Mint 20.1 Mate - howto set color of active window titlebar

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Bertelh09
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Mint 20.1 Mate - howto set color of active window titlebar

Post by Bertelh09 »

Hello
(and please apologize my English ;-)

I know that "active window color" is a running gag for years (not only here), and there are threads on that topic - but unfortunately not for the titlebar (text & background color) in Mint 20.1 Mate (all settings left default).
Additionally: in 18.3 Mate active windows color was NO topic at all, as the active window titlebar was colored in Mint-X themes by default (or who else did it ?) in the theme color (and the inactive / unfocused windows in grey color).
I'm really unhappy with that backstep away from ergonomy - and I want it back...

My own configuration (= index.theme):

Code: Select all

[X-GNOME-Metatheme]
GtkTheme=Mint-X-Aqua
MetacityTheme=Spidey
IconTheme=Mint-X-Aqua
GtkColorScheme=link_color:#08c
CursorTheme=default
CursorSize=24
I just want to change two colors of the active window titlebar (nothing else):
--> text (black) and background (aqua blue).
probably something like
<draw_ops name="titlebar_gradient"> or <draw_ops name="titlebar_unfocused">

I've read the "newer" and "older" threads (and also some other Cinnamon threads):
viewtopic.php?t=348693
viewtopic.php?t=293703
but they are too confusing to me AND I found no docs on that structures.

I also copied the complete directories:
Mint-X, Mint-X-Aqua and Spidey from /usr/share/themes to my home ~./themes,
looked for a corresponding metacity-theme-2.xml or ...-3.xml CSS file there
(all found threads said: it must be the metacity css file...),
and tried different changes:
--> niente.

So: which directory & which file & what entry do I hve to change ?

Thanks for your help :D !
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
Sobieski
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Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2012 2:48 am
Location: Undisclosed Location, Australia

Re: Mint 20.1 Mate - howto set color of active window titlebar

Post by Sobieski »

Hi, Bertelh09:

I think the settings you are needing to adjust are not found in the index.theme file. If you are using the Mate desktop, then you will have to open up the .xml file in the Metacity folder of the theme in question.

I've been on a learning curve in the last two or three months with these Metacity themes as I have a big 4K monitor and some of the older themes are too pokey and small for my liking; hence the adjustments I've been making to bring them up to snuff in terms of sizes and even colours of the window elements for a 4K monitor. I also learned about how to centre align the labels when they are left aligned. I'm slowly getting the hang of the Metacity .xml code and soon I'm gonna have to get familiar with the GTK3 css code... Internet searches yield a lot of information but it's all very confusing and you have to sift through all the other irrelevant garbage before you MIGHT find something that suits you tutorial-wise.

Like you, Bertelh09, I'm also not happy about the changes that have been occurring in recent years with regard the theming and interfaces and I hope that things will settle and stabilise like things were when 17.3 was the flagship.
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