Creating Red Text for buttons

Question

MIDI Target Manufacturer(s): Other/Unlisted Maker

I am working with an organist developing a controller using MidiDesigner Pro (MDP) for the Hauptwerk (HW) Virtual Pipe Organ (VPO) computer application. MDP only has White and Black Button Labels (text). Described here is an approach to create Red letters for buttons. It could be usable in other applications. The approach is a bit complicated and it would be better if MDP Button Labels had LED color control much like the color text for Labels (hint, hint).

Background: Organs typically will have labeled Stops and pistons (see Image 1). While most of the labels are typically black, some labels are red. Therefore the MDP layout should have red letters to represent the organ.

What is presented here is an approach to clear the button Label, create Label controls with the desired text and set their LED color to red (#2). Then overlay the red label over the blank button. This works quite well in Play Mode.

Some observations (see image 2):

1. The page, panel (if used), and button LED color needs to be light. Notice Trumpet 8 in a dark background under the PEDAL. The top 4 PEDAL buttons were lightened so the red letters are readable whether the button is on or off.
2. Using a more desirable multiline label has several problems:
   1. The text is either too large (see the Posaune 16 multiline label not in a button with label size 2) or too small.
   2. The font is not bold and not very readable in an organ environment (compare to the clarity of the Posaune 16 single line font in the button).
3. Using individual labels require having to create 2 or 3 separate labels representing each line.
4. Overlaying and centering each line requires turning Snap to Grid Off in Config-Options.
5. When selecting a button in Design Mode to make a change, the button moves to the top above the red letters (see Trumpet 16 under GREAT). When finished, you need to go to Control-Actions and select Send to Back.
6. Clicking on a button to edit its properties is difficult since the labels overlay on top and not carefully clicking a button may select a label.
7. Fortunately, there is no problem in Play Mode if configured properly.

Images

Typical Hauptwerk organ Stops and Pistons

Typical Organ Stop Layout in MDP

Comments

Actually, after playing around with colored labels overlaying buttons, I find it time consuming to overlay labels and have them at the top, especially when editting buttons. The "Send to bottom" does not seem to work if there are more than 2 labels. The only solution I found after editing the button is to move the labels off the button and then move them back on to place the labels on top. To select a label I had to lock out the button.

I will recommend adding color button label capability.

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Is there a TL;DR for this suggestion? I need a short description of the change to MD you need, please.

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What does TL;DR mean? Briefly, the request is to provide colored labels to a Control. Possible ways to implement include:
1. Add a label color option to a Control in addition to the existing color selection.
2. Group a Label with a Control such that the Label always remains on top of the Control. Selecting the label color exists and will remain on top of the control as it may move between layers when activated in the Design mode.
3. Whan a Control is selected for editting, it moves above all other controls. After editing, it could move back to it's original layer. Currently if a Label overlays a Button, when the button is selected and edited, it remains above and obliterates the label. If designed to move back below the label after editting, the issue goes away.