Mac4Lin - Mac transformation pack for GNOME

[zap_brannigan]

Sure, I probably should have done that with the original post. Here is a full-sized screenshot. You can see in the theme customization window that both the Leopard and the Aqua themes show up boxy even in the previews. I even downloaded the theme again to make sure the file wasn't corrupt, then reinstalled it.

[infra_red_dude]

Seems its a problem with Mint. Check this out: viewtopic.php?t=6681

[zap_brannigan]

Thanks. I posted over there as well, and installing the gtk2-engines-pixbuf package fixes it.

[infra_red_dude]

Hey guys, Mac4Lin ver.0.4 is almost ready for release. Just a few little things to work on (some small inconsistencies, as it can be seen in screenshots below).

I'm releasing Version 0.4 preview here:

[molom]

It looks really good, but try to fix that 'stacks' curve.

Cheers,
molom

[infra_red_dude]

The stacks part is looked after by Avant Window Navigator team. I just showed it in the screenshot to present the 'almost' completely Mac OS X look

[molom]

The stacks part is looked after by Avant Window Navigator team. I just showed it in the screenshot to present the 'almost' completely Mac OS X look

Ohhh... I didn't know that was AWN. I thought AWN haven't released a stacks-like feature. I saw the other basic stack-like feature on AWN, but not that one.

[infra_red_dude]

Mac4Lin version 0.4

18th December 2007

Your favorite Mac4Lin is back! A new version, more changes, better looks and an overall more polished product. Please read changelog for information of changes in this version. It gives me immense pleasure to inform all that downloads have crossed 2.6 TB till date!

Please go through the Documentation for illustrated installation instructions. Also some entities like GTK Metacity theme etc. now include two versions. Hence individual README files are included only if there is a need to convey release specific information which the generic documentation does not include. Please read the README file for more details in such cases.

Apply it, flaunt it, enjoy it!

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Mac4Lin has been approved to be a contender for FOSS awards. If you like this project then please post your comments and vote for it. Follow the link given below. It'll help Mac4Lin.

http://www.openitis.com/openitis/project_view.php?id=89

(Jus follow the link which reads: Click here to discuss or voice your opinion)

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Screenshots:











For any suggestions/comments/complaints/feedback/bug tracking please drop me a mail.

E-Mail: infra_red_dude.users@sourceforge.net
Project Website and Download: http://sourceforge.net/projects/mac4lin

Anirudh (a.k.a infra_red_dude)

[derixc]

Hello! I really like the transformation pack of mac osx leopard in linux, however I have a slight problem here. The illustrated instructions that you have doesn't reflect on what I have with linux mint. One example is intalling the icon pack. In linux mint, it doesnt have the option to add the icon packs. do you have a documentation for linux mint? thanks

[merlwiz79]

Hello! I really like the transformation pack of mac osx leopard in linux, however I have a slight problem here. The illustrated instructions that you have doesn't reflect on what I have with linux mint. One example is intalling the icon pack. In linux mint, it doesnt have the option to add the icon packs. do you have a documentation for linux mint? thanks

Just extract to usr/share/icons.
Then customize it to use the icons.

[derixc]

thanks for the reply buddy! I really appreciate it.

[mbaker824]

Thanks. I posted over there as well, and installing the gtk2-engines-pixbuf package fixes it.

Thank you! I was having the same problem, and that tidbit cured it neatly. The new look is great - here's a screenshot of how my desktop turned out, for anyone who's interested.

[img=http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/6942/screenshotec7.th.png]

[infra_red_dude]

Thanks for pointing it out. In the next Revision of documentation I'll include the pixmap engine as a pre-requisite so that the user doesn't keep wondering as to why the theme is not being applied.

And thanks again.. for the words of appreciation

[mbaker824]

After working with the Mac4Lin package for a couple of days, I have to say I'm very impressed. I'd be happy to help with future development (documentation maybe, or whatever needs doing) if there's a need. In the mean time, I have a few notes, observations, and questions to pass on.

I started out using the Emerald theme, but ended up going back to Metacity, for one main reason - the titlebar font. Neither the font choice nor the font smoothing settings from Gnome Appearance Preferences are used by the Emerald theme. The font can be changed in the Emerald theme, using the Emerald Theme Manager, but since the smoothing settings aren't used, it still ends up looking pretty bad next to the fonts used in other areas. Since there's no difference in the look either way (at least none that I can see), I prefer to stick with Metacity.

I didn't find anything in the existing documentation specifically about configuring the panel, but it appears from the screen shots that the Notification Area was eliminated. Individual applets, like the Network Monitor, can be added, but some apps don't behave normally if the Notification Area isn't there. Pidgin, for example, shuts down when its window is closed rather than running in the background. Other apps and applets that have problems include Network Manager, the Update Manager (mintUpdate), and Amarok. If monochrome icons could be added for those apps, the Notification Area could be left in without disrupting the look.

I tried putting the icon theme in /usr/share/icons, but it appeared that they weren't accessible from there for some reason. I had to install them from Appearance Preferences, which places them in the user's home directory, before they were usable; although I may well be missing something. It would be nice to put all the theme, icon, and cursor files into usr/share to make them accessible from all user accounts; any idea what I might have been doing wrong? I did set normal owner, group, and permissions for all files after copying, BTW.

I couldn't get the cursor theme to work completely until I uninstalled Emerald. It was strange - I would get a black cursor, per the new theme, in certain windows, but in other windows or on the desktop, it would turn white (the original theme). Once I uninstalled Emerald, it worked fine. There might be something else at work here, but that's the only correlation I could come up with.

That's about it, for now, other than it would be great to bundle it all into deb/rpm files for easy installation.

Mark

[infra_red_dude]

@mbaker
1) Its a limitation of Emerald (font smoothing etc. not applied).

2) The Notification area was not eliminated. You can still see the battery icon and pidgin in the screenshots which are housed in the notification are.

3) Mebbe its specific to Mint? Coz I use Ubuntu and if I copy the themes/icons to /usr/share/theme and /usr/share/icons etc. it works for all users.

4) Just head to Compiz Settings Manager and type the name of the cursor theme in the Options (General/Preferences). That may help.

[mbaker824]

@mbaker
1) Its a limitation of Emerald (font smoothing etc. not applied).

2) The Notification area was not eliminated. You can still see the battery icon and pidgin in the screenshots which are housed in the notification are.

3) Mebbe its specific to Mint? Coz I use Ubuntu and if I copy the themes/icons to /usr/share/theme and /usr/share/icons etc. it works for all users.

4) Just head to Compiz Settings Manager and type the name of the cursor theme in the Options (General/Preferences). That may help.

I don't normally use Pidgin, so I didn't recognize its icon at first in the screenshots; but my daughter uses it and when I set this up on her machine I could see what you mean. It might be worth adding icons to the theme for the more commonly used apps that deposit themselves in the Notification Area (Network Manager, et al) to maintain the monochrome look. Just a suggestion.

I wouldn't have thought it would be Mint-specific, since Mint is based on Ubuntu, but I'm new to Mint and finding small differences here and there every day. In any case, I don't see any difference in standard permissions or anything else that seems likely to cause the behavior I thought I was seeing. I'll have to give it another go when I get a chance.

Speaking of differences, the Compiz Settings Manager isn't included in the default Mint install, as I discovered today; I had to add it manually.

Mark

[infra_red_dude]

Hello Mark,

Yeah, for commonly used apps like rhythmbox, pidgin, applets etc. the mono icons are included. However the problem arises when the apps place the notification icons in their own folders. That would involve replacing the original ones (as it can't be given in themes)...Hence I'm a bit hesitant in including this, since this would mean that the mono icons are retained no matter which theme is used.

[merlwiz79]

Here is a Gfxboot menu you might like.
http://www.gnome-look.org/content/show. ... tent=72720

[infra_red_dude]

That looks good Thanks for sharing. But are gfxboot binaries available for other distros?

[McLovin]

there is an easy way to make a new gfxboot, just open one you already dl and edit the pictures, and css for it, that will make whatever changes you want.