HowTo easily make or change an e17 theme

[Rui Pais]

Hi all,
this is a mini How-to on e17 themes

"Doing"/change a theme is extremely simple. 

Pick a theme upon which you want to base or make changes.
If you pretend to build a fresh theme i suggest one use a recent default. edj
(under /opt/e17/share/enlightenment/data/themes/ or /usr/share/enlightenment/data/themes/).
Another well done themes, usually updated and extremely easy to tune are Guliverts's Simply-White and Milky:
http:www0.get-e.org/Themes/E17/

- copy the theme you want to change or base to your home directory.

- now decompress it, doing (replace <the_theme_name> by the name of the theme you are using, of course):

Code:

edje_decc <the_theme_name>.edj

- on the new created folder, change the name for your new theme if you want to do deep changes and create a "new", or leave it as it is, if you prefer.

- go to new folder and edit build. sh (one line bash code), replacing the old edj name by new one or simply something that distinguish from the original (avoid numeration, since the Themes Window list only shows names until a dot, so my_theme-0. 1 and my_theme-0. 2 will be all my_theme-0).

- change/edit any images/pics/icons to what you prefer.  Keep the names of original files or you have to edit the list of files on the edc file that call them.

- everything is controlled by edc files, usually named according to what they do/control.  Read edc code for deep changes.  Even without coding one can understand it and do changes here and there.  It's a mix of formating instructions in C style. . .

- to compile the new version, just run from the theme folder:

Code:

./build.sh

if you are recompiling a running theme:

Code:

./build.sh && enlightenment_remote -restart

or a 'Enlightenment -> Restart' from the menus.


Even if one cant understand fully how a theme is build or the edc code, can at least tweak it to they taste.

Hope someone find this useful
Rui

[Rui Pais]

So, no one want to show/suggest new themes?

I use this space for inform that i update my BlackEmerald.
It's now based on default e17 theme (base code), with graphical ideas from Black theme and my one of old BlackEmerald.

It fixes the following bugs/annoyances:
On xfce-terminal (at least) open a new tab and then close create a bad incorrect shadow when dropshadow is enabled.
On Run Command, the name of apps disappear on the white background.
The About Enlightenment was not legible at all.

i post some pics of before and after

This update it's available by installing e17-cvs latest deb.
Check System tab on theme selector.



@RAV TUX,
Jozef i don't know if you noted, but, although BlackEmerald it's not enabled by default it's included automatically as a system theme, with the default one (a step closer ).

[smartboyathome]

Sorry, I like the theme I am using now, that is all.  Your theme is very good too, though.  :)

[Tux Aubrey]

Very cool, Rui Pais, and thank you for this post.  I started following it by modifying Carbon-14 - but I will need more practice before I go public with anything!

I will also have a go at some OzOs-style themes when I have done a few more Visual Concepts and we narrow-in on logo and color schemes (Thanks for your comments on those , BTW)

[Rui Pais]

Sorry, I like the theme I am using now, that is all.  Your theme is very good too, though. 

Thanks
It's essentially based on work of many others, just little tweaked by me.

Very cool, Rui Pais, and thank you for this post.  I started following it by modifying Carbon-14 - but I will need more practice before I go public with anything!

I will also have a go at some OzOs-style themes when I have done a few more Visual Concepts and we narrow-in on logo and color schemes (Thanks for your comments on those , BTW)

Good, i will look with great expectation for your Carbon-14 tuned one.
Thank you, for your work on graphical side.
We probably will endup doing/tweak something for your final work.

[smartboyathome]

I am now editing your theme to work out some of the "bugs" that plague me. Will post when done

EDIT: Here is the first version of it. It can be downloaded here.

[Tux Aubrey]

Hi all

I have been modifying a theme (Black Emerald) from inside a new OzOS/Xubuntu install.  After the mods, I cd to the new theme directory and when I do

./build.sh

I get "Permission denied".

If I then do

sudo ./build.sh

I get a

sudo: ./build.sh: command not found

Any ideas on what I could be missing here?  (This has worked for me on an early e17 cvs build)

[RAV TUX[BANNED]]

I am now editing your theme to work out some of the "bugs" that plague me. Will post when done

EDIT: Here is the first version of it. It can be downloaded here.

I'm downloading this now to try later.

[smartboyathome]

Just to let everyone know, that one only takes care of the About, Teme about, and menu readability bugs which make them hard to read (the about is still a little hard to read).

[Rui Pais]

Hi all

I have been modifying a theme (Black Emerald) from inside a new OzOS/Xubuntu install.  After the mods, I cd to the new theme directory and when I do
 

I get "Permission denied".

If I then do
I get a

Any ideas on what I could be missing here?  (This has worked for me on an early e17 cvs build)

Hi, Aubrey, sorry this late answer

maybe some permissions got lost on copy process ...
try from your theme folder:

Code:

chmod +x build.sh

and then

Code:

./build.sh

again.

hth

[RAV TUX[BANNED]]

Just to let everyone know, that one only takes care of the About, Teme about, and menu readability bugs which make them hard to read (the about is still a little hard to read).

The about Theme is a nice fix, also the theme wallpaper seems tweaked. It looks great 

[smartboyathome]

Oh yeah, I forgot a set a new wallpaper as default (the old one was for widescreens, this one is for fullscreens).

[Rui Pais]

Hi guys,
yes i only have widescreens now... no way to test other formats
Note that this is just a wallpaper i choose (almost random, just because of the black crystal image, because i use slideshow module my desktop is always changing, i never get bored  )
For Oz we have to concentrate and integrate all in one look, that must have more to do we "nature"  feels... and will have the advantage that, well chosen background, they can be relatively good on any monitor formats (desert images, faraway vegetation, horizon lines, sky images, textures, and so on...)

Jozef what do you think we get a set of pics on nature (Aubrey can easily get some nice ones from Australian landscapes) and set them rotating with slideshow module?
It's very cool and impressive (some time i talks to friends in front of computer, and i'm always being interrupted with "Oh, thats nice", "that one i had seen it yet", "Ooh look this one so cool" ...  )


Thanks for the tips on fonts smartboyathome. I included them default BlackTheme with a mention on About theme

Here some pics of rusted theme, a warm/redish version of BlackEmerald:

[Bro.Tiag]

Nice HowTo Rui.

Since this is a section regarding making new themes for e17 I'm wandering how to go 'bout having a default theme (not Bling Bling) without having to use the dialog box.   I know that you folk are not keen on *. debs (fair play to ya's, I also prefer the cvs) but most folk I know want to install via them.   So my question is if I were to make a *. deb of a custom theme is there some post install script I could add to my control. tar. gz to set my custom theme on the first boot up?

Cheers

[Rui Pais]

Nice HowTo Rui.

Thanks

Since this is a section regarding making new themes for e17 I'm wandering how to go 'bout having a default theme (not Bling Bling) without having to use the dialog box.   I know that you folk are not keen on *. debs (fair play to ya's, I also prefer the cvs) but most folk I know want to install via them.   So my question is if I were to make a *. deb of a custom theme is there some post install script I could add to my control. tar. gz to set my custom theme on the first boot up?

Cheers

Well, right now either e17-cvs as my themes (e17-themes) are available as deb packages... but i understand what you mean
(btw, one thing that e17-cvs would be useful it's to repo creators create they updated debs. dev install e17 from cvs with e17-cvs and then package all into a usual binary with a minimal postinstall, should be easy)

To your question... well i don't see any problem. Just make the postinstall script mv default.edj to other location (on OzOS i renamed to BlingBling.edj, so users can get it back if they prefer) and copy your theme to it's place as default.edj.
The only caution/note to make it's, do not make symlinks (i tried that way i it plains segfault e17).

hth

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