Change default colors in "edit metadata" window

[wishingstar]

Hi,

I'm using the latest Calibre on Windows (v3.6 on x64). I recently switched to a dark windows theme and I want to change the default colors used in calibre for better visibility.

I asked a question earlier and learned how to change the book details links to a lighter blue (book_details.css in the templates folder). I want to change the colors in the metadata window, but there's not file for that in the templates folder.

Do I create a file? What are the filed properties to change? Is there a list somewhere that I can reference to change the appropriate colors. I mainly want to change the green background for the sort and ID fields (black text is not easy to see) and the default text color for the book comments)

Thanks

[kovidgoyal]

Those colros cannot be changed without editing the source code.

[wishingstar]

That's unfortunate, thanks for responding though.

I wonder if it would be possible to add an option in the next version to take the system colors into account, something like "if it's darker than x, invert colors in metadata dialog"

[Thasaidon]

Originally Posted by wishingstar

That's unfortunate, thanks for responding though.

I wonder if it would be possible to add an option in the next version to take the system colors into account, something like "if it's darker than x, invert colors in metadata dialog"

Have a Look at the following plug in. It currently will mot do what you want but it will change colours on the main GUI screen.

Summary:
A tool bag of useful tools in two totally different categories: [1] GUI Related; [2] Job Details Dialog Related.

'GUI Tools':

Change Main GUI Text, Background, Alternating Row, VL Buttons, Tool Bar, Search Bar and Buttons, and Status Bar Colors

It will also

Visualize Metadata (with export option)
Apply View Manager Views based on Virtual Library
Search Bar Dropdowns - Increase Visible Items and Saved Search History to 100
Edit Metadata Dropdowns - Increase Visible Items to 100
Keyboard Shortcuts to Auto-fill Textual Custom Columns
List Active Keyboard Shortcuts
Invert Current Selection of Books
Virtual Library Helper - Create Search Criteria Using Selected Book IDs
Virtual Library Helper - View VLs Sorted by VL Criteria
Mega-Metadata Reference Book Creation Dropdown Helper
Resize Columns to Fit
Compress Column Widths Uniformly
Select & Open Arbitrary Programs and Files
Change 'Last-Modified Date' of Selected Books
Back up and Restore 'Last-Modified Date' for all books in current library
Purge Library-specific Preferences [Selected Plug-ins]
Purge metadata.opf Backup Queue
Protect/Unprotect a Custom Column from the 'Edit Metadata' dialogs (excluding the 'S&R' tab within Bulk Edit).
Copy 'Saved Searches' of the Current Library to a Target Library
Automatically Delete Temporary 'Reading Lists' at Calibre Shutdown
Extract Original Title/Translator to Update Custom Columns (EPUBs)
Bulk Convert HTML Comments to Plain Text [Selected Books]
Ignore Copy-to-Library Missing Custom Columns Messages for Selected From/To Library Combinations
Vacuum/Compress metadata.db En Masse [All Other Calibre Libraries]

[Katsunami]

The plugin you are referring to is called Job Spy:

HERE

[wishingstar]

Thanks for the suggestion, I downloaded Job Spy from the plugins list in calibre, it doesn't do what I need here, but it has some useful features (the metadata reference book and change modified date to mention a couple). I think I'll be using this to some extent, especially once my out-of-control library is in better shape

All OS's seem to discriminate against people who like dark themes. My inner goth is screaming for attention, lol

[Thasaidon]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

The plugin you are referring to is called Job Spy:

HERE

Thanks for covering my oversight in not putting the plugin name. I cannot understand how I came to forgot to include it.

[Katsunami]

Glad to help