Selection Tool in Darkmode

[defaultylsn8tvdenj6]

When in Dark Mode in InDesign the Selection and the Direct Selection Tools swap colours. Selection is now white and Direct Selection is now black. This is very undesirable since I've been used to a white arrow for direct selection since InDesign 2.0. It's also inconsistent across CS-Apps, since Illustrator (also in Dark Mode) shows the common behaviour that we all have been used to for years.

[John Mensinger]

I understand your point, but wouldn't expect someone with years of use experience to be profoundly affected by that. I prefer dark mode, but never even noticed the arrows because I nearly always use the keyboard to choose tools. Perhaps I'm less visual and more spacially oriented, but even when I do click to choose, apparently I think of the Select tool as above the Direct Select tool. I don't think it would matter to me if their colors changed or swapped on every launch. I'm sorry it's unsettling to you, but I wouldn't expect the development teams to drop everything else over it.

As for it being inconsistent across the suite, add it to the list of a few hundred such details. Discrete teams with varied priorities writing different code bases at different times in history have resulted in the present condition. It's always been more a of a "collection" of specialized apps than a suite of cohesive, common-platform tools.

[defaultylsn8tvdenj6]

I honestly can't imagine anyone working with Adobe apps for years to NOT feel affected by that.
Black arrow is for selecting objects and groups and white is for path and anchor point selection. InDesign, Illustrator AND Photoshop. That's how it always was and that's how it always should be. There is just no reason to change that or worse, to swap it based on if you choose a dark or bright appearance for the application. It just doesn't make sense.

Also, I agree there's a lot of inconsitency going on across apps. That's why we have to point them all out. I earn my living using this software and I pay every month to use it. "It's not consistent anyway, so this small issue shouldn't matter" is what you're saying here. But it's also up to user feedback to make these apps better and more suitable for professionals. It would be a lot better if people would complain more.

[John Mensinger]

"It's not consistent anyway, so this small issue shouldn't matter" is what you're saying here.

Well, that isn't what I was saying, but you're entitled to your interpretation.

[karenc20949259]

Even though I'm sure I'll get used to it, eventually, I find this change quite irritating in my use of INDD. I would like to understand what UI issue or challenge the switch of the arrow fill color was intended to resolve.

[Laubender]

Recently we had some discussions about that change.

For me nothing has changed, because I always prefer the lightest UI.

Here an official statement at InDesign UserVoice that I do agree with:

Ravi Kiran (Senior Lead Quality Engineer, Adobe InDesign) responded at Oct 27, 2021:

ID 2022 is showing the correct behavior for the Selection and Direct Selection Tools in all color themes. Compare the Dark Theme icons with the Light theme icons to know the difference.
So basically, now the “Filled/Solid” tool is the Selection Tool and the “Hollow” tool is the Direct Selection Tool.
As you can see, in the Dark/Medium Dark mode, the Selection Tool is shown as Filled and the Direct Selection Tool is shown as Hollow – which is the same as in the Light theme.
The earlier versions of InDesign were showing it incorrectly.

https://indesign.uservoice.com/forums/601180-adobe-indesign-bugs/suggestions/44360172--selection-and...

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[Laubender]

Also look into this discussion here in the forum:

Selection tools switch
GrafiskWingman, Oct 27, 2021
https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/selection-tools-switch/td-p/12475968

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[Barb Binder]

I'm going to add that I just wrapped up an Intro to InDesign class yesterday and I struggled with the terminology updates.

I get that this shouldn't be a big deal in the long run, but to an intro class I normally say "use the Selection tool, the black arrow" and "the Direction Selection tool, the white arrow" until my students can differentiate the two by just their correct names. I settled on "use the Selection tool, the first arrow" and "the Direct Selection tool, the second arrow" and that worked for the entire class, who were split on both versions (2021 and 2022) and color themes.

I was equally baffled trying to using the term "parent pages" when I started teaching multiple master/parent pages where B is based on A, and is A is a parent parent and B is a child parent. 🤦‍ 

There is going to be a transition period for some of us (and by "us" I mean me) and I think we need to be patient with ourselves as well as each other. 

~Barb

[BobLevine]

Well, it's not really the first time terminology has changed. Remember when the panels were pallets?

[Creamer Training]

Don't get me started on FrameMaker's pods!

[Creamer Training]

I've always use "black" and "white" arrow for years. I guess I should have been using "solid" and "hollow" respectively. 

I'm doing a class this week and, although the students have not upgraded yet, I can see it will be a struggle to get the term "master pages" out of my head after 36-odd years of using the term (but I'll try...).