GTK theme preferences - Customize GTK themes

[satya164]

I've made a GTK theme configuration tool that allows anyone to change some basic elements of a GTK theme easily (both GTK2 and GTK3) with a simple interface. This works for any theme (If doesn't work correctly with a theme, please report bug here https://github.com/satya164/gtk-theme-config/issues).

Features

• Customize selected background color
• Customize Xfce panel, Gnome panel and Unity panel
• Customize menu colors

Installation
It is available in the Shimmer Project PPA. So to install it, just run the following,

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sudo add-apt-repository ppa:shimmerproject/ppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install gtk-theme-config

After installation, you can find it in the menu with the name "GTK theme preferences"

You can read more about it here http://worldofgnome.org/customizing-gtk-themes-just-got-easier/, here http://www.webupd8.org/2012/09/customize-gtk3-gtk2-theme-colors-using.html and here https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Xubuntu/Roadmap/Specifications/R/ThemeEditor.

The app is also on GitHub https://github.com/satya164/gtk-theme-config.

I currently need to implement translations into the app. Any help will be appreciated

[GeneC]

A most excellent tool...
Thanks much for making this Satya. In the past I have struggled trying to change various colors of themes, only to suceed a few times, but mess up first.
Just tried it out, and it works perfectly.
Just one question? Does the 'revert' option return everything back to default, or just your last change?
Going to have fun playing with this...

[satya164]

A most excellent tool...
Thanks much for making this Satya. In the past I have struggled trying to change various colors of themes, only to suceed a few times, but mess up first.
Just tried it out, and it works perfectly.
Just one question? Does the 'revert' option return everything back to default, or just your last change?
Going to have fun playing with this...

The revert button resets everything back to defaults.

[GeneC]

Very nice.
Thanks again.

A note to LMDE users.
I just successfully installed the .deb (borrowed from my Maya13 install) in LMDE/SID. It installed with no other dependencies.

[wyrdoak]

Nice tool! I'm just one of those people that don't like a background around my desktop icon text in Xfce so had to go into the file and remove the bg settings for the desktop text.

FIO: If you need a color picker, you can ether use the one in GIMP or use Gpick to get the color codes you need.

Good work

[Oscar799]

Moved here by moderator

I've "stickied" this
Here is what webupd8 has to say
http://www.webupd8.org/2012/09/customiz ... using.html

[satya164]

Moved here by moderator

I've "stickied" this
Here is what webupd8 has to say
http://www.webupd8.org/2012/09/customiz ... using.html

Thanks for the sticky

[palo]

It sounds too good to be true - really must have missed something though. The only thing I could get a change on was Adwaita theme (widgets, menu) could not get any changes in any other themes and none of the panels.

[satya164]

It sounds too good to be true - really must have missed something though. The only thing I could get a change on was Adwaita theme (widgets, menu) could not get any changes in any other themes and none of the panels.

Are you sure that you turned the "Custom widgets" toggle to "ON"?

[palo]

It sounds too good to be true - really must have missed something though. The only thing I could get a change on was Adwaita theme (widgets, menu) could not get any changes in any other themes and none of the panels.

Are you sure that you turned the "Custom widgets" toggle to "ON"?

Yes - turned it on for each theme I attempted - logged out - sometimes even rebooted for extra measure. It must have been working but only for the one like I said. Thank you for this though - I would really love to have it working as expected.

[satya164]

It sounds too good to be true - really must have missed something though. The only thing I could get a change on was Adwaita theme (widgets, menu) could not get any changes in any other themes and none of the panels.

Are you sure that you turned the "Custom widgets" toggle to "ON"?

Yes - turned it on for each theme I attempted - logged out - sometimes even rebooted for extra measure. It must have been working but only for the one like I said. Thank you for this though - I would really love to have it working as expected.

Can you give the output of

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cat ~/.config/gtk-3.0/gtk.css

and

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gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.interface gtk-color-scheme

Also run the tool from terminal and see any error messages.

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gtk-theme-config

Also try to reset by pressing "Revert" (with the toggle on) and try again.

Thanks.

[palo]

cat ~/.config/gtk-3.0/gtk.css
cat: /home/test/.config/gtk-3.0/gtk.css: No such file or directory

gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.interface gtk-color-scheme
''
No errors running from terminal.

Also try to reset by pressing "Revert" (with the toggle on) and try again.

Tried this but no change.

[satya164]

cat ~/.config/gtk-3.0/gtk.css
cat: /home/test/.config/gtk-3.0/gtk.css: No such file or directory

gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.interface gtk-color-scheme
''
No errors running from terminal.

Also try to reset by pressing "Revert" (with the toggle on) and try again.

Tried this but no change.

Hmm... I'm not sure why it is not working...

You need to click apply after every change, are you sure you're doing it right? Because if you have "Custom widgets: turned "ON" and clicked "Apply" the gtk.css file should have been there.

Also if you change the "Selected background color" and click "Apply" the gsettings command should return a value.

[palo]

Hi!

Also if you change the "Selected background color" and click "Apply" the gsettings command should return a value.

What kind of value and where?

Since the last post I have tried several things. I have found that Cinnamon sometimes gets its panties all in a bunch over themes and permissions so I changed to more relaxed permissions without effect and also ran as root without effect. Once I had the output below but then ran again with no output.

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** (gtk-theme-config:1764): WARNING **: The connection is closed

** (process:1769): WARNING **: The connection is closed

** (process:1769): WARNING **: The connection is closed

(gconftool-2:1772): GConf-WARNING **: Client failed to connect to the D-BUS daemon:
Did not receive a reply. Possible causes include: the remote application did not send a reply, the message bus security policy blocked the reply, the reply timeout expired, or the network connection was broken.
Error setting value: No D-BUS daemon running


** (process:1773): CRITICAL **: Failed to init libxfconf: Did not receive a reply. Possible causes include: the remote application did not send a reply, the message bus security policy blocked the reply, the reply timeout expired, or the network connection was broken.

Now I have things so much changed I will start with a fresh install (with VBox of course) it will take some time. Have you actually run this with Cinnamon?

[Monsta]

Is there a roadmap for this tool? (i.e. what's planned in addition to color customizing)

[satya164]

Is there a roadmap for this tool? (i.e. what's planned in addition to color customizing)

There is no roadmap. But suggestions are welcome.

[Z-Xylon]

I was thinking of making something that could do this, but I'm glad you beat me to it, it's much better than my virtual version.

There is no roadmap. But suggestions are welcome.

Maybe something to change the Activities text/icon?

[bug67]

I gotta say, I'm a little confused here. I downloaded and installed the GTK Theme Preference tool and chose a color to change everything (or so I thought) to. The problem I'm coming up against is, there doesnt appear to be any consistancy. Some elements are the color I chose and some arent. See screenshot.

There has got to be a way to make all the elements consistant. Ubuntu Tweak? Gconf-Editor? While I'm at it, I wish there was a way to change the little "x" check mark buttons to radio buttons like Clearlooks used to do as well. I have the MATE edition running on a couple of other machines but, I'd really like to go to Cinnamon as I think it is the way things are going. Any help?

[satya164]

I gotta say, I'm a little confused here. I downloaded and installed the GTK Theme Preference tool and chose a color to change everything (or so I thought) to. The problem I'm coming up against is, there doesnt appear to be any consistancy. Some elements are the color I chose and some arent. See screenshot.

There has got to be a way to make all the elements consistant. Ubuntu Tweak? Gconf-Editor? While I'm at it, I wish there was a way to change the little "x" check mark buttons to radio buttons like Clearlooks used to do as well. I have the MATE edition running on a couple of other machines but, I'd really like to go to Cinnamon as I think it is the way things are going. Any help?

Hi. May be there is problem with the theme. Which theme are you using? Also did you try logging out and logging in back?

[d00med]

I gotta say, I'm a little confused here. I downloaded and installed the GTK Theme Preference tool and chose a color to change everything (or so I thought) to. The problem I'm coming up against is, there doesnt appear to be any consistancy. Some elements are the color I chose and some arent. See screenshot.

There has got to be a way to make all the elements consistant. Ubuntu Tweak? Gconf-Editor? While I'm at it, I wish there was a way to change the little "x" check mark buttons to radio buttons like Clearlooks used to do as well. I have the MATE edition running on a couple of other machines but, I'd really like to go to Cinnamon as I think it is the way things are going. Any help?

The windows that are different look like ones you've opened as root. Perhaps try running the theme editor as root also?

You can change any aspect of a GTK theme with CSS, by editing the GTK3 theme's gtkwidget.css file.