Use dark mode with a custom theme

[RARgames]

Hey,

I wanted to use dark mode with a custom theme.

I like the toolbars etc. going dark, but I’m not a big fan of the tabs and the writing area.
If possible, I would use parts of the other theme for that.

I tried replacing stylers.xml in my config files with themes/DarkModeDefault.xml, but it does not come with dark toolbars. I’m not sure why is that. Probably, Dark Mode needs to be enabled, but if I enable it, I cannot use my custom theme.

Also, is there any page that provides info about theme creation?

Thanks for help!

[RARgames]

Nevermind, I didn’t realize that after switching to dark mode, the theme is automatically changed to DarkModeDefault, and if I switch it back to my theme, everything works perfectly.

[Alan Kilborn]

@RARgames said in Use dark mode with a custom theme:

I like the toolbars etc. going dark, but I’m not a big fan of the tabs and the writing area.
If possible, I would use parts of the other theme for that.

Isn’t that mostly what happens if you enable Dark Mode and then choose a theme?

I’m not a big fan of dark mode or non-default themes, but if I turn on Dark mode and then choose e.g. the Hello Kitty theme, the “writing area” turns hot pink, while most of the rest of the UI stays “dark”.

There has never been great control over the “tabs” coloring if I’m thinking along the same lines as you as to what you mean by that, even before Dark Mode came along.

[PeterJones]

@RARgames ,

Dark Mode and Themes are (mostly) independent.

• Dark Mode affects the GUI (menus, toolbars, dialog boxes).
• Themes affect the text of the editor panel.

I said “mostly” earlier because when you first switch to Dark Mode, Dark Mode will automatically pick the DarkModeDefault theme… this is probably what is making you think that Dark Mode forces the DarkModeDefault theme. However, after you have switched, you can choose any of the themes you want, and Notepad++ will continue to use that theme with no problem.

… but while I was typing this up, I see that you figured that latter part out.

[RARgames]

I like a slightly different dark tint.

Yeah, that is what I was looking for. Unfortunalty, I didn’t notice the switch of the current theme after enabling dark mode for 30m :(

Thanks @Alan-Kilborn and @PeterJones

[PeterJones]

@RARgames said in Use dark mode with a custom theme:

any page that provides info about theme creation

The Style Configurator (the GUI dialog that allows you to edit themes) is described at npp-user-manual.org . As are the Dark Mode settings , including the Tones.

[Alan Kilborn]

@RARgames said in Use dark mode with a custom theme:

I like a slightly different dark tint.

Perhaps the “tones” gives you this?:

[RARgames]

@Alan-Kilborn

Not really, I was trying to use it, but it doesn’t give enough “freedom”.

I’m used to some random dark theme that I downloaded like 5+ years ago (but the white toolbar was getting on my nerves).

Personally, the main issue that I have with the default dark mode is that selected line and not selected text colors seem to be inverted:

[Alan Kilborn]

@RARgames said in Use dark mode with a custom theme:

Personally, the main issue that I have with the default dark mode is that selected line and not selected text colors seem to be inverted

I suppose that was a design choice by the dark-mode author, no right and no wrong – if you don’t like it, feel free to swap them. (I think I would if I made the move to the “dark side”)

@RARgames said in Use dark mode with a custom theme:

Not really, I was trying to use it, but it doesn’t give enough “freedom”.
I’m used to some random dark theme that I downloaded like 5+ years ago

I often find new features the time to try to get used to something new; usually it works out well. Just a suggestion.