Theme Development - Paper Cuts

[Paul]

This topic is intended to list all the un-theme-able elements in Blender’s UI with a goal to bring them back to zero.

If you find an un-theme-able element, please reply to this topic with a screenshot and a short description. Ideally, one element per reply so it is easier to discuss.

The List

Requested Hook-ups

Theme Space Tab

• Roundness should share User Interface > Tab > Roundness [open] link

Node Editor

• Color socket should use Node Editor > Color Node [open] link
• Vector socket should use Node Editor > Vector Node [open] link
• Shader socket should use Node Editor > Shader node [open] link
• Number socket should use Node Editor > Wires [open] link

Requested Additions

User Interface

• Text
  – Add Cursor [open] link

• Styles
  – Add Editor Outline Radius number [open] link
  – Add Editor Outline Width number [open] link
  – Add Transparancy rgb [open] link
  – Add Transparancy Background rgb [open] link

3D View

– Add Edge Size number [open] link
– Add Frontface rgba [open] link
– Add Backface rgba [open] link

Node Editor

– Add Radius number [open] link
– Add Grid rgba [open] link

Requested Changes

– Properties > Material > Browse material to be linked > search field should use the theme settings of User Interface > Text Needs Review - link

– User Interface > 3D View > Active Object and User Interface > 3D View > Object Selected should not affect the Wireframe viewport overlay color [open] link

– Node Editor > Node Backdrop should use Node Editor > Node Backdrop RGBA [open]link

[nokipaike]

one of the first things, obviously the colors of these icons need to be manipulated, it is enough also that we can modify the 3 colors, without having to change them one by one …

this 3 icon colors should be added in Themes > user interface > tool bar item

[nokipaike]

Same items in viewport overlay and viewport shading conflict with the color search item so we can’t fix the colors of the search items without breaking other things (the consequence is that this limits the creation of themes with certain color combinations)

[nokipaike]

we can have vertex and face dots size, why can’t we also have thick edges?
edge thickness, should be added to themes > 3d view

(as you can see from the images the vertices are half hidden by the mesh, they should always be visible in overlay)

[Paul]

I agree. I even think these colors should make sense throughout the theme. Do you know where the green and purple stand for?

And could we set the select box orange to be the same color as the 3D View > Active Object?

And while we’re at it, If we theme the 3D-cursor 3D View > 3D Cursor and 3D Cursor Background we can link that up as well, right?

[nokipaike]

Do you know where the green and purple stand for?

they don’t exist, because they are icons that were born with these colors, and customization has never been implemented, so I made this request for papercut theme.

[Paul]

I wonder why the color search item doesn’t use the User Interface > Text settings. That would solve it, right?

[nokipaike]

The interface of theming was not rewritten, the answer to many of your questions is that it remained from blender 2.7x.
A whole reorganization should be done to make everything easier to enjoy, but for the moment it is enough for me to make certain parts accessible that are not themable.
Otherwise it takes the initiative of some main dev or ui desingner, otherwise it doesn’t move a leaf, I think

[Paul]

Ok cool. I think it could be useful for themes to have some consistency in colouring items like ‘modifiers’ ‘shaders’ ‘transforms’ etc. I’ll see if I can find some logic names behind these groups in the toolbar.

[cheekylion47]

Roundness of editor borders and nodes should be adjustable

[Paul]

Thanks! I’ve added it to ‘the list’

[Paul]

Well, it’s a good place to start. And it would be great if we can move some leaves

[Paul]

The ability to change the shadow of the text info in 3d view is missing.

[Paul]

The UI currently takes its color from
3D View > Theme Space > Text Highlight

Would
3D View > Text info Text
3D View > Text info Shadow Strength
3D View > Text info Shadow Width
be better?

[HooglyBoogly]

This is great! I’m glad you’re taking this on!

When I get some time I’ll look into the process of making these elements theme-able and hopefully document it if others want to help. My instinct is that it shouldn’t be a very complicated process, but we’ll see.

From talking to the UI developers briefly, it looks like they aren’t excited about adding new theme color options, so whatever elements need theme-able colors, we should try to find a theme color that they should follow from the ones that are already there.

[Paul]

Thanks HooglyBoogly!

I can imagine some changes are harder than others, it would be great to know so we can focus on the easy ones first

And this is a good insight. I’m curious if the reason behind the lack of excitement for more options is too many options. And if so, would renaming / restructuring of existing items be an option?

[Paul]

The text cursor is not theme-able, it could share the cursor color from the text editor.

[MichailSoluyanov]

Face orientation overlay:

I don’t know is it part of the theme, or not. This is topic on rightclickselect: https://blender.community/c/rightclickselect/RVcbbc/

[Alberto]

Roundness of editor borders and nodes should be adjustable

Actually you can change the roundness of the node links.

Could be also good have option to edit the border of editor areas width

[Paul]

Thank you! It is about an un-theme-able color so I’ve added it to the list.