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nadir

- nadir
- Posts: 1160
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## gtk[2/3] engines, themes, ...

Thu Jan 30, 2014 1:53 pm

I got to say that i never really understood basic theming.
I usually use xfce4, and if not i use the apps i use there too (either xfce or gnome ones, i guess. claws, pidgin, iceweasel, xfburn, tilda, xfce4-terminal, osmo. Not much more).
I always got problems with the look&feel. Some gtk-engines don't work for all apps.
I really like dark themes.
Both of the above gives me problems:
gtk doesn't always work for all apps (like said), and they use a very ugly default. In the end i have to use an engine i don't like, but at least all apps look the same way (same ugly, so to speak).
Dark engines often make text unreadable.
So, blah-bah:
What is a way to find themes which work for all apps?
When on earth will the transition gtk2 -> gtk3 be finished? It looks to me as if it was lasting for years now.
Right now i use: xfce-dusk. It is a dark one. I soon will have to give up on it, due to the reading-problem.
fsmithred

- fsmithred
- Posts: 2101
- Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2011 9:13 pm

## Re: gtk[2/3] engines, themes, ...

Thu Jan 30, 2014 2:09 pm

I predict the gtk2-gtk3 transition will be finished around the time that gkt4 comes out.
Maybe this is helpful, maybe not...

Code:
  `/usr/share/themes$ grep -ir gtk3
  Greybird-Mac_custom2/lightdm/gtk.css: DESCRIPTION: A port of Greybird to gtk3.
  Greybird-Mac_custom2/gtk-3.0/gtk.css: DESCRIPTION: A port of Greybird to gtk3.
  Greybird-Improved/lightdm/gtk.css: DESCRIPTION: A port of Greybird to gtk3.
  Greybird-Improved/gtk-3.0/gtk.css: DESCRIPTION: A port of Greybird to gtk3.
  Clearlooks-Phenix/index.theme:Comment=GTK3 port of Clearlooks
  Clearlooks-Phenix/index.theme:Comment[fr]=Version GTK3 de Clearlooks
  Greybird-Mac/lightdm/gtk.css: DESCRIPTION: A port of Greybird to gtk3.
  Greybird-Mac/gtk-3.0/gtk.css: DESCRIPTION: A port of Greybird to gtk3.
  Greybird-Mac_custom1/lightdm/gtk.css: DESCRIPTION: A port of Greybird to gtk3.
  Greybird-Mac_custom1/gtk-3.0/gtk.css: DESCRIPTION: A port of Greybird to gtk3.
  myozone/gtk-3.0/gtk.css: DESCRIPTION: A minimalistic and usable theme made for gtk3 apps.
  Oxybird/lightdm/gtk.css: DESCRIPTION: A port of Greybird to gtk3.
  Oxybird/gtk-3.0/gtk.css: DESCRIPTION: A port of Greybird to gtk3.
  /usr/share/themes$ grep -ir gtk-3
  Zen-blua/gtk-3.0/gtk.css:@import url("../../Zen/gtk-3.0/gtk-widgets.css");
  Zen-verda/gtk-3.0/gtk.css:@import url("../../Zen/gtk-3.0/gtk-widgets.css");
  Zen-nigra/gtk-3.0/gtk.css:@import url("../../Zen/gtk-3.0/gtk-widgets.css");
  LowContrast/gtk-3.0/gtk.css:@import url('../../Adwaita/gtk-3.0/gtk.css');
  Zen-nokto/gtk-3.0/gtk.css:@import url("../../Zen/gtk-3.0/gtk-widgets.css");
  Zen-papero/gtk-3.0/gtk.css:@import url("../../Zen/gtk-3.0/gtk-widgets.css");
  `

golinux

- golinux
- Posts: 663
- Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2012 1:23 am

## Re: gtk[2/3] engines, themes, ...

Thu Jan 30, 2014 4:41 pm

> fsmithred wrote:I predict the gtk2-gtk3 transition will be finished around the time that gkt4 comes out.

LOL!
I have used both 'greybird' and 'myozone' but they are a little too bright, blue and fussy for me. Currently using 'xfce' but it looks like some of the blue stuff has remained. I may have tweaked the gtkrc file because the top bar is black but the buttons are bluish gradient. Can't remember. Years ago gnome2 had a theming gui and I always created my own. It's gotten much more complicated but doable if you want what you want badly enough.
thwak

- thwak
- Posts: 174
- Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2012 3:58 am

## Re: gtk[2/3] engines, themes, ...

Thu Jan 30, 2014 9:08 pm

> What is a way to find themes which work for all apps?

IMO "way" is impossible, there's no magic bullet.
Even if all your currently installed apps work with your current theme today,
the next minor version upgrade of libgtk might introduce quirks (unforeseen, impossible to predict by the theme creator).
When you install "a theme" (or, examine the files within each theme directory already installed on your system),
check whether its set of files includes a gtk3 stylesheet as well as a gtk2. Many do not -- in fact, nearly all the "stock" themes installed with XFCE 4.10 lack a gtk3 stylesheet.
Peek behind the curtain. Open a theme file in text editor.
Make a backup copy of the file, then play at editing it. It's not rocket science.
Choose one of the newest themesets (one which includes style declarations for newly introduced gtk attributes) and play at tweaking the colors, padding, and various other attributes.
Or don't.
but that hour spent playing/tweaking/learning is an hour well-spent, IMO.
As an alternative to do-it-yourself, STOP relying on debian repos to provide theme packages
(providing continually-updated "patched-today" theme packages is understandably a relatively low priority)
and seek out an active, engaged "theme artist" (hint: github, deviantart) who welcomes bug reports and promptly issues patched/updated revisions.

> Years ago gnome2 had a theming gui

> > still available, still works.
> > I can't recall debian package name for the theme demoer (presents example of each of the buttons / controls widgets rendered in a selected theme)
> > but it's also available from gtk-apps.org (and/or gnome-look.org)

> > > When on earth will the transition gtk2 -> gtk3 be finished?

I expect that will happen about 3 weeks after "gtk" becomes entirely irrelevant.
Program developers are turning attention to QT ("screw GTK, let's just go around 'em")
Wayland/Weston is quickly gaining momentum...
...and a score of nascent projects are experimenting with javascript/browser+nodejs to achieve a desktop (desktop environment).
nadir

- nadir
- Posts: 1160
- Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2011 4:18 am
- Location: here

## Re: gtk[2/3] engines, themes, ...

Thu Jan 30, 2014 10:33 pm

I seem to recall that i liked the greybird too. And i am rather sure.
Truth to be told: it's quite a while i used refracta at all.
It works with all apps?
And yes, in general i probably only wanted to complain, cause the transition is really going on my nerves.
I ain't got much interest in look and feel, pick something not too bad and stick to it. But now it seems to break all the time, for this reason or the other. Really annnoying.
meandean

- meandean
- Posts: 392
- Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2011 5:16 am

## Re: gtk[2/3] engines, themes, ...

Sat Feb 01, 2014 8:35 pm

Yea I don't think any gtk2/gtk3 theme is 100% perfect on every app. Greybird is about the closest I have found but even it has a few glitches and personally I do not care for the scrollbars.
My plan is to avoid gtk3 altogether cause it bugs the **** out of me.
I don't honestly care if all m apps look the same normally but if I am going to use a toolkit where everything is suppose to look the same then I expect them to look the same.
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