Dark Theming Fun...

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>_>>_>
Posted:
in macOS edited January 2014
Dark themes (Like.. Really dark) are probably them most difficult of all the get looking good. Honestly, I doubt there are any out there that look even slightly appealing. \



SO! I have decided to take it upon myself to try and create one that looks somewhat 'decent'. 8)



After three days of theming this is what I have at the moment:







(Click=bigger)



Feedback is appreciated, as long as it is positive. If it is not positive, it is not appreciated. =)



... Hmm. Oh, yes. I have a few questions.



1: How do you modify the text color in cocoa apps?



2: How do you modify that ugly grey outline around the content (and scroll bars) in my lil finder window there?



3: How do you modify the font color (etc) of brushed metal apps such as Safari/iChat? Just doesn't look good on any color except grey:







Thanks. =)



- Xidius
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 25
    kraig911kraig911 Posts: 912member
    ahh dude definately creative how do you go about doing something like that, I have some of my own ideas as well. Is it hard? I'm sorry I can't help you with the technical problems, but artistically I think its pretty cool, I esp like the blue font in the menus. Is there a way to make the background of white to like a light shade of blue or maybe something else thats sort of dark. Oh and dude when your done make it away so I can use it too, and a way where I could uninstall it too heh. Good job tho, I like the white and regular thing but sometimes its just cool to have a interface thats different. Definately Refreshing.
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  • Reply 2 of 25
    mcqmcq Posts: 1,543member
    Nice start



    Though I have no clue on answers to your questions, I'd bet that the GUI Customization forum over at MacNN would, if you haven't posted this there already.
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  • Reply 3 of 25
    >_>>_> Posts: 336member
    A couple minor updates to the finder window:







    - Xidius
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  • Reply 4 of 25
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    Boooooooo...



    ~me no likes~
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  • Reply 5 of 25
    mount_my_floppymount_my_floppy Posts: 913member
    I kinda like it.
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  • Reply 6 of 25
    ibrowseibrowse Posts: 1,749member
    Here comes Brad....



    If you haven't been to the GUI forum over at MacNN yet, then the next update of ShapeShifter and ThemePark will offer you more flexibility in changing colors, soon it should be able to skin apps too.



    Making a theme isn't really hard as much as it is time consuming, so many resources...
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  • Reply 7 of 25
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    I double \\/\\/ickes' opinion. Regardless:

    Quote:

    Originally posted by >_>

    1: How do you modify the text color in cocoa apps?



    The simple answer is "you don't." There has never been a reliable mechanism for changing font colors in Cocoa apps. It's been this way since the Public Beta.
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  • Reply 8 of 25
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by iBrowse

    Here comes Brad....



    LOL I hadn't even seen your post as I was typing mine.



    Yeah, you could try ShapeShifter. I never bothered with it because I refuse to pay for it and don't feel like pirating it.
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  • Reply 9 of 25
    ibrowseibrowse Posts: 1,749member
    I paid for it since I had a gift/debit card I could use as a credit card, so I spent it all on shareware. In ShapeShifter you can change all the font colors now, and use color in the Finder's brushed metal, that's cool too. I hate to jump on the MacNN GUI bandwagon, but I think Omega is gonna really be a huge step for dark themes when BBX releases it.
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  • Reply 10 of 25
    akumulatorakumulator Posts: 1,111member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by iBrowse

    but I think Omega is gonna really be a huge step for dark themes when BBX releases it.



    I've been waiting for Omega for months and months....
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  • Reply 11 of 25
    ipodandimacipodandimac Posts: 3,273member
    i like dark themes (though i dont have one). off topic: i like your idea of an "almost trash folder"--sounds very useful.
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  • Reply 12 of 25
    >_>>_> Posts: 336member
    Omega? Someone mentioned that over at Macnn...



    Quote:

    I wonder how close this is to Omega?



    Oh well. You're winning on the screenshot front.



    - Xidius
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  • Reply 13 of 25
    dmband0026dmband0026 Posts: 2,345member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by \\/\\/ickes

    Boooooooo...



    ~me no likes~



    Add another to the "me no likes" pile. Not a fan. I don't know that it's possible to make a dark theme look good. Keep trying though. The effort is admirable.
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  • Reply 14 of 25
    code mastercode master Posts: 344member
    For your screen shots, if you use icon mode and set a window background, it will probably look more fitting. I love dark themes, but found that there were so many elements of the system hardcoded for light themes that i couldn't make a good one. I am impressed by your theme though. The finish in the black looks sweet!
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  • Reply 15 of 25
    eboychikeboychik Posts: 7member
    Another nice dark theme I'm using is DSX-Plus v 3.0. Thed only problem with it was the clock was black on the dark grey background, but I found a white digital clock in Shinobi v 2.1 (the extras package) and I'm a very happy camper.



    This one is nice. Downloadable yet for the rest of us?
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  • Reply 16 of 25
    >_>>_> Posts: 336member
    Okay so.. I got to thinking that.. My favorite colors are not black and blue, they are red and black. =) And there have been far too many black/dark-grey/blue themes popping up lately. o_O So I decided to change the path of this theme:







    Click it to see it full-sized. ^^



    Tell me what'cha think so fars.



    - Xidius
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  • Reply 17 of 25
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    WoW... Now that is a step in the wrong direction...



    I think the blue/black colours were much better than this...



    ...



    The red looks blood-like and creapy... but is does blend in with your desktop better... however, the blues in your desktop really stand out now as do your dock icons.



    ...



    ~me still no likes~



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  • Reply 18 of 25
    baumanbauman Posts: 1,248member
    I'm not typically one for dark themes, but the Black/Blue combination made my jaw drop. I really thought it looked great.



    The red, however, doesn't work as well... it's too bright in contrast to the black. Don't go for your favorite colors... go with what looks good together. (would you want the walls of your room black and red?)
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  • Reply 19 of 25
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by bauman

    --snip-- (would you want the walls of your room black and red?)







    My ex-girlfriend just painted her room in black and red stripes... I still don't know what to say.
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  • Reply 20 of 25
    >_>>_> Posts: 336member
    I plan on continuing development on both colors. =P



    - Xidius
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