Add option for a Dark theme (for both editor and program)

[johanp]

Please consider adding a stock option for a dark theme for both the program and the various editors available. A dark theme is easier on the eyes for those of us spending many hours behind the screen.

One can (with some work) setup the editor for a dark theme by manually changing colors. However this will also require changes in the stock CSS files used to layout the files in author mode. However the program itself will still have the light stock colors. It is a non-trivial exercise getting a good color mix for a dark theme but there are many examples which could serve as inspiration.

[adrian]

Hello,

On what platform are you running Oxygen?
For Windows, if you have a high contrast theme set at system level, Oxygen (v16.1) will pick the colors from that theme.
Starting with v17 (to be released), there will also be an optional dark theme that can be selected independently from the system theme.

Regards,
Adrian

[adrian]

Hi,

If you'd like a beta build of v17 to test this, please write to our support email address, support@oxygenxml.com and ask for early access to v17.

Regards,
Adrian

[amix]

Would you mind running with the crowd and implement this: https://github.com/chriskempson/base16 ?

Also, is there a way to have the background color to be solid? Now it has a preset value to always have 50% transparency.

[amix]

I just realized, that I can set the editor background color seperatly, so, please disregard my comment about the 50% background color transparency. Thanks.

[adrian]

Hello,

I've logged a request on our issue tracking tool for other themes (and base16 in particular).
Most likely we will implement support for defining, exporting and importing custom color themes in Oxygen.

Regards,
Adrian

[juicejuice]

Hi Adrian,

I'm not sure if you guys are still planning improvements in this area but here is some feedback that may be of interest.

The main thing that prevents me from using Dark mode is that the colour scheme for the syntax highlighting is based on having a light background. In order to adjust colours for the Dark mode you have to assign a colour scheme for each and every file type (XML, DTD, JavaScript, etc.). This is on Mac OS X.

What would be useful is a way to set all at once, e.g. comments for every file type should be light grey. (Some other editors handle this by separating the definition of syntax highlighting classes from their attachment to the file types)

Anyway, for myself as long as I could change all colours at once and export/import them (so I can share colour schemes) that would be a fantastic improvement. White background editors really strain my eyes.

-Gareth

[Radu]

Hi Gareth,

In Oxygen 17.0 in the Preferences->"Appearance" you can use the Graphite theme.
Are you referring to that theme in particular?

Regards,
Radu

[juicejuice]

Sorry, yes, oXygen 17.0 "Graphite" theme is what I was trying. My comments are in respect to trying to tweak the theme. I'm attempting to reproduce Solarized dark (http://ethanschoonover.com/solarized) across all the support syntax highlighting types.

[Radu]

Hi Gareth,

I understand and we'll try to take your feedback into account for a future version.
As a possible workaround you could try to export the theme to XML, then open the XML and make adjustments directly in it if this is simpler for you.
If you do manage to come up with a theme close to the Solarised one maybe you could consider sharing it with us

Regards,
Radu

[juicejuice]

I didn't know you could do that! Clever workaround and will suit my needs. I'll have a look at that this week, and will be sure to share the results

[juicejuice]

Hi Radu,

I found that the themes for oXygen are available at OXYGEN/lib/themes. I duplicated Graphite.xml and started updating. Is that the recommended method for adding a new theme?

The colour names are quite cryptic e.g. "color.Batch.5", is there a list of what the names mean? Also while most values are R,G,B or R,G,B,A some values are special names e.g. "Curly_brackets" is there a list of supported colour values?

Thanks,
Gareth

[Radu]

Hi Gareth,

I found that the themes for oXygen are available at OXYGEN/lib/themes. I duplicated Graphite.xml and started updating. Is that the recommended method for adding a new theme?

Oxygen 17.1 (Autumn 2015) will have import/export capabilities for the Appearance preferences page. So the modality to proper create and share themes is still work in progress. Oxygen 17.0 came only with this Graphite theme but without the possibility via the GUI of adding another one (your only possibility is to duplicate the Graphite.xml on disk in the same folder).

The colour names are quite cryptic e.g. "color.Batch.5", is there a list of what the names mean? Also while most values are R,G,B or R,G,B,A some values are special names e.g. "Curly_brackets" is there a list of supported colour values?

The XML maps keys to values.
For example:

Code: Select all

		<entry>

			<String>color.C++.18</String>

			<String>161,200,227</String>

		</entry>

		<entry>

			<String>color.C++.18.name</String>

			<String>Curly_brackets</String>

		</entry>

means that the color token 18 used for C++ coloring color.C++.18 has the color 161,200,227 and its display name (the name the end user sees) is Curly_brackets because it will be used to color C++ curly brackets.

Regards,
Radu

[juicejuice]

Thanks Radu I'm making progress now. My final question is how to adjust the borders of UI panels. I've tried fiddling with a number of UI colours but have yet to conquer this. See the lines/borders that I have marked in my screenshot: https://app.box.com/s/88xti5lxs57tji8wcpezeo3tqsjsang0

[Radu]

Hi Gareth,

To my knowledge you cannot control the view and editor borders right now but I will add an improvement request for it.

Regards,
Radu

[Radu]

Hi,

Just to update this thread, in Oxygen 17.1 in the Preferences->"Appearance / Colors" page you can customize border colors.

Regards,
Radu

[juicejuice]

Great, thanks! I've been loving the new dark mode options. I still haven't finished my custom palette but will notify when I get around to that

[Adversary]

Great, thanks! I've been loving the new dark mode options. I still haven't finished my custom palette but will notify when I get around to that

We should compare notes. Mine is nearly done too, the only thing I haven't located yet is which element of the exported XML file handles the colour of the text in various entry boxes (e.g. the xref/href URI field, etc.). My theme is considerably darker than the graphite one and then I managed to merge it with the ultramarine one for a very cool end result.

[mihaela]

Hi,

The foreground color for text fields (and other UI fields) can be set from "Appearance / Colors" option page, "Foreground colors" section, "Foreground" option. Search for "ui.foreground.color" in the XML file.

Best Regards,
Mihaela