Color Calculator using LCARS graphics in one of 22 color themes.

Any Star Trek fan will immediately recognize the distinctive Elbo/Swept that epitomizes the LCARS graphics that began in the Star Trek The Next Generation series. LCARS is an acronym for "Library Computer Access and Retrieval System".

Choose a color by dragging or tapping in the gradient bars, or specify the color values individually with the LCARS number pad.

The color calculator computes the RGBA, HSBA, and Hex colors for you.

Colors can be stored in 8 presets.

You can copy the color to the pasteboard and it also copies the actual iOS code to generate the color in an app.

You can take a screenshot of the entire app and it is exported to the Photos.app.

Live Long and Prosper. \\//

• 22 Color Themes
• Displays the current iOS System Version
• StarDate
• Clock
• Current Time
• 12 hour or 24 hour time
• 2 Star Trek Sound FX
• Configurable Number Pad
• Tab-able Text Input
• Swap Colors
• Compare Colors
• Current Color View
• Previous Color View
• Hex/Web Color View
• Store 8 Preset Colors
• Copy a Color to the Pasteboard for use in other apps.
• Take a screenshot of the app and export it to the Photos.app for collaboration.

Top Control Bar

Tap the Time Display button to toggle between standard 12-hour and 24-hour time.

The STARDATE readout displays a millenium version of TNG stardates.

The SYSTEM readout displays the current iOS system version used by the iPad.

ColorWells

Notice the 3 large colorWells in the top-right of the screenshot up above. The one at the top displays the current color. The one in the middle displays the previous color. The one at the bottom displays the parallel closest hex color of the current color.

As you change the values of the current color via the other controls, or choose a new color from a preset, these 3 colorWells will automatically update to display the results.

Interior Controls

In the interior of the iPad, the controls are divided into four main sections as follows:

1. Gradient Bars - Top Left
2. Color Input Buttons - Top Right
3. Number Pad - Bottom Right
4. Color Preset Swatches - Bottom Left

Gradient Bars

Tap or drag in any of the eight Gradient Bars to modify a particular component of a color. Seven of the Gradients Bars and all the other controls and views will update in real-time to reflect the changes. The Hue (Static) Gradient Bar does not update so that you can have a baseline to reference when you are dealing with colors that are extremely pale or dark.

Use the end cap buttons that enclose each Gradient Bar to nudge its color component by 1. The end cap buttons on the left decrease by 1 and the ones on the right increase by 1.

Color Readout Buttons

The Color Readout Buttons and the Number Pad are interrelated. When you tap a Color Readout Button, it becomes selected, which is indicated by the button's Pill Shape changing to a box with enclosing arrows pointing inwards. This signifies that it is the current button to be edited by the Number Pad.

The RANGE Readout, at the top of the Number Pad, also updates to show the range of values that are available for the selected Color Readout Button.

Number Pad

The Number Pad works like any standard calculator number pad that you've ever used, but with some enhancements for faster workflow.

When you start editing a color, the first thing you will probably want to do is delete all or part of the value. To delete the entire number, just tap the CLEAR button. Above the CLEAR button is the Backspace button. Each tap will remove the character that is rightmost in the number.

Tap any number button in the Number Pad to add that number to the right of currently selected Color Readout Button.

When you are finished adding numbers, tap the ENTER button to commit the changes and update the color component.

You can use the PREV and NEXT buttons to conveniently make the previous or next Color Readout Button in the tabbing sequence, the new button to edit. When tapping the NEXT button, the tab order starts with the Red 100 button (the one at the top left of the two columns of buttons) and then proceeds downwards to the end. Then it starts at the top of the second column and proceeds downwards to the end, and will rollover back to the beginning.

When you tap the PREV or NEXT button, you don't have to the tap the ENTER button to commit the edit.

NOTE: The white Hex/Web button is NOT editable, that is, it is read-only.

In the left column bar of the Number Pad, notice the 123/789 button. This lets you toggle the order of the number buttons in the Number Pad. When the label of that button is 123, then the 1, 2 and 3 buttons are on the bottom row of the Number Pad and the 7, 8 and 9 buttons are on the top row. When the label of that button is 789, then the 7, 8 and 9 buttons are on the bottom row of the Number Pad and the 1, 2 and 3 buttons are on the top row.

For anyone wondering why I would bother doing this, some people have significant muscle memory associated with one configuration but not the other, so they will work much faster in their preferred mode.

Color Preset Swatches

To store the current color into a swatch, just tap the Cap button to the left of that Swatch button.

Tap a Swatch button to make its color the current color.

Column Buttons

Tap the THEME button to go to the next theme. Tap the button to its right to go to the previous theme.

Tap the SWAP button to swap the current color with the previous color.

Tap the COPY button to copy the current color to the pasteboard, for use in other apps.

For iOS developers, the COPY button also copies the code to create an RGBA UIColor as a string.

Tap the SCREENSHOT button to save an image of the entire app to Apple's Photos.app. From there you can email the image to a collaborator.