General instructions for applying a theme

Themes
1

Hi!
I am new to Linux and so I have basically no idea how to install a theme.

For example, I want to install this theme called “Flat remix” (https://www.gnome-look.org/p/1013030/).

I followed the instructions on the page:

  1. Download and extract the .tar.xz file. (done)

  2. Install User Themes extension

This page shows that it could not detect Gnome so it won’t let me install that extension.

  1. Move “Flat-Remix” folder to “.themes” in your home directory. (done)

  2. To set the theme, run the following command in Terminal: (done but nothing happens)

gsettings set org.gnome.shell.extensions.user-theme name "Flat-Remix"

Also the theme name isn’t listed in the Gnome tweaks tool and while it is present in the budgie desktop settings, nothing happens when I select the flat remix option.

So I just wanted to know what exactly am I supposed to do to install a theme.

Thanks!

2

Hi and welcome!

In general just double click the .tar.xz file which is visible in Files then use the extract option to extract all the files and folders to - for example - your Downloads folder

Copy newly extracted folder in Download.
Navigate to (CTRL + L) ~/.local/share/themes and paste the folder into the themes folder. If the themes folder doesnt exist then create it

Logout and login - it will appear in budgie-desktop-settings - Style - Widgets dropdown

Do note - if you see “xyz GNOME” it means that it is a GNOME Shell specific theme and WILL NOT work in any other desktop environment.

GTK themes generally do work in budgie - but do look for “budgie compatible” - because budgie has lots of unique styling that generic themes do not usually support.

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3

Thanks for the reply, that clarifies things. I finally managed to get the theme working :slight_smile:

4

It would make sense to add these instructions to the themes section of budgie-welcome. And maybe a link to the budgie tag of gnome-look?

5

Think I would prefer some sort of automated download extract and apply method. A python or shell script. So budgie themes would grab the right tarball if the user point them at the url from gnome-look.

6

Oh that would be cool. Does g-look have a public api?

7

Doesnt look like it. But from the url should be able to get the contents of the page and grep through it to find the .tar.gz file

8

Can you explain more about what you’re looking for?
Do you mean that you want to be able to click the download link at gnome-look for a certain theme, and the downloaded file be opened automatically in budgie themes as an installed theme?
I was thinking of displaying the budgie themes on gnome-look directly in budgie-themes, but I’m not sure how I would do that.

9

Thinking of an edit box on the themes page for the url to be pasted in from the user. Next to it would be a install button. If the user pastes the page url then the .tar.gz file on the page would be found when the install button is clicked and the tar.gz is downloaded. The install button changes to an apply button which when click extracts the tar.gz to .local/share/themes and then the theme is applied via poking the relevant gsettings key.

All this could be done via a bit of python and / or shell scripting.

1 Like