is a toggle object an iemgui?
yes.
why should all iemgui's within one help patch be gray, and
number boexes, or the new graphical "symbol" object remain
black-and-white?
I don't know what you mean by new graphical "symbol" object there is no "new" one. GUI boxes (number, symbol and list boxes [this one new]) cannot set the background color, at least not yet (there are plans to add background colors to them and I agree they could follow the help file's standard then).
It's rather the inconsistency within the vanilla help patches for
internal objects, and the objects that I create from the "Put" menu.
Then it's a whole different story. You first specifically mentioned it was help files, and I quote you: "there is many help patches with these default colors". Anyway, I'm glad there is no real inconsistency to other help files then.
What are users expected to learn from this visual
difference in the help patches, what does the color difference
signify? To me personally, the color does not transport any meaningful
information and this why I perceive it as a distraction rather than a
feature.
The color wasn't really supposed to "transport any meaningful information" indeed, whatever that should mean. And it seems to me a rather "meaningless" philosophical discussion to argue about the "meaning" and "signification" of background colors :) it is not the point. Just like life itself, it has no meaning ;)
I also don't think the point is for them to "learn" something, but if newbies are confused to see something with a different color than what they get from the Put menu, maybe it's good that they learn that these things can change color and not be completely thrown off and confused by it.
I say this because your point now seems to be that people may get distracted and confused by the fact these things can change color. I see your point, but I don't think you can speak for others. And you also seem to know these things can change colors so that may not be your real problem. Anyway, patches with colored iemguis are quite common. The help file of toggles and other iemguis also abuse the use of different color settings and other appearance goodies for didactical purposes right to the front...
So, even though you completely changed your point, I don't buy your new 'inconsistency' issue. I can't see any other meaningful discussion than an aesthetical one. If you read the issue I opened when I proposed this new standard, I discussed about it. I said I liked the sheer simplicity of help patches, that we shouldn't make it too fancy or even colorful, but that I would like to use more iemguis in the help files and that they could at least be 'light gray'. I also said I use this standard in the help files of Cyclone and ELSE, just because I think "it looks good"... That's it... and no Cyclone or ELSE user has ever complained to me why a slider in the help file was light gray instead of the default white...
I don't think there's nothing to talk about it here other than the real point of having a colored iemguis: it is purely an aesthetical decision. Problems one may or may not have are simply completely subjective and merely in regards to aesthetics as I see it.
It could have been any other new standard format for help files, with 'fancy' things all over the place, with different red and yellow colors, many canvases in the background that are purple, colored labels with different fonts, different sizes and colors as well, with drawings made of ASCII art, whatever, just because one thinks it's "nice". Not everyone agrees, so others might like it as well and others don't... But I just went for a really, really, really minor and discrete thing :)
cheers