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version · Jan 1, 2005, 09:16 AM

Had this thought last night, while out of my face (I know, sad) But wouldn't it be cool if we could apply multiple themes in any one session? For instance, be able to have noe theme for a certain app, then another for another one.

I fibd that I kinda like Aqua for one thing, but wouldn't mind having Safari in a different theme, and so on.

Sounded cool in my head last night

Stuphalina · Jan 1, 2005, 11:00 AM

Not actually a new concepts, it has been brought up before however unfortunately, according to Smeger, not yet possible, and not yet forseen in the near future.

Devin Lane · Jan 1, 2005, 06:58 PM

Why not? If SS just overrides the locations that an app gathers UI resources from, what's to stop it from giving a different one for a particular app?

That would be a kick ass idea, because I feel that certain themes just don't fit with certain applications. It would be awesome to choose a different theme for those apps.

version · Jan 1, 2005, 07:07 PM

I'd love to see this implemented. The amount of times I've wanted t just skin Safari, and a few other apps in one look; and then have my own custom Aqua theme for most other things, then another one for things like iCal, etc.

Be so cool if it happened.

Caesar2099 · Jan 1, 2005, 07:28 PM

I think built in modding support would be cool. Like you can choose which theme's buttons and which theme's finder toolbar icons, etc.

siMac · Jan 2, 2005, 08:01 AM

IIRC smeger said that this was already possible, but that there is no interface for it, it is unsupported (please don't start bugging the poor guy) and involves some kind of hacking of SS or its prefs. I had a go at it but didn't get very far - if anyone has any luck please share!

Randman · Jan 2, 2005, 08:08 AM

There's also the issue of artistic integrity to consider. A mod is a mod is a mod. But to make it easy as pie to pick and choose theme elements kinda takes away the fun from the themers, imo.

version · Jan 2, 2005, 09:07 AM

I can understand respecting the themer's wishes, but maybe some of them would be cool with this idea? It'd seem to be quite a logical step forwards. For instance, I really, really love the Unity theme, but there's just a few prograns that it's not suited to. So wouldn't it be cool (just an example) to have Unity for Safari, the Finder, and apps that are generally good to be themed. Then, have Siro for Photoshop, Adobe apps, and soon. Then have a bajillion other themes, all tailored to suit your mood in certain aps.

Caesar2099's idea about theming individual components would be an even further step forward, which would be just too cool to have. Imagine being able to put together a complete them, visually, from a mixture of others. It'd be like homebuilding, lol.

Randman · Jan 2, 2005, 09:11 AM

It could also be awkward, schizophrenic and problems could arise from multiple themes simply because some themers are better (and more complete) than others.

I would think Theme Park offers enough modding options for someone who really wants to get into it.

Personally, I'd hate different themes all at once.

siMac · Jan 2, 2005, 11:01 AM

Originally posted by version:
I can understand respecting the themer's wishes, but maybe some of them would be cool with this idea?

*raises hand*

Originally posted by version:
For instance, I really, really love the Unity theme, but there's just a few prograns that it's not suited to. So wouldn't it be cool (just an example) to have Unity for Safari, the Finder, and apps that are generally good to be themed. Then, have Siro for Photoshop, Adobe apps, and soon.

Exactly.

Gerrit Vanoppen · Jan 2, 2005, 12:00 PM

Originally posted by version:
Caesar2099's idea about theming individual components would be an even further step forward, which would be just too cool to have. Imagine being able to put together a complete them, visually, from a mixture of others. It'd be like homebuilding, lol.

Hold it right there, version. It'd be like do-it-yourself-homebuilding as in : without an architect ? ? ? Well ��w, that hurts

Here's another possible approach that already exists in some haxies : could SS have an Exclude list ?

version · Jan 2, 2005, 12:10 PM

Originally posted by Gerrit Vanoppen:
Hold it right there, version. It'd be like do-it-yourself-homebuilding as in : without an architect ? ? ? Well ��w, that hurts
Here's another possible approach that already exists in some haxies : could SS have an Exclude list ?

Yeah, but not everyone has taste. So you could find some people who, to you and I, might have the most god-awful theme hacked together, but to them it's wonderful.

SS' current exclude list puts non-themed apps back into the default Aqua, which is fine n all, but wouldn't it be better if those non-themed apps could be themed with whatever you'd like?
I agree that, perhaps, having the ability to completely create hemes by mixing them together might be a bit much, but some might enjoy it.

version · Jan 2, 2005, 12:13 PM

Originally posted by siMac:
*raises hand*

Exactly.

I mean, it's no fault of the themes that Photoshop doesn't take too well to being skinned, but rather than excluding PS and having it themed by the default Aqua, imagine having it skined by any theme you wanted.

Just to go off-topic for a sec, but Unity is just gorgeous. The almost matte black look is so different to other dark thenes, plus everything right down to the buttons, etc, just looks so cool.

Really well done on that one.

Caesar2099 · Jan 2, 2005, 02:40 PM

Originally posted by Randman:
I would think Theme Park offers enough modding options for someone who really wants to get into it.

Theme Park modding is a pain in the ass. All I wanted to do was change the menubar select image for one theme and it ended up taking about two hours because there were a bunch of errors, i forgot the app skins, used aqua buttons by accident and a whole mess of copying and pasting.
Theme makers won't be offended, people mod themes all the time anyway, this will just make it easier for the user.

pax13 · Jan 2, 2005, 05:17 PM

U also need to consider the possibilities for the theme makers to do complex themes with several variants suited for several different applications, removing the problems of some programs with specific themes and so on, it could even save the settings for the so said software in the theme so u wouldn't even had to bother with selecting them. Imagine Jetblack for example with specific versoins improving the legibility of some software! Not even considering the artistic possibilities at this time!

Windowblinds for windows for example supports this for quite some time & its possibilities are indeed useful!

About the themer's integrity, in the end the theme is for personal use & u can evem heavily modify it to suit your needs or taste! eventually even release it with the themers avail!

Thats all! Hope it does come out with the possibility, or someone that finds it & makes a gui for it!

eyevaan · Jan 3, 2005, 02:40 PM

this is an interesting discussion . . . I am not sure if I would use such a function. Because of my own distracted mind - can often have two or three themes running at that same time... of course the moment an app is closed the next time it is opened it is opened in the current guikit.

smeger · Jan 3, 2005, 06:06 PM

It's technically possible to apply a theme to a specific application right now using ShapeShifter, but there's no user interface for it, and I consider it to be an unsupported configuration. So, I'm not going to say how to do it.

But if you feel like hacking, here are some clues

com.unsanity.shapeshifter.plist
~/Library/Caches/ShapeShifter/Mods/<your info here>
The application's type and creator
hexadecimal representations of ASCII characters

Or, if you don't feel like hacking, you might instead speculate on why ShapeShifter was coded to allow such a possibility.

DaveV1.0 · Jan 3, 2005, 07:24 PM

Or, if you don't feel like hacking, you might instead speculate on why ShapeShifter was coded to allow such a possibility.

haha I love the way smeager just comes in and drops a line like that on us all

version · Jan 3, 2005, 08:10 PM

Originally posted by smeger:

Or, if you don't feel like hacking, you might instead speculate on why ShapeShifter was coded to allow such a possibility.

Now that's what I call foresight.

But such a tease though, lol.

Ok folks, off to go do some hackin', so what are "hexadecimal representations"? Just kidding

version · Jan 3, 2005, 08:41 PM

Wahoo I did it, friggin coool too. Got Finder as my modded Aqua, and Transmit (FTP app), running as Unity.

Took a bit to get to knowwhat strings and keys belonged to what item, so yeah, a GUI for it would definitely be the answer.

Stil, bloody amazing that smeger has all this coded in already.

version · Jan 3, 2005, 08:49 PM

You know, this will really be cool. I do a lot of video and compositing work. One of the apps I use is Combustion, and one thing that annoyed me was the Aqua menubar (it can be quite a distraction when using a dark interface for video, and this bright menubar and menus). Now, I could have a dark theme running in my dark interface apps; and then back to Aqua (or whatever theme one prefers to use most of the time), once I'm finished in that app.

This would help tons.

mrtew · Jan 3, 2005, 11:31 PM

I'd love to have different apps with different themes. I hope someone makes a GUI for it soon. In fact I hope Smeger makes a ShapeShifter GUI for it soon.

hihowareyou · Jan 4, 2005, 02:31 AM

i use somatic and i'd love it if i was able to apply different colour variations to different apps. i know it can already be done but opening an app, changing theme, etc. but i can never be bothered.