Want to change font color for desktop

[phil]

In the last few days I installed LMDE 2011-8 XFCE. I am 85 years old and cannot see as well as I used to. The default colors on the default desktop are very difficult, so I go to Desktop settings/Background check no Image and black for color as I have been doing for years.

There is only one problem. The only color for the icon descriptions is black, I want white. The silvery white background is a killer for my eyes. White lettering on a black background is o.k.

I also have a problem with white on pale green (Mint green).

I tried changing this with .gtkrc-2.0, gtkrc-black and gtkrc-white in home and got lost in the process.

Thanks for your help.

[d00med]

I know little about XFCE, but it's using GTK, so the desktop font color is determined by your GTK theme. Though some themes don't state a desktop font color, so some other default color will be used. I guess the easiest way to go would be to try different GTK themes until you're satisfied with the font contrast.

Hello to Belize from the US, btw.

If you'd rather instructions on changing the font color of your current theme instead, I can provide that. Just ask away. It involves adding some lines to your theme's gtkrc.

[wyrdoak]

edited the .gtkrc-2.0 file in my /home/user_name folder and added the bolded part at the end:

Code: Select all

Code:
# This file was written by KDE
# You can edit it in the KDE control center, under "GTK Styles and Fonts"

include "/usr/share/themes/Clearlooks/gtk-2.0/gtkrc"

style "user-font"
{
   font_name="DejaVu Sans 9"
}
widget_class "*" style "user-font"

gtk-theme-name="Clearlooks"
gtk-font-name="DejaVu Sans 9"

# this is the new part added by bgryderclock

style "xfdesktop-icon-view" {
    XfdesktopIconView::label-alpha = 75

    base[NORMAL] = "#000000"
    base[SELECTED] = "#000000"
    base[ACTIVE] = "#000000"

    fg[NORMAL] = "#ffffff"
    fg[SELECTED] = "#ffffff"
    fg[ACTIVE] = "#ffffff"
}
widget_class "*XfdesktopIconView*" style "xfdesktop-icon-view"

EDIT: sorry the site didn't pick up the bold so add from: # this is the new part added by bgryderclock

[Alpha-Geek]

You could try Gnome-color-chooser. It works fine in Mint 11. you could try it in XFCE.

[phil]

Thanks a lot, I think we will solve this problem sooner or later. There are no themes in LMDE XFCE that accomplish a white label for icons on a black screen. So I will patch in the changes to .gtkrc-2.0 after I have tried Gnome-color-chooser.

We are watching a storm just off shore to see how much rain it might drop here in the northern part of Belize. Now have hurricane watch and wind is starting to blow.

Problem solved editing .gtkrc-2.0. Thanks again. I should have tried this first.

[edelle]

To change font color of desktop icons in Mint 13 xfce.......

Locate file .gtkrc-2.0 which is a hidden file
To find this file go to HOME then USER NAME
Then select SHOW HIDDEN FILES from the VIEW TAB
Open file .gtkrc-2.0 and you should see the following or similar.
I have changed the NORMAL/SELECTED/ACTIVE code
to FFFFFF which is white font color..........Dont forget to
save changes and then reboot for changes to take effect.
............................................................
style "xfdesktop-icon-view" {
XfdesktopIconView::label-alpha = 0

fg[NORMAL] = "#FFFFFF"
fg[SELECTED] = "#FFFFFF"
fg[ACTIVE] = "#FFFFFF"
}
widget_class "*XfdesktopIconView*" style "xfdesktop-icon-view"
.............................................................
Codes for different font colors can be found here........
http://www.computerhope.com/htmcolor.htm
http://www.ironspider.ca/format_text/fontcolor.htm

[mingle]

This is something that I need to do too (change desktop font colour)...

It's annoying that something so simple can't be handled within the font requester.

I finally thought that Linux Mint 13 XFCE was the best of the bunch for my old mother, then another little Linux "feature" pops its head up!

Cheers,

Mike.

[aes2011]

This is something that I need to do too (change desktop font colour)...

It's annoying that something so simple can't be handled within the font requester.

I finally thought that Linux Mint 13 XFCE was the best of the bunch for my old mother, then another little Linux "feature" pops its head up!

Cheers,

Mike.

So do you need help or is that just a comment? The instructions above should do it.

[mingle]

I guess my post was just a comment, borne of (slight) frustration...

I'm currently assessing which Mint distro to install; Mate or Xfce

Changing the font colour was something that my old Mum does from time to time and tinkering with terminal sessions is something that she just can't do.

I'll follow the above instructions and tell her to leave it well alone!

Cheers,

Mike.