Improve usability of "Dark Mode" in Qubes-specific UI components

[SvenSemmler]

The problem you're addressing (if any)
Making sure "dark mode" or "dark themes" continue to be supported in the UX rework.

Describe the solution you'd like
Nina's and Marta's awesome work but in dark please.

Where is the value to a user, and who might that user be?
This is mostly a usability thing for folks with lots of screen exposure and aging eyes.

Describe alternatives you've considered
It works now in R4.0 with some theming. Just want to make sure this continues to be an option or something similar is provided.

Additional context
#1533 (comment)

Relevant documentation you've consulted
n/a

Related, non-duplicate issues
#1533

[SvenSemmler]

@ninavizz

Which version of Qubes are you running, Sven?

R4.0.4 all up to date / no testing

I do not believe 4.0 does Light/Dark theme support.

It does support dark themes like Adwaita-dark (comes with Qubes OS) or
in my case Yaru-dark (borrowed and transferred from Ubuntu).

screenshots [...] Qubes widgets, and Qube Manager, [...] File
Manager

Most should be in the big screenshot in the issue description. Here the settings dialog. Let me know what else you'd like to see.

[ninavizz]

Ohhhhh dear. :/ TY for creating this as a separate issue, Sven! Indeed... this is very much its own issue.

[SvenSemmler]

Ohhhhh dear

I thought you'd like it ;-) The key point is to have a way to reduce the brightness (amount of light) emitted by the screen.

[andrewdavidwong]

#2204 is about Xfce dark theme support (already currently possible in 4.0, as Sven said, hence closed).
Current custom Qubes GUI stuff also supports dark themeing.

By contrast, this issue is about making sure the new custom Qubes GUI stuff @ninavizz and @marmarta have been working on also allows for dark themeing.

[ninavizz]

@andrewdavidwong I don't know how "dark mode" is done from a development perspective, but my guess is that it is either an automated thing—or Marta or Demi just took their best guess at "the dark equivalent" for each hex value, and reversed things for a custom set of styles.

Just looking at the screens @SvenSemmler showed me, they definitely need some polishing—with regards to the hex values assigned to provide a "Dark Theme effect." For accessibility and general usability reasons.

As such, I'd prefer to keep this as an "Update existing widgets, unless they get redesigned entirely" topic.

[andrewdavidwong]

As such, I'd prefer to keep this as an "Update existing widgets, unless they get redesigned entirely" topic.

That's fine, but the Ongoing milestone does not apply here.

[qf0]

For some reason with Qubes 4.2.1, Dark Mode theme no longer is implied on the Qubes GUI manager. Also, it'd be nice to propagate the dark theme to Qube's when it's applied to the dom0.

[UndeadDevel]

For some reason with Qubes 4.2.1, Dark Mode theme no longer is implied on the Qubes GUI manager.

It is for me...here's what I've set to have dom0 dark mode:

1. install package qt5-qtstyleplugins
2. execute "sudo echo 'QT_QPA_PLATFORMTHEME=gtk2' >> /etc/environment"
3. choose "Awaita-dark" in the 'Appearance' menu
4. choose "Greybird-dark" in the 'Windows Manager' menu
5. reboot

Also, it'd be nice to propagate the dark theme to Qube's when it's applied to the dom0.

I don't speak for the dev team, but this is very unlikely to happen...to help you out, however, here's what you need to do for templates and AppVMs:

for gnome templates / AppVMs execute in the templates and AppVMs:
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface color-scheme "prefer-dark"

for Xfce templates / AppVMs execute in the templates and AppVMs:
xfconf-query -c xsettings -p /Net/ThemeName -s "Adwaita-dark"

@andrewdavidwong Should this be closed? If this is still an accurate issue summary:

By contrast, this issue is about making sure the new custom Qubes GUI stuff @ninavizz and @marmarta have been working on also allows for dark themeing.

...then it seems it has been completed as all the new GUI apps are "dark mode capable" (or are there more on the way?).

[andrewdavidwong]

Closing as completed. If anyone believes this issue is not yet completed, or if anyone is still affected by this issue, please leave a comment, and we'll be happy to reopen it. Thank you.