Hi,
I have a Linux Mint 18.1 system with KDE and the standard theme Breeze Dark. With some applications, for instance Foxit PDF Reader I have unreadable text, i.e. white text on light grey background (see attached pic). With the Breeze theme, instead, everything is fine (but I really like breeze dark and I wish I could use it).
I made a google search, and somebody suggests that checking System settings>Colors>Apply colors to non Qt applications (or whatever it is in english ) would solve the problem, but it didn't.
Is there a solution or a workaround for this?
Thanks a lot.
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.
Hi, David.
I don't want to install a 3rd party program that I don't want just to test this out. Can you give me a prog that is acting poorly in the standard Linux Mint install (or at least in the repos) so I can help you out by testing on my own installation?
Hi SilverBear, sorry for the late reply. Foxit is the application with the worst behaviour, but if I go into Settings>application style>windows decorations, I see something like this (attached pic). There is some thexe below the icons, but again it's light grey on white background.
In the second picture, the toolbar of Libre office, with the default breeze Icons: grey on dark grey (but I don't know if it's the same problem).
There are so many options for customizing your KDE desktop.
In System Settings, Workspace Theme, Look and Feel, are you using the Breeze Dark theme, do you also have the box checked at the bottom for use desktop layout from theme? If so, try unchecking it, or checking it, to see if that makes a difference.
In the same section, under Desktop Theme, are you using the Breeze Dark theme?
Under System Settings, Color, you can choose different color schemes and or download new ones as well, then edit them to your liking using the edit button in the lower right. If you edit a color scheme, you will probably be asked to save it, give it a name, click that name, click apply to see it. In that editing color scheme are various options, like "color set" and a list box with various options, like "common colors", "buttons," etc... I like to have my active Window Title bar in red, and my inactive titlebar in Blue to easily and visually identify my current active window vs inactive window. Then I usually change my font to bold for Window Titles as well.
Under System Settings, Application Style, Windows Decorations, there are many choices here as well, including downloading new ones, some work with your color schemes, others have their own, but you can see the effects.
Hope this helps ...
KDE_ColorSchemes2.jpg
Phd21: Mint 20 Cinnamon & KDE Neon 64-bitAwesome OS's, Dell Inspiron I5 7000 (7573, quad core i5-8250U ) 2 in 1 touch screen
hello phd21, thank you for the reply.
I played with the color settings. It seems that Foxit uses the color you choose for the button text but not for the layout background and for the button background: these two are white and are not influenced by the settings of the color scheme.
I suppose it's a bug of Foxit: so annoying...
I don't really like the "dark" themes, so I have not really experimented with them much.
But, I spent a couple more hours experimenting with KDE 18.1's various Dark themes, color schemes, etc... I also downloaded Foxit PDF reader (took a long time) to try and recreate your situation. I prefer these PDF readers: Okular, Master PDF editor, Evince...
I found that some Desktop Themes wash out on my system like yours did with Foxit PDF, only on mine it was washed out (unreadable) menus, mouse over pop-ups, tool tips, etc...
But, there are a lot of really nice Desktop themes you can easily download in the system settings that do work, including dark themes. Some themes react differently to various color schemes that you might choose as well, so you might have to experiment. Some themes actually tell you in their descriptions that they work with other color schemes.
Bad: Breeze Dark, Breeze Transparent Dark, etc...
Good: Breeze Dark Classic, DarkBreeze, Elegance, Kelementary, etc...
One I found that I like is called BlueTintGlass with semi-transparent blue for menus, pop-up info messages, etc... and still allows some of my other color changes to Window Title Bars, etc...
You should be able to locate and download a dark theme, or any other kind of theme, that works with everything without being washed out or unreadable. Then, you can customize them as well using colors, fonts, Applications Styles (Widget styles, Window Decorations) etc...I downloaded around twenty different Desktop Themes to see what they are like, and it is pretty awesome what is available.
FYI: In Applications Styles, Widget styles, if you choose QTCurve, you can really customize your desktop, like colored and varied scrollbars. Various Window Decorations (buttons for: min, max, X) some of these do allow custom color schemes and some do not, "Breeze" does.
Let us know what you find.
Phd21: Mint 20 Cinnamon & KDE Neon 64-bitAwesome OS's, Dell Inspiron I5 7000 (7573, quad core i5-8250U ) 2 in 1 touch screen
hi phd21,
again, thank you so much for your help!
I tried playing with some color themes and modifying them. I think that ultimately, the problem is that if I want to see text on Foxit's buttons, I have to choose a dark color (because the background of foxit's buttons is white, no way to change it). But if I have a dark color for text on the buttons, I need a light color for the button background and dark themes (whick I like) have dark buttons . I also tried downloading some other color themes, bot none worked well. As soon as I have some time I'll give a try to the ones you suggested: thanks!
Yesterday I found a functionality which seemed the (almost) perfect solution for my problem: editing windows specific settings (https://userbase.kde.org/KWin_Rules_Win ... w_Matching) and telling Plasma (or whoever it is, I admit I'm not confident with desktop environments at all) to use standard breeze only for Foxit. Needless to say, it did not work and I don't understand why.
I'll let you know if I make any step further.
phd21 wrote: I prefer these PDF readers: Okular, Master PDF editor, Evince...
I don't know Master and Evince, but Foxit is so much better than any other PDF reader I've used so far. It allows me to add text, callouts, comments, to underline/highlight/strikeout text, draw lines...
It would help to know more about your system setup, like to make sure you do not have a video driver issue. If you run "inxi -Fxzd" from the console terminal prompt, highlight the results, copy and paste them back here, that should provide enough information.
I have nothing against Foxit Reader, it has been around a long time. I had no problem reading PDF files using Foxit reader on my system either. But, all Linux Mint systems come with a very good PDF reader. Okular and or Evince (Document Viewer) already come with KDE, and if they are not already installed, then install them through the Software Manager or Synaptic Package Manager (SPM). Master PDF editor is superb and is the only Linux PDF app that can read certain specialized PDF formats.
Master PDF editor - click the 32-bit or 64-bit, then click the ".deb" file to download and install. Double click it to install it. https://code-industry.net/free-pdf-editor/
If your monitor screen and video graphics card have a brightness issue, then there is a KDE widget that you can add called "xrendrmixer", search for this or "bright" in add new widgets to download and install it.
Hope this helps ...
Phd21: Mint 20 Cinnamon & KDE Neon 64-bitAwesome OS's, Dell Inspiron I5 7000 (7573, quad core i5-8250U ) 2 in 1 touch screen
I installed Master PDF editor: it looks really nice! I think it's a good candidate as an alternative for Foxit reader. Too bad the signature function is available only in the paid version, but neither the linux version of Foxit can do that. It seems that it has all other functions that I need.
It could be a bug in Foxit, or it could be that it just does not like certain dark themes and color schemes. Not all applications will inherit or work well with all possible desktop themes and color schemes.
Master PDF editor is excellent, and worth paying for if you need any of the features that paid for version offers.
Tip: The superb KDE Dolphin file manager can "preview" various file types including PDF, if you install the "kdegraphics-thubmnailers" package in the "Synaptic Package Manager (SPM)".
Also from the results of the "inxi -Fxzd", you have a dual video card system (Intel and Nvidia), and your system is using the Intel card versus the Nvidia which might work much better for you. I recommend installing the correct Nvidia drivers for your card, and the dual video card control panel application.
See recent post below on how to install the correct driver (yours is Nvidia 375.39 like in this post) viewtopic.php?f=90&t=244712
You might also consider installing these from the "Synaptic Package Manager (SPM)":
example:
sudo apt-get install nvidia-prime prime-indicator prime-indicator-plus
Have a great day and night.
Phd21: Mint 20 Cinnamon & KDE Neon 64-bitAwesome OS's, Dell Inspiron I5 7000 (7573, quad core i5-8250U ) 2 in 1 touch screen
I use the dark theme too and i also see these unreadable text areas quite a lot. I tend to just ignore them as i spent ages enough getting all the gui's to match up properly so having an unreadable dropdown (its usually drop downs) is not a major problem. Anyhow here is one i just spotted.
However my drop-down menus are normally perfectly themed with the dark theme im using, these "odd white" ones are quite rare but reproducible.
You asked for a non-third party app/program well this is something that should be testable by everyone.
) would solve the problem, but it didn't.
