Lite Theme Manager - Suggestions welcomed

[Valtam]

Coming to 7.2 we'd like to hear your feedback and suggestions for our newest piece of software. Sorely needed, a way for new people to linux to have a point and click, easy theme installer.

[LL-user]

I'd like to suggest:

1- add separators above 'Change UI Theme' and below 'Change Icon Theme'

2- move 'Remove Theme' up under 'Install New Theme'

3- add a link to the help manual section

4- remove 'Select an option' from the list as already mentioned above


What's the difference between 'Exit' and 'Cancel'?

[trinidad]

A choice to run a dark theme, but keep LibreOffice on its default light theme.
A wallpaper archive back to series 2.x.
Chrome browser Linux Lite home page that matches with theme changes, at least between dark or light.
TC



 

[Şerban S.]

I like very much the idea!
I also agree with the suggestions made previously!

What I would especially like, is this:

[...] A wallpaper archive back to series 2.x. [...]
TC

Thanks, Trinidad!
I always wanted this, but the only way to get to this result, was to dig deep into the old versions. Eventually, archive those current ones in a dedicated backup folder.
Having some years of practice, made this possible and now seems easy to me, but there are more and more new users that will likely have a hard time configuring the system, given the fact that there are lots of settings to make in order to make the DE look and feel like "Home".
So, a new option that I would like is:
"Copy old wallpaper kits (sets) in 'backdrops' Folder", or something like this. A better thing would be to have a sub-menu with a selectable version set to install. Like in Lite Tweaks.
I assume also that a preview option would make things even easier for the users, both beginners and seasoned ones.
As I see it, it was scheduled for LL 7.2, but this can be spanned over 7.2 and 7.4 if the App gets into 7.2, since it will benefit from some testing and might get even more improvement suggestions.

Another useful option would be to include an option "Go to Backgrounds Folder" and also "Go to Icons Folder", maybe even "Go to System Sounds Folder.".
Thinking a little farther, maybe a dedicated App, would be more appropriate, such as "Lite Theme Customizer" or "Custom Lite Theme Builder" with all the options to install Wallpapers, Sounds, Icons and the ability to choose specific sounds,  images for icons and the rest.
The XFCE allows only general options such as downloading an entire theme package. But making your own choices, is difficult.
Although the work implied here might be a lot more than for the suggested App, I think that a snippet "Remember choices" would speed very much the building of the customized theme, without getting into a too complex coding task.
The purpose of the piece of code, would be to write the script with each chosen element and at the last step, to execute the script and build the custom theme, presumably into a custom folder, since this allows to keep the theme available for any new installation.
It will also serve as reference for the following OS iterations (7.2, 7.4, etc.)

A Theme template would need to contain only the directory structure with a relative path that can be customized at execution time.
This approach, prevents the overwriting and also keeps the custom theme available for the next upgrade and for backup purposes.
I guess this kind of App will be very appealing to people who like to tweak a lot and have some degree of experience and would like to move faster, in order to create more variations for the same theme or even an entirely new theme for Linux Lite (or any XFCE compatible OS).
Dreaming even further, a theme packager and installer would also be useful and would allow sharing themes among users, but also to install the already customized theme on a clean installation.
The only way I know now to pass this from version to version, is using a dedicated /home partition, back it up and then restore it on a clean install (that is: including new partitioning).

An interesting idea would be to make the new App available as a .deb package, for those who would like to test it, before its release in LL 7.2.
Since LL 7.0 RC1 proved to be a productive release, this might lead to faster improvements and a shorter coding cycle.

Best regards, Șerban.

[Valtam]

I've invited our newest Developer to this thread to read the comments. He's done really good work on this app to date

See here - https://gitlab.com/linuxlite/litethememanager

[LL-user]

Hi [member=2]Jerry[/member]


Link ends up in a 404

[Valtam]

Hi [member=2]Jerry[/member]


Link ends up in a 404

You'll probably need an account.

[LL-user]

Without being logged in am getting the sign in or sign up page.


With being logged in am getting 404.

[Valtam]

Try now, sorry.

[LL-user]

Try now, sorry.

Working now, thank you.

Looks great!