Adding scroll bar `up' and `down' arrows in LM 13

[jakersaurus]

How can I add `up' and `down' arrows to the scroll bars in LM 13 (Cinnamon). If I remember correctly, this could be done in LM 12 by changing the gtk+ theme, but so far this hasn't worked for me in LM 13. Any ideas?

[I initially formulated this question in a misleading way, and so have edited it here to make it more clear.]

[xenopeek]

Well, by default it doesn't have overlay scrollbars. Did you perhaps upgrade in place from an older version of Linux Mint, or Ubuntu? Perhaps add a screenshot on http://imgbin.org/ to show the problem.

[jakersaurus]

Sorry, Vincent, I mistakenly referred to my problem with the wrong terminology. What I'd like to do is set things so that scroll bars have `up' and `down' arrows. If I remember correctly, this could be done in LM 12 by changing the window theme to Adwaita, but this hasn't worked for me in LM 13.

Apologies for my confusion.

[xenopeek]

Apparently this is part of the theme: http://forum.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.ph ... 4&p=529878

I'm not sure which theme does have these, or if indeed the theme mentioned there for Linux Mint 12 will work on Linux Mint 13.

[bdantas]

I'm using LM13 MATE and was also missing the scrollbar arrows. I searched the net for over an hour and found no good leads, so I decided to tinker on my own. I found a solution

LM13 MATE only came with two themes (Mint-X and Mint-Z), neither of which has the scrollbar arrows. However, you can edit either theme's "Controls" (System > Preferences > Appearance > Theme tab > Customize > Controls tab) to one of the several options that includes the scrollbar arrows. I'm using the Clearlooks controls and the arrows are there. http://db.tt/c0DuWYFt

If the scrollbar and/or buttons are too small for your liking, install the package gnome-color-chooser, start the application (System > Preferences > GNOME Color Chooser), go to the "Specific" tab, put checkmarks next to Scrollbar width and button size, and specify a size. I'm using size 18 for both the scrollbar width and buttons and it is perfect. http://db.tt/Ezf5ACuF

End result: http://db.tt/eFAlOifv

Cheers!

[blued]

If the scrollbar and/or buttons are too small for your liking, install the package gnome-color-chooser, start the application (System > Preferences > GNOME Color Chooser), go to the "Specific" tab, put checkmarks next to Scrollbar width and button size, and specify a size. I'm using size 18 for both the scrollbar width and buttons and it is perfect. http://db.tt/Ezf5ACuF

End result: http://db.tt/eFAlOifv

Cheers!

Thank you very much!

[talora]

Hi!

I'm trying to follow the steps (the lack of scroll arrows really annoys me), but I see no "Theme" tab (nor any other tab) under "Appearance". Am I doing something wrong?

There goes the screenshot: https://www.dropbox.com/s/v8odzdneyufu9 ... arance.png



Thanks!

Regards,

Luís Talora

[abnvolk]

No, in Gnome 3 and Cinnamon the Appearance app is just for changing the wallpaper.
You need to go to Cinnamon Settings (type it in menu to find) -> Themes -> Other Settings.

[talora]

Oh, I see now: I had to switch the GTK+ theme to "Aldabra" in order to make it work. Do you know some way to customize "Mint-Z" GTK+ theme in order to make it show the scrollbar arrows?

Thanks a lot!

Regards,

Luís Talora

[ROY428]

I'm running LM 13 (Cinnamon) and got them back for Firefox and Thunderbird by switching to Adwaita for "Window theme" and "GTK+ theme" - Themes ===> All settings, with the "White" theme installed.

[Rehdon]

I understand that you have to install a theme including the arrows, what's the best one in your opinion?

Removing the arrows from scrollbars is another mobile-induced, otherwise-unmotivated and as-such-not-really-logical decision IMHO.

Rehdon

[morri]

I also think it is pretty strange. Mint isnt even a mobile distro so why remove them? using the scroll bar is a bit inexact if you only want to scroll a bit.

[dalcde]

Personally I never press the arrows. They are too far away. I use the scroll wheel. I guess the reason for using overlay scroll bars is that they "look better", but since the reception was generally bad, it was removed quickly.

[aes2011]

Personally I never press the arrows. They are too far away. ...

Exactly. I just use the up and down arrows on the keyboard or pg up and pg down if I want specific control.

[morri]

They would be handy if you are using the laptop from further away- where the keyboard isnt immediately accessible.

[dalcde]

And laptops have no scroll.There back now anyway.

[aes2011]

They would be handy if you are using the laptop from further away- where the keyboard isnt immediately accessible.

Seems quite a rare situation. Being too far from the keyboard but yet being able to read the screen. Anyway, most mice have scrollwheels.

[Rehdon]

They would be handy if you are using the laptop from further away- where the keyboard isnt immediately accessible.

Seems quite a rare situation. Being too far from the keyboard but yet being able to read the screen. Anyway, most mice have scrollwheels.

Consider that:

- laptops may have up/down arrows which have to be activated using a function key;
- if you are a mouse oriented person (like I am) you don't want to press those anyway, it'd be a distraction and an interruption of your modus operandi;
- again, using your mouse to right click on a scrollbar to go at the top/bottom of a page is probably faster than finding the seldom used Home/Bottom keys on your keyboard;
- scrollbar arrows are an important indication that the thing you're looking at actually is a scrollbar: reducing the scrollbar size makes sense on a smartphone or a tablet, where space is important, but this should not be a concern on a desktop, the side effect of this smartphone-OS mimicking is that very often now scrollbars are thin, grey and inconspicuous, which might confuse users.

These are all good reasons (IMHO, of course) to keep arrows in scrollbars.

[NumLock]

Is there a way to put back the up and down arrows in cinnamon's scroll bars.

Its a nuisance not having them when I have to scroll one line at a time on a long document - instead I have to very precisely drag the scroll bar up and down with the mouse.

[xenopeek]

Topics merged; same subject.