USE_SYSTEM_THEM var has no noticeable effect

[surah96]

Hello. I recently upgraded calibre from my distribution's package to the binary install offered here. I do prefer dark mode/dark palette/dark colors and have both system gtk and qt5 set up accordingly. After upgrade, I have been successful with CALIBRE_USE_DARK_PALETTE, which works great. I have not been successful with CALIBRE_USE_SYSTEM_THEME, either from within /etc/environment or thru a shell session using export.

I have rtfm and realize the caveat for CALIBRE_USE_SYSTEM_THEME. Is this environment var deprecated, or is my system suspect? Thanks!

$ calibre --version
calibre (calibre 5.42)

$ sudo inxi -ISMxxxz
System:
  Kernel: 5.4.0-109-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 9.4.0 
  Desktop: Cinnamon 5.2.7 wm: muffin 5.2.1 dm: LightDM 1.30.0 
  Distro: Linux Mint 20.3 Una base: Ubuntu 20.04 focal 
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: Micro-Star product: GT70 2PE v: REV:0.C 
  serial: <filter> Chassis: type: 10 serial: N/A 
  Mobo: Micro-Star model: MS-1763 v: REV:0.C serial: <filter> 
  UEFI: American Megatrends v: E1763IMS.51D date: 04/17/2015 
Info:
  Processes: 293 Uptime: 8h 28m Memory: 15.55 GiB used: 2.99 GiB (19.3%) 
  Init: systemd v: 245 runlevel: 5 Compilers: gcc: 9.4.0 alt: 8/9 
  Shell: bash (sudo) v: 5.0.17 running in: gnome-terminal inxi: 3.0.38

/etc/environment
#for calibre
#CALIBRE_USE_SYSTEM_THEME=1
CALIBRE_USE_DARK_PALETTE=1

qt5ct.conf
[Appearance]
color_scheme_path=/usr/share/qt5ct/colors/darker.conf
custom_palette=true
icon_theme=Mint-X-Pink
standard_dialogs=default
style=gtk2

[Fonts]
fixed="@Variant(\0\0\0@\0\0\0 \0\x44\0\x65\0j\0\x61\0V\0u\0 \0S\0\x61\0n\0s\0 \0M\0o\0n\0o@,\0\0\0\0\0\0\xff\xff\xff\xff\x5\x1\0\x32\x10)"
general="@Variant(\0\0\0@\0\0\0\f\0U\0\x62\0u\0n\0t\0u@,\0\0\0\0\0\0\xff\xff\xff\xff\x5\x1\0\x39\x10)"

[Interface]
activate_item_on_single_click=1
buttonbox_layout=0
cursor_flash_time=1000
dialog_buttons_have_icons=1
double_click_interval=400
gui_effects=@Invalid()
keyboard_scheme=2
menus_have_icons=true
show_shortcuts_in_context_menus=true
stylesheets=@Invalid()
toolbutton_style=4
underline_shortcut=1
wheel_scroll_lines=3

[SettingsWindow]
geometry=@ByteArray(\x1\xd9\xd0\xcb\0\x3\0\0\0\0\x4\x88\0\0\0\x17\0\0\ah\0\0\x3\x1a\0\0\x4\x89\0\0\0\x35\0\0\ag\0\0\x3\x19\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\0\a\x80\0\0\x4\x89\0\0\0\x35\0\0\ag\0\0\x3\x19)

[kovidgoyal]

Its deprecated. You CALIBRE_DARK_PALETTE. And in calibre 6 if your desktop environmnet supports the desktop settings portal and reports dark mode via it, calibre will use dark mode automatically.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Its deprecated. You CALIBRE_DARK_PALETTE. And in calibre 6 if your desktop environmnet supports the desktop settings portal and reports dark mode via it, calibre will use dark mode automatically.

Question: are there any plans for a similar CALIBRE_LIGHT_PALETTE for people who want to override it the opposite way?

[kovidgoyal]

No, I am gradually converging to have calibre follow the system theme and not rely on env vars. Eventually once the various OSes all have robust ways to specify light/dark at a system level the env var will be removed.

[ownedbycats]

Oh. That's disappointing, as I don't use Windows in dark mode but I prefer to have Calibre in it.

[kovidgoyal]

If there is enough demand I can easily create a setting for it, but it wont be an env var.

[surah96]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Its deprecated. You CALIBRE_DARK_PALETTE. And in calibre 6 if your desktop environmnet supports the desktop settings portal and reports dark mode via it, calibre will use dark mode automatically.

Many thanks, good Sir!

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

No, I am gradually converging to have calibre follow the system theme and not rely on env vars. Eventually once the various OSes all have robust ways to specify light/dark at a system level the env var will be removed.

This appears to be the direction most decision-makers are taking. Good, I agree. A standardized UI is well within the domain of the os/de.

Thank you for providing this option until they get us there.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

If there is enough demand I can easily create a setting for it, but it wont be an env var.

I think it would make sense to have a setting in look & feel. Even right now, it would be useful: partly for convenience, partly because not all users feel comfortable digging around in env vars.

EDIT: Also portable Calibre users.

[dunhill]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

I think it would make sense to have a setting in look & feel. Even right now, it would be useful: partly for convenience, partly because not all users feel comfortable digging around in env vars.

EDIT: Also portable Calibre users.

Support motion

[surah96]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

I think it would make sense to have a setting in look & feel. Even right now, it would be useful: partly for convenience, partly because not all users feel comfortable digging around in env vars.
EDIT: Also portable Calibre users.

Originally Posted by dunhill

Support motion

Hello. I'm not quite sure how all this relates to the select environment variables described in op. Top Dev has already solved the issue at hand, as well as clarified the direction these variables will take in the future. Which, I may add, I support 110%.

Perhaps start a poll within your own thread? Thanks.