5381 shall be followed whenever possible. 
Red is the 'danger color' Halt, Stop, Prohibited etc. 
Yellow is used as a warning color. 
Green means safety, ok, on etc. 
Blue is used for giving directions, advice, signs, etc. 

Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System

Experimental Physics and
Industrial Control System