Making Ubuntu Software Center readable with Dark Themes

[The_Third]

I know a number of people have trouble using dark themes with Ubuntu because the software center likes to keep its white background and also use the default light colored text. The following solution is pretty hack-tastic and I'm hoping to hear some more elegant ideas.

1) Open up a terminal and type:

gksudo gedit /usr/share/software-center/ui/gtk3/css/softwarecenter.css

2) The first two lines should look like this:

@define-color light-aubergine #DED7DB;
@define-color super-light-aubergine #F4F1F3;

Copy and paste those two lines right below then comment out the originals. Change the two HTML color codes (#DED7DB and #F4F1F3) to your preferred dark colors so that light text will show up.

3) Save and close gedit. Launch Ubuntu Software Center to check out the results

[Hreinsi]

@define-color light-aubergine #DED7DB;
@define-color super-light-aubergine #B4A66F; works fine Thanks

[vasa1]

I know a number of people have trouble using dark themes with Ubuntu because the software center likes to keep its white background and also use the default light colored text. The following solution ...


gksudo gedit /usr/share/software-center/ui/gtk3/css/softwarecenter.css

2) The first two lines should look like this:

@define-color light-aubergine #DED7DB;
@define-color super-light-aubergine #F4F1F3;

...
Thank you for sharing! I had asked about this (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=11633002#post11633002) a while ago and couldn't find the solution myself.

[The_Third]

I'm glad i could help ^^
I'm sure you all noticed that during the recent Software Center upgrade the background color reverted back to white; there has to be a more permanent solution, right? I know a lot of themes have definitions for some specific apps like nautilus, but I'm not sure if there's a way to do that for software center.

[vasa1]

I'm glad i could help ^^
I'm sure you all noticed that during the recent Software Center upgrade the background color reverted back to white; there has to be a more permanent solution, right? I know a lot of themes have definitions for some specific apps like nautilus, but I'm not sure if there's a way to do that for software center.
Yes, it did revert but I fixed it again. Maybe the upgrade installed a new .css file with the "old" colors?

[blas4me]

I just wanted to say thanks a bunch, I love my dark themes, and all that white was killing me.

[xraynetcontrol]

thank you!!! i too have been searching for this. much appreciated!

[Awesomefireduck]

I made a screenshot and used gimp to find the gnome dark theme colours:
it looks great!

@define-color light-aubergine #393F3F;
@define-color super-light-aubergine #393F3F;
you can paste these below the original ones and comment the original colours out.

[QNEPFmr]

I have Gnome 14.04 installed but this problem still exits.. :(

[vasa1]

I have Gnome 14.04 installed but this problem still exits.. :(
That's because the people who design the USC don't see it as a problem :)

Maybe you could file a bug or feature request?

[averos]

I don't have dark theme turned on but i am using Adwaita and selected items in software center were completely messed up and text was unreadable.

I opened the CSS file as described by others above

gksudo gedit /usr/share/software-center/ui/gtk3/css/softwarecenter.css


Then under the two @define-color lines added a third line so the first three lines now look like this



@define-color light-aubergine #DED7DB;
@define-color super-light-aubergine #F4F1F3;
@define-color selected_bg_color #4B97C4;


Now the highlighted background is pretty much the same shade as the Adwaita theme. :KS

[narcisgarcia]

Bug and workaround comments:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/software-center/+bug/899878

I prefer Tommy Miller's file (softwarecenter.css) but with:
@define-color super-light-aubergine #555555;

[chicknhawk]

Try this combination. Looks real nice.

/*
@define-color light-aubergine #DED7DB;
@define-color super-light-aubergine #F4F1F3;
*/

@define-color green #98FB98;
@define-color limegreen #32CD32;

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p65/h2ohboy/76fd1af2-c6c4-4451-93e5-162bdbce086c.png (http://s125.photobucket.com/user/h2ohboy/media/76fd1af2-c6c4-4451-93e5-162bdbce086c.png.html)

[chronictron]

This problem had been urkin me for some time now, thanks big time for the quick fix!

[andresroga93]

Such class... you, sir... are a genious!