FreeCommander Forum

Marek, thank You again for the color schemas feature, it's really useful and it will be easier to share.

There are some known issues with dark colors though and I found some new, I have also few personal suggestions.

Issues/suggestions for color schema:
- how to change main menu background and text color? It's different in Dark_Gray_Flat schema, but how to change it?
- is it possible to remove the white line right below the main menu, or at least make it thinner, same as others?
- is it possible to remove other thin white lines, or change the color of these lines?
- some white lines and borders (in menu, CMD) are too heavy, is it possible to make it thinner?
- color of scroll-bars and details view headers can't be changed, old issue
- gridlines are too bright, color can't be changed, old issue

Issues/suggestions for Dark_Gray_Flat schema:
- selected menu item text is hard readable (white on light grey)
- black arrows on grey background in menu
- I don't like the aqua color inactive panel, active item, what about very light blue?
- I don't like the pink color for exe files, it's also too similar to red color for selected items in NC-mode
- white color for text in panels is too bright, what about a bit darker color, not too much
- main menu text is almost unreadable if main FC window is inactive
- context menu checkboxes (v) are missing, only empty squares are visible

Thanks for your suggestions.
Currently I am not able to change the color (or size) some elements:
- gridlines
- columns header
- scrollbars
- the line below main menu

Main menu color: "Tools->View style->Gradient - Custom" the "Gradient stop" color is used for menu and the "Font" color for menu text color.
With the "Border color" in the "Custom style" dialog you can change the color of the borders (" other thin white lines").

Thanks for the suggestion to Dark_Gray_Flat schema. If it is possible try to make your changes and send me your file so I can check it.

Could you add a separate option for the main menu - background color, and perhaps also text color?

The problem is, that if I use a gradient effect, no matter which option I use, menu background is different than top of toolbar background (gradient stop).

I could make nice toolbar effects with gradient options, but I'm limited, because I can't change some colors, or some gradient options are missing for some toolbars, like no separate gradient option for splitter, or status bar, just start and stop colors can be used, but only default effect is used. So if you could add the same gradient options for splitter, status bar, it would look much better.

EDIT:
I will edit the Dark_Gray_Flat schema and I'll send it to you.

I'm trying to create gray-only color schema. Is it possible to change the blue color / lines for some buttons and for selection in address bar, rename dialog...?

Blue color from the buttons is now fixed.

Confirmed for buttons blue lines, thanks, what about blue background for address bar and rename? It's OK if it can't be changed, just need to know before I finish the color schema.

You mean text selection color if editor is active - sorry, I can not change the color.

No problem, it is OK.

New issue, some icons (non-flat) doesn't look good on dark background, could you edit these icons, cut the edges, somehow?

If the button symbol color is changed, X button for active tab is changed and also the buttons on the right side ([<], [>], [v], [x]).
If the button color is changed, then background of active tab X button selection is changed and also the background for the buttons on the right side (previous, next, [v], [x]).

It's hard to find good colors, so that all buttons would look good and it's impossible to use dark color for active tab, I can't use dark button color, because then also tab X button selection color is dark and text is invisible.

I'm not sure if it's possible to change it, few possible solutions which could help:
- separate color option for tab X symbol, different to buttons on the right [<], [>], [v], [x]
- separate color for X button text if cursor is over the button, currently the color from "highlight" is used

I have no way to change the colors for buttons and symbol separately.

Color schema files are not included in the integrated auto-backup feature. Creating these schemas is not easy and it's quite easy to load the schema instead of save, or save as wrong name, etc. These files are not big, so why not include the color schema files in the auto-backup feature?

For automatic backup, It would be difficult to know the name of the Color Schema to save if you work with many files.

The current settings are already saved as part of the Freecommander.ini file.

The only way to prevent losing some settings when loading a new color schema would be to always prompt for save before loading any schema.

I disagree, if you have some schemas and you start working on the new one, you may spend hour or more changing all the colors, testing, if you want to save it and you misclick to open other schema, you will lose the last schema, if you click correctly to save, but misclick to another item, you will lose another schema. Confirmation helps a bit, but if the schema names are similar, you may click to a wrong item and confirm, moreover, if the confirmation dialogs are opened every time, users tend to ignore it/click yes automatically. There are many other situations when you may lose your color schema, if you open two FC instances, then close the one with not saved schema, then the first opened - it overwrite the settings from the other one...

For automatic backup, It would be difficult to know the name of the Color Schema to save if you work with many files.

It's not needed, currently used color schema / or currently used colors are already saved in the freecommander.ini file, other color schema files are located in the ColorSchemas folder, auto-backup save all files in the Settings folder, I just suggest to save also the ColorSchemas folder and all .colors files inside.

I found few issues when using option "Only border" for "Focused item active list" (NC mode).

It's OK if it can't be fixed / changed, I just need to know before I finish my color schemas, I'd have to remove "Border only" option.

- if main FC window is inactive, it's not working, background color is used instead
- in thumbnails view "border only" option is ignored (if FC window is active), border color is used as background, so the filename is not good readable
- if the thumbnail is focused and I place cursor over (hot item), it's even worse, because text color from hot item is not used (it works good with other items - not focused)
- minor issue, the part of the border in details view is different

"Border only" option is useful, because different item color is still visible, for selection, custom file type color, read-only or hidden, but it doesn't work in thumbnails view, in inactive panel and if the whole FC window is inactive.

[FIXED*] if "only border" option is disabled, background color set before is lost (text color is preserved)