GNOME Bugzilla – Bug 111346
Improvements to theme selector UI / Use of term "Theme"
Last modified: 2006-04-30 14:22:25 UTC
At the moment in the Themes preference tool, the term "theme" is used to refer to both the top-level theme (formerly known as metatheme) and the themes of lower-level interface components such as controls, window frames, and icons. Obviously, this will be confusing for users. Also, the use of theme for lower-level interface components is inaccurate, as theme suggests a motif that recurs throughout the desktop. In brief, I suggest that we drop the use of the word theme in relation to controls, window frames, and icons. I have a short term suggestion and a long term suggestion. SHORT TERM: Theme Preferences dialog s/Details/Interface Components {1} Theme Details dialog s/Theme Details/Interface Components [In titlebar] s/Install theme/Install Controls [Controls tab] {2} s/Install theme/Install Window Frame [Window Border tab] {2}{3} s/Install theme/Install Icons [Icons tab]{2} s/Go to theme folder/Open Controls Folder [Controls tab] {2} s/Go to theme folder/Open Window Frames Folder [Window Border tab] {2} s/Go to theme folder/Open Icons Folder [Icons tab] {2} Delete "New themes can also be installed by dragging them into the window" text in all three tabs. {1} Alternatively, "Interface Items". {2} It might be suggested that a replacement word for theme is required here, for example, "Install Controls Subtheme". However, I think that it is ok without such a word, because it is in the context of the Theme preference tool. {3} Note that the term window frame is a more accurate term, according to the GDSG (see definition of border in Appendix A and Window Terminology in Chapter 7) LONG TERM: Remove the ability to provide "themes" for low-level parts of the interface, that is, controls, window frames, and icons. Perhaps we could provide a "vanilla" template somewhere so that people who only want to provide a controls "theme" can provide it within the context of a top-level theme by overwriting the controls part of the template. Then the Details dialog might be simplified to a couple of drop-down lists, where what you select in the first determines what is available in the second. The following might help to illustrate what I mean: Interface Component: Appearance: ------------------- ------------------------ |Controls V| |Default V| |Icons | |High contrast | |Window frames | |High contrast inverse | ------------------- | : | | : and so on | ------------------------
Not sure I agree with the long term goal cause it takes away lots of flexibility without providing that big a boost in useability, especially after your short term suggestion is implemented.
Re LONG TERM goal, come to think of it, there is probably no reason why people could not continue to create and design "subthemes" for lower-level interface items, such as controls/icons/window frames. For example, if someone creates a window frame theme called say "Abcdef", I can install this. I can choose for example, the HighContrastInverse top-level theme. On the Details dialog, "Abcdef" would appear in the Appearance drop-down list when I select Window frames from the Interface component drop-down list (see suggestion in the bug). I could save this as a custom theme with whatever name I want. But there would not necessarily be an "Abcdef" top-level theme, or controls or icon "subthemes".
I like this. One addendum. This is what I envision happening: If I choose a theme "Foo", it will choose the appropriate subthemes (toolkit, window-frames, and icons), most probably also named "Foo" each. Then, I should be able to individually manipulate subthemes. So I can change the window-frames subtheme to "Bar". If I do this however, the "theme" name will change from "Foo" to "User defined theme".
Eugene, Loban; I hope you realise what you describe is very similar to what's already there. There is no functionality change, just strings and widget type and layout.
Andrew: Yes, I realise that what I am suggesting does not require much in the way of engineering changes. My original purpose here was to simplify and clarify the concept of "theme" (aka metatheme) as opposed to settings that are constituent parts of themes (aka GTK+ themes, Metacity themes, icon themes). This task would be easier of course if users could not install their own themes, and their own subthemes. Personally, I don't think installing themes is a user task, and I do not think that it should be in the UI. However, I doubt if many people agree with me on that. Anyway, after thinking about this a little bit more, I have another couple of suggestions. On the Theme preferences tool, s/Details/Customize Theme. On the Theme preferences tool, remove Save theme button. When you click on the Customize Theme button, a Customize Theme dialog is displayed, as follows: |---Customize Theme-------------------------------------------------| | ------------ ------------------------- | | Controls: |Default v| |Install Controls Option| | | ------------ ------------------------- | | ------------------------- | | |Open Controls Folder | | | ------------------------- | | | | ------------ ------------------------------ | | Window frames: |Default v| |Install Window Frames Option| | | ------------ ------------------------------ | | ------------------------------ | | |Open Window Frames Folder | | | ------------------------------ | | | | ------------ ------------------------- | | Icons: |Default v| |Install Icons Option | | | ------------ ------------------------- | | ------------------------- | | |Open Icons Folder | | | ------------------------- | | | | | | ------ ------------------- ------------ | | |Help| |Save As New Theme| |Save Theme| | | ------ ------------------- ------------ | | | |-------------------------------------------------------------------| To change the settings of the current theme, select from the Controls, Window frames, and Icons drop-down lists, then click Save Theme. To create a new theme, select the options you want from the Controls, Window frames, and Icons drop-down lists, then click Save As New Theme. A Save As New Theme dialog is displayed with Name and Comment text boxes. You fill these in, then the custom theme appears in the Theme preference tool. What do you think?
Sounds good to me, but IANA-usability-expert :-)
Theme dialog reworking is going to have to happen post 2.4.
I think this bug has been superseded by bug 100622, which has some better suggestions, and more details, about improving the theme manager interface.