How Add Inteface Themes

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scriber

I all, I'm just compiled 1.5.8 Scribus version after almost one year of that provided through Flatpak (I'm on Linux Slackware OS just upgraded to last 15.0 release, on the old 14.2 new scribus do not build due to lack of new libs).
In this new build I noticed that some dark themes are not present... my question:

how can I add themes to Scribus?
Have to be "sourced" at build time or there is some way to add at run time after the program in installed?

Thanks in advance!

scriber

Seems Scribus can handle themes it founds on the system: however I still don't get how exactly it works, I have many themes under /usr/share/themes, but I can choose just few of them from Scribus preferences...

Anyway I tried to add adwaita qt theme:
https://github.com/FedoraQt/adwaita-qt
(from here: https://slackbuilds.org/repository/15.0/desktop/adwaita-qt/?search=adwaita)

And now I can choose also those two themes in light and dark version.

Nice, a part of some issue...
When I set "Content Properties" hooked to the, so not free, Seems all scribus window cannot stay in within screen height. It's a bit strange issue: when I open scribus, its window is all contained right as expected, but if I switch to an other workspace and switch back again to the one of scribus, I notice its window a bit higher than the screen, and I can't see the part at bottom cause it ends out of screen.

I tried also after switching to some other theme and the problem disappears. Obiously it re-pops up if I set back adwait-dark theme.   >:(

The issue seems related to the content properties bar I suppose, because even when I unhook it, I cannot reduce its height. If I switch to an other theme I can properly resize it as I want.

joseb

Hello,

I am reactivating this topic, although I don't know if it would be better to create another thread or create an issue in the bug tracker.

I have the 'Scribus-1.7.1.svn-snapshot-20250614' version and you can already choose between dark or light mode in preferences. It's great.

I love Scribus and the new versions offer a very beautiful interface, but I would like to ask if Scribus will move forward with some of the following options:

- Will Scribus have more 'skins' as proposed by Indigo UI?

- Is there a folder in the Scribus installation where users can include new "themes" (which then appear in the preferences list)?

- I know that creating these light/dark themes can be a lot of work, but could Scribus be left more open for users to create their own themes?

- I'm not a programmer and have no experience, but I've done some research with some 'artificial intelligences' and they are able to generate .qss files (Qt Style Sheets) that modify the Scribus interface.

- Do you think Scribus can benefit from these custom qss styles? These qss files could be shared. Each user could copy it to a certain path and then choose it in the preferences dropdown.

- This can avoid further development of the main Scribus programmers and hours of work. Also make Scribus look and feel independent of the operating system. And give the user the possibility to create or even share these custom qss styles.

a.l.e

As far as I know, it should now be much easier to create new themes.

But having witnessed how much effort has been necessary to create a good new theme for Scribus, I wonder if it would not be more worth to join forces and further improve the Scribus look and feel, rather than multiplying the number of themes.

Anyway, If you can show a QSS style sheetand upload screenshots o how it improves Scribus for you, we can start a discussion : - )

joseb

I have no experience in computer coding and do not know how to create new themes for Scribus.

I did notice that the Scribus 1.7.1 dark theme interface is based on the operating system where I work (Windows 11 in my case).

The only way to modify it (with my zero programming skills) was to generate a QSS with artificial intelligence and force Scribus to use it. But this custom QSS I don't know how to load it in Scribus preferences so that it remembers it.

In the following screenshot you can see how I see Scribus by default (with fusion theme):


In the following two screenshots you will see Scribus forced to apply custom QSS (with fusion theme too):



These QSS are some first tests generated directly with AI. I haven't retouched or polished them.

Something that has been impossible for me to correct are the titles or sections of the docked windows on the sides, like for example the horizontal bands where the 'Layers', "Properties" or 'Styles' texts are. Those panel bands have a double grey colour that has been impossible for me to unify in the QSS generated with AI.

Do you think it is possible to simplify the number of interface colours so that other tools such as AI can easily change them?

Could a 'themes' folder be created in the Scribus installation where each user could copy their 'custom' theme? Then I would open the Scribus preferences and there would appear for example: Auto system + Dark system + Light system + 'Custom' + other...

joseb

In the following GIF you can better see the changes between the dark default interface of Scribus 1.7.1 on windows 11 and the custom dark QSS:


The qss file can be downloaded here: 250712_SCRIBUS_Custom-dark.qss

Now facing a custom QSS with slightly lighter greys:


The second qss file can be downloaded here: 250712_SCRIBUS_Custom-darklight.qss

a.l.e

I agree that with little effort, you got a big (and nice) change.

I still don't get, how you did activate a specific QSS style sheet.
Did you modify the Scribus source code?
You have just put the file next to the Scribus executable?

Personally, nowadays I'm so used to have each application with a different look and feel that I wouldn't care to tweak the UI to my like, but would love each application to be consistent, nice and usable.
But I understand that other people care much more about the overall theming...
And from what you have shown here, I think that it would be a good thing for Scribus to support both default themes based on QSS and allow users to pick their own (without the Scribus needing to care about tweaking and maintaining them!)

joseb

To start testing these custom QSS styles you can generate a generic shortcut on your Windows desktop and give it the following path:

'C:\Program Files\Scribus 1.7.1.svn\Scribus.exe' --style=Fusion --stylesheet='C:\...\250712_SCRIBUS_Custom-dark.qss'

*Edit the path to the Scribus executable and the path to the QSS folder depending on where it is located on each computer.

But I think you are right and you should go for a single Scribus interface.
Discard the possibility of creating many themes now and focus only on one. Create a solid 'base' and maybe consider in the future having users add custom interface themes.

Although applying these custom QSS styles has made me reflect on the Scribus interface and how it is approached. In the following posts I will try to make some suggestions for future versions of Scribus and its interface.

joseb

#8
Things I have detected when changing and forcing the Scribus interface with a custom QSS style:

1_ DIFFERENT BEHAVIOUR IN VARIOUS THEMES
I use Windows 11 and the preference themes are:
- "Empty.
- Fusion.
- Windows 11.
- Windows vista.
- Windows.

I detect differences in behaviour between the different themes. For example, let's focus only on the "empty" and Fusion themes with these elements:
- Font dropdown (arial, etc).
- Line spacing dropdown (baseline, fixed...).
- Certain "active" icons such as text alignment (right, left, centre, justified...).

The font drop-down always marks with a blue colour where I pass the mouse cursor. The line spacing dropdown marks the blue colour only with Fusiontheme (when the dropdown does not open completely and has a vertical slider bar). Active icons are marked with blue colour in Emptytheme and not in Fusiontheme.

In the following two screenshots you can see the differences:



The same happens in the list of "layers", "markers", "outline", etc. It changes the way the blue colour behaves, which in my case is the "activation" or "hover" colour.

My first suggestions would be:
- Unify all themes into 1 so that everyone contributes improvements to the same interface theme.
- Make Scribus less OS-dependent and, if possible, make Scribus present the same interface and theme on all operating systems (as far as possible).
- Unify the behaviour between dropdowns and icons.
- That all dropdowns, icons and lists have the same hover colour and the same activation colour (in my screenshots it is blue).

joseb

2_ TITLES OF DOCKABLE PANELS OR WINDOWS.
The titles of the dockable panels on the sides have a coloured background under the icon and under the text that does not match the same coloured background when the panel is activated. In the default Scribus interface this is not detected but when you apply the custom QSS you can see the colour difference, as you can see in the following screenshot (under the text "content properties"):


In the custom QSS it has been impossible for me to match this background colour in the side docker panels... maybe because they are custom Qt components or labels for Scribus (I don't know).

joseb

3_ DIFFERENCES BETWEEN EDITABLE AND DELAYABLE FIELDS
Another suggestion would be to unify the colour of the editable fields. In Scribus with Fusiontheme, numeric fields and textual fields (drop-down) have a different background colour. See screenshot below:


Also, in QSS it's practically impossible to match the two colour tones in those editable fields, because you start having problems with the 'arrows'.

I know it will be difficult, but I think these editable fields should have the same background colour. And following the same idea, match those background/activation/hover colours in dropdowns, lists, icons, etc.