Any chance we could get some more themes for this forum? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Wuerstchenhund
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2017, 09:11:36 am
content: There's no doubt that the EEV Forum is a great ressource, however the default SMF theme looks pretty dull and boring, and doesn't exactly help readability where lighting is already difficult. And while the SMF forum software allows users to select different themes, EEVBlog only offers the choice between the standard SMF theme and the standard mobile theme (which could do with an alternative that wasn't designed for the low-res cell phone displays from 10 years ago).My question to Dave and the other maintainers would therefore be if there's a chance a few additional themes could be added to this forum?Simple Machines has a SMF Theme repository (seems to be free):https://custom.simplemachines.org/themes/index.phpMy request would be for some light and simple themes, like these:DokuzHarf:https://custom.simplemachines.org/themes/index.php?lemma=2870TEMiZ:https://custom.simplemachines.org/themes/index.php?lemma=2879Anone:https://custom.simplemachines.org/themes/index.php?lemma=1734Besides, it might also be a good chance to consider if this now pretty large forum doesn't deserve a better default look than the old-style standard SMF theme which probably 99% of all small SMF forums out there use. Visuals are part of a brand, and if the EEV brand is strong enough to be put on a multimeter then the forum looks should reflect that.I'm wondering if I'm the only one who thinks we need better themes (therefore the poll).

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2017, 12:33:56 pm
content: People tend to hate it when you change the look of a website for no reason. While I agree that the website looks dates, most people have no problem with it.

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2017, 12:39:42 pm
content: It's a user option you select in your profile. If you do nothing, it looks as it always has.Personally, I'd like something darker that doesn't blind me at night.

author: Muttley Snickers
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 09, 2017, 12:42:10 pm
content: Quote from: rdl on August 09, 2017, 12:39:42 pm

author: dr.diesel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2017, 12:54:47 pm
content: I'd also appreciate a dark theme.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 09, 2017, 01:01:47 pm
content: All 3 now installed

author: kalel
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2017, 01:05:00 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on August 09, 2017, 01:01:47 pmCan we switch between them in profile settings or somewhere?

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 09, 2017, 01:06:04 pm
content: It seems they don't work very well?I don't want to have to do any work to support multiple themes

author: kalel
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2017, 01:09:43 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on August 09, 2017, 01:06:04 pmI just wondered where to select it. I found it.In case anyone else wonders, it's done by:1 - Click on profile2 - Hover on modify profile > select Look and LayoutFrom there, the theme can be changed.Edit: Okay, after trying them out, I'll definitely stick with the default.

author: Muttley Snickers
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 09, 2017, 01:22:32 pm
content: From the two devices that I normally view the forum on there are occasions when it will appear somewhat too bright but generally it doesn't take very long for my eyes to adapt and eventually find focus, I don't mind it as is compared to some others around the place, some of which are borderline painful.

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2017, 01:25:39 pm
content: I looked at some themes in the SMF "Professional" category but saw few I liked. It's not so much the theme I'd like changed, just darkening the colors of the default layout would be fine.

author: kalel
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2017, 01:28:51 pm
content: Adding "-webkit-filter: invert(90%)" as element style to HTML in Chrome gets this:Other than it also inverting images (although I guess images could be restored), it can't automatically apply that I know of.

author: Rbastler
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2017, 01:47:55 pm
content: Quote from: dr.diesel on August 09, 2017, 12:54:47 pmMee tooSent from my A0001 using Tapatalk

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2017, 01:54:54 pm
content: Quote from: kalel on August 09, 2017, 01:28:51 pmThat actually looks pretty good to me. So what it would take is to make a copy of the default theme and edit the css file to match the colors?

author: kalel
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2017, 02:04:39 pm
content: Quote from: rdl on August 09, 2017, 01:54:54 pmFor the users, it would be simplest to find a plugin. Plugins exist that allow you to use a custom styling sheet for a website (or those that automatically darken websites).But, if you don't want to install all kinds of plugins, the only real option is for the administrators to add a dark style, or the existing theme duplicated and altered.The inverting stuff might work also (inverting images again or clearing the filter for them might even restore them to normal), but it wouldn't work in all browsers, so it's not a full solution.I'm sure it can be done either by finding a dark theme (if you can find one, please share the link), but it might take someone (the admins) up to a few hours or even more depending on some factors.Usually adjusting forum theme colors doesn't take extremely long, but it's always possible to miss some element, e.g. to have some text somewhere appear difficult to read. That's less of a problem with second user-selectable themes though, they don't have to be perfect. And as Dave said, he doesn't want to do special work for these themes. Conclusion: If we can find a good dark theme to link to, that's the simplest way.

author: kalel
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2017, 02:55:00 pm
content: Okay, I installed SMF 2.0.14. checked the basic guidelines and created an inverted theme from the default.Itshouldbe compatible with the website, unless some special customizations prevent that.I'm attaching the theme.It uses the css invert function (not designed properly, the simplest quick way to darken the theme), so not everything will look great, and it might not work in all browsers (usually old ones). Images should be OK.Here are a few images on the empty forum:The only edited file is "index.css", anyone can review if they wish.Considering the installation of this theme is purely optional. Obviously I haven't had time to test it and cannot guarantee anything.If anyone has any suggestions (e.g. changing of some colors), let me know.

author: kalel
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 10, 2017, 08:52:47 am
content: I started a theme edit (changing the image and css colors) rather than using the inverting filter. This takes more time and is more error prone but it should work in all browsers without needing any support, and less worries about certain icons or etc being inverted.As before theme is shared for review. I haven't included either the website background or the osciloscope icons for posts. I need respective permissions from the creators to include them (and I don't know who owns the rights to the background image), or I could include them in a version privately sent to Dave if he decided it was worth adding the theme.I have compressed all image files with pnggauntlet. Saving only 11.97 KB but not losing quality.As before, let me know if there's any feedback, now it's easier to change colors than before (before, everything was inverted, so I would need to invert specific elements again or calculate inverted colors).Here's how the current version would look:

author: hans
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 10, 2017, 09:03:44 am
content: This is how you can do this without relying on the forum administrator to install themes.Install:Stylish for Firefoxor:Stylish for ChromeThen go to userstyles.org. Type in SMF and searchIn particular:https://userstyles.org/styles/55513/smf-curve-darkClick install.These are just CSS stylesheets that are automatically applied. However each style sheet has a limited scope it works in, which we'll now edit to suit the eevblog forum:Now go to the settings menu of Stylish and click manage styles.Right click -> editFirst line says something like:@-moz-document url-prefix('http://blablabla-other-smf-forum-site')Replace that statement to the eevblog forum:@-moz-document url-prefix('https://www.eevblog.com/forum/'), url-prefix('http://eevblog.com/forum/')Save the changes. If you did it right it should apply live to currently loaded pages. No need to reload.And whoila, you have a dark theme for the SMF forum.Added bonus, you can do this for many other websites. Take a look around on userstyles.org, maybe you like twitter and facebook to be darker theme as well.edit:/Looks like someone made a theme already specific for eevblog forums;https://userstyles.org/styles/127564/eevblog-forum-flat-greyscale

author: kalel
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 10, 2017, 09:30:02 am
content: I just wanted to clarify that I'm not suggesting any theme is replaced, but having an additional, user selectable theme for those that want to change it, to e.g. a darker theme for easier reading at night.There are plugins out there that can do this, e.g. what Hans mentioned, and some that will invert the colors of any page so you don't even need a code. Those will work perfectly fine too, for those that want to install them.

author: Wuerstchenhund
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 10, 2017, 07:01:59 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on August 09, 2017, 01:01:47 pmThank you very much!I'm currently using TEMiZ and it looks great and seems to work fineQuoteYou don't need to. You could just install a few and we users use them at our own risk, i.e. if it doesn't work on our end then bad luck.

author: RoGeorge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 10, 2017, 08:02:34 pm
content: Quote from: rdl on August 09, 2017, 12:39:42 pmYou may want to try "Owl", a browser add-on designed especially for that.It doesn't simply invert all colors, it does more, and much better.Can be enabled/disabled with one click.