Steps necessary to set SecureCRT session color scheme annoying!

[LazLong]

Perhaps I am an outlier, but I find the steps necessary to set default global session color schemes to be entirely counter-intuitive!

One would think, or at least I do, that when one sets the color scheme in the Advanced Appearance properties of the Global Options menu item and saves settings, that the result would be that all future sessions would use the chosen color scheme, and perhaps even that current sessions might change as this is a "Global Option." But, alas, this isn't the case. Once one selects the color scheme of choice, saves options, and then re-opens the Global Options/Terminal/Appearance/Advanced to verify that the change has indeed occurred, one is not presented with the setting that one just set, but rather the "Monochrome" setting, as it was previous to one's vain attempt to cudgel SecureCRT into performing one of the most basic functions of a color-capable terminal emulator, namely displaying color.

Failing at this and against all logic, one might resort to attempting to set the afore mentioned setting in the Session Options followed by selecting Save Settings Now to achieve one's goal. But if one were foolish enough to attempt this, one would only be taunted by the appearance of the setting being changed, as the change would only be in effect for the current session.

Lastly, if one were to completely ignore all mention of "Appearance," "ANSI Color," and "Advanced" under the "Terminal" options within the "Global Options," and were instead to concentrate purely upon the General/Default Session category, one would be lucky enough to be presented with a set of categories confusingly similar to those within "Global Options," but different. If one's luck (or perhaps genius?) were to continue to be with one, one might indeed explore the "Appearance" category under "Terminal" and be presented with "Current color scheme;" at which point one might pray that perhaps this is indeed the True reference to the holy "Color Scheme" for which one has been questing, and reverently set the scheme to that which one fervently desires. Lastly, if one annoints one self with the perspiration of St. William of Microsoft and genuflects before the "Save Settings Now," one will at long last be blessed with the sacred color scheme for which one has so longingly desiderated.

It isn't that I am not a n00b to SecureCRT; I have used it for at least eight years. Perhaps I have not wound through the afore mentioned tortuous path frequently enough for it to have been seared upon my neural pathways, as I find enduring this gauntlet only necessary when I set up a new system, or perchance I am merely senile. In any case, I would like to take this opportunity to opine that the settings/options dialog boxes could use the attentions of a human interface design shaman to exercise their vile daemons.

[MrC]

The interface could use some love.

The Advanced area allows you to create/modify schemes. The dialog doesn't imply that one can set a Default here.

Rather, the SecureCRT way is currently to use:

Global Options->General->Default Session->Edit Default Settings

which all future new settings configs will use (and existing configs can be updated too when prompted).

While your post was entertaining to read, the irony of its obtuse wording confounds the impact and goal of your request. More to the point, how exactly would you suggest the dialogs/UI be implemented?

[rtb]

Hi LazLong,

Thanks for the feedback. I have informed the SecureCRT product director that our documentation does not accurately reflect the current behavior. I have also created a feature request to add the ability to set the default color scheme for all new sessions and the ability to set the color scheme for all existing sessions from the Terminal / Appearance / Advanced category in the Global Options dialog.

Should either of these features be implemented in a future SecureCRT release, we will post to this forum thread.

If you would like to be notified directly, please complete and submit the form at the following location:

Submit Feature Request

I am glad to hear that you did find the correct place to configure the default color scheme.

It is important to note that when making changes to the Default Session, one is prompted as to whether the changes should apply only to future sessions or to all existing sessions. One can also select multiple sessions in the Connect dialog, right-click on a selected session and select Properties from the context menu to edit the settings for multiple sessions at the same time.

[amster]

Wow, after all this time, matters are still as complicated as they were when the original poster vented his frustration. Van Dyke listen - and then make software better!

[rtb]

Hi amster,

Thanks for the feedback. I can understand that you would like to see the color scheme interaction be less complicated.

Do you have any specific suggestions for improvements that you feel would simplify the process of creating, editing and defining color schemes?

[jspanitz]

Hmm, as a new user, this had me baffled as well. Thank goodness I found this thread, because it was very frustrating.

I would recommend that the easiest and simplest change would be:
Under global options, rename the section called "Terminal" to something like "Current Terminal Session".

Now, that being said, why not remove the current terminal settings from Global? It's not global!

[rtb]

Hi jspanitz,

Thanks for the feedback.

Every option in the Terminal category is a global option. Are you perhaps talking about a sub-category?

What specific option are you seeing that is not a global setting?

As a note, you may be interested in the tip that we create that explains color in SecureCRT. You can find it at the following location:

http://www.vandyke.com/support/tips/colorconfig.html

[wek]

New time SecureCRT user here, and I was a bit confounded as well trying to change the default color scheme settings for the first time.

After finding the inconspicuous 'Edit Default Settings' button in Global Options / General / Default Session, it was smooth sailing. I must have cruised past it a dozen times before finding this thread.

That said, I'm liking it now that I've found it.

It would have been much easier to locate if it had its own configuration screen under, say, Options / Edit Session Defaults. A button in the connect screen would work too.

[rtb]

Hi wek,

Thanks for the suggestions. I have created a feature request in our SecureCRT enhancement database to add a more obvious method for editing the Default Session. Should we add the Options menu item or a Connect dialog button, we will post to this thread.

If you would like to be notified directly, please complete and submit the form at the following location:

Submit Feature Request

[anil51138]

Hi Guys,

I am very good fan of SecureCRT. Recently we had encountered a challenge about setting different colors for different streams.

Like we are asked to use different colors between non production and production systems. I set color_scheme PROD and NON PROD in the command line options but once i open PROD session and click on non prod session.. the second tab is getting inherited from PROD session as use tabbed secure CRT.

Can you give me an idea how to deal with this?

we use version 7.0.2 (build 418)

[bgagnon]

Hello anil51138,

So are you making ad hoc connections from the command-line?

If so, the only way to use two different color schemes would be to have two instances of SecureCRT running (ie: *not* opening sessions in tabs in the same instance of SecureCRT). Subsequent tabs (opened in the same instance) do inherit certain settings from the first tab.

However, if you open *saved sessions* on the command-line in tabs, you can configure each session to use a different color scheme.

I have added this thread to a feature request in our product enhancement database to resolve friction caused by first tab dictating appearance and geometry settings (independent row column font). Should a future release of SecureCRT include this feature, notification will be posted here.

If you prefer direct email notification, contact support@vandyke.com and include "Feature Request - Forum Thread #7545" in the subject line.

[anil51138]

Hi, Thanks for the reply.

I can call a script using command line option right. So is it possible to call a script which changes the color of the session and if i dont call the script it opens with default settings?

Do you have a snippet how to apply color using vbs on CRT?

[bgagnon]

Hello anil51138,

Yes, see attached example script. As outlined in the comments, the expectation is you will map the script to run from a button on the button bar with an argument, but you could still use /ARG with the script on the command-line.

For example:

SecureCRT /Script c:\Path_To_Script.vbs /ARG "Black / Cyan" /SSH2 /Password p@ssw0rd user@host

GetOption and SetOption are methods that are available to the SessionConfiguration object. These are documented in the SecureCRT Help topic Scripting / Script Objects Reference / SessionConfiguration Object.

Note that it's the /COLOR_SCHEME command-line argument that will lock you into a specific color scheme in each tab of an instance. If you do *not* use that, you should be able to change each tabbed session independently (via the script).

[anil51138]

Hi,

Back from vacation. It just worked like charm. Thanks a lot for this, though I'd still feel something missing. Can we show tab colors also inherited from the terminal?

Or can we get the script for tab color also? so that at any point of time i can easily identify how many production sessions and non production sessions are opened in a single tab interface by seeing the tab color.

[rtb]

Hi anil51138,

Brenda is not currently available, so I wanted to thank you and let you know that currently, tabs do not have a custom color definition option.

We will post to this thread if we add the option to change the tab color to a custom color in the future.

If you would like to be notified directly, please complete and submit the form at the following location:

Submit Feature Request