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Thread: determining font size on native apps?
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From: glen walker
Date: Mon, Feb 10 2020 11:40AM
Subject: determining font size on native apps?
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Without having access to the native app code, is there a way to figure out
the font size with respect to color contrast issues?
When checking for contrast issues, I often take a screenshot and send it to
my PC then use a contrast checker on my PC. That usually gets me pretty
close to accurate RGB values.
If the ratio is between 3 and 4.5, then determining if the font is "large"
is needed. I know there are best practices for font sizes on mobile but is
there a decent way to figure out if a font is 18pt (or 14pt bold) in a
native app?
From: Patrick H. Lauke
Date: Mon, Feb 10 2020 11:47AM
Subject: Re: determining font size on native apps?
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On 10/02/2020 18:40, glen walker wrote:
> Without having access to the native app code, is there a way to figure out
> the font size with respect to color contrast issues?
>
> When checking for contrast issues, I often take a screenshot and send it to
> my PC then use a contrast checker on my PC. That usually gets me pretty
> close to accurate RGB values.
>
> If the ratio is between 3 and 4.5, then determining if the font is "large"
> is needed. I know there are best practices for font sizes on mobile but is
> there a decent way to figure out if a font is 18pt (or 14pt bold) in a
> native app?
Measure it on the screenshot, at least to a rough level? Check what the
device-independent measure dimensions of your particular device are
(e.g. how many Apple "points", or Google "device-independent pixels", or
Windows' "effective pixels" your device has), and work it out from that?
Alternatively, as Apple points/Google dps/etc should, for web content,
generally map to a CSS px for web content (when viewport is set to
width=device-width, i.e. the ideal viewport), make a small example web
page with text at 18pt/24px and 14pt/19px bold, take a screenshot of
THAT as well, as use that as a reference.
And eyeball it. And don't sweat it, I'd say. (also noting that "bold" is
really a loose term, as it doesn't take into account how "bold"/"thick"
a particular typeface actually is, doesn't take into account overly thin
typefaces, etc...the whole pseudo-accuracy of this SC needs to be taken
with a pinch of salt)
P
--
Patrick H. Lauke
https://www.splintered.co.uk/ | https://github.com/patrickhlauke
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twitter: @patrick_h_lauke | skype: patrick_h_lauke
From: glen walker
Date: Mon, Feb 10 2020 12:14PM
Subject: Re: determining font size on native apps?
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Thanks, Patrick. I was considering a "sample" webpage with various font
sizes to do a comparison. Sounds like that's about as close as I can get.
I was going to eyeball it, but some customers want a little more
documentation than my opinion about how big the font is. A comparison page
should be sufficient.
From: Jonathan Avila
Date: Mon, Feb 10 2020 12:28PM
Subject: Re: determining font size on native apps?
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Yes, I would use a sample as well - -make sure you always compare on the same device being tested. So with the ideal viewport on a web page you should be able to create different font sizes and measure those either with a screen ruler app or physical ruler overlay on the device and then compare those to the text on the same device. For native apps Apple does provide some good details on font information if you know the built in styles are being used. You might also want to take note of any accessiblity setting like large text as this would impact physical or screen measurements. Use of the default might be best for that test.
Jonathan
From: Murphy, Sean
Date: Mon, Feb 10 2020 4:08PM
Subject: Re: determining font size on native apps?
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For native apps, Google has an accessibility Scanner tool that can help here as well. Not sure if this works on the chrome browser.