Help Getting a Plugin to Work

[dunhill]

Theme Switcher Plugin for Calibre
This interface plugin allows you to apply custom visual themes in Calibre using palette files (*.calibre-palette) and stylesheets (*.qss). Its goal is to offer a modular and reproducible way to change the look of the graphical interface, including background colors, text, buttons, and scroll bars.

🔧 What does it do?
Adds an icon to the Calibre toolbar to access the theme switcher.

Automatically detects .calibre-palette files located in ~/.config/calibre/themes/.

Allows you to select and apply a theme from a popup window.

Applies the color palette using Qt's QPalette.

Apply additional visual styles (such as scroll bars) using .qss files from the plugin's resources/ folder.

Supports multiple themes: dark, light, custom, and any others added manually.

📁 Structure Requirements
Themes must be in ~/.config/calibre/themes/ with an INI file and a .calibre-palette extension.

The .qss styles must be in resources/ within the plugin, with names like scrollbar-dark.qss, scrollbar-light.qss, etc.

The plugin icon must be in images/icon.png.

But the icon doesn't appear in the toolbar. If someone could review it to make it functional, I'd be happy to share the credits.

[BetterRed]

Moderator Notice
@dunhill

Asking for help in developing a plugin is not the intended purpose of the Plugin ideas thread. This is where it belongs… Developer's Corner

BR

[BeckyEbook]

Misc issues.
The text file name is very important and must be unique READ:

plugin-import-name-theme_switcher.txt

I suggest a slight redesign and the use of `common_icons.py` by Grant Drake.
This is just a suggestion, because you can write your own icon handling and add it to the plugin.

[dunhill]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

@dunhill

Asking for help in developing a plugin is not the intended purpose of the Plugin ideas thread. This is where it belongs… Developer's Corner

BR

Sorry, I thought the thread your ideas were correct, but you always learn, it won't happen again.

[dunhill]

Originally Posted by BeckyEbook

Misc issues.
The text file name is very important and must be unique READ:

plugin-import-name-theme_switcher.txt

I suggest a slight redesign and the use of `common_icons.py` by Grant Drake.
This is just a suggestion, because you can write your own icon handling and add it to the plugin.

Thanks for your advice!!

[dunhill]

It seems to me that I have to study this file src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/editor/themes.py which I suppose is the one that chooses the color settings or calibre-palette files so that it takes effect when selecting the file from the plugin interface.


So far the files appear in the interface but selecting them has no effect.

[varia]

Hi, are you still making this plugin?

[dunhill]

Originally Posted by varia

Hi, are you still making this plugin?

Hi, the plugin is incomplete; the problem is that it doesn't recognize the palette file and apply the palettes. That's why I'm posting it here in case someone can find a solution.

[varia]

Originally Posted by dunhill

Hi, the plugin is incomplete; the problem is that it doesn't recognize the palette file and apply the palettes. That's why I'm posting it here in case someone can find a solution.

Ohh, okay. I hope this bump helps. I like the idea of this plugin.

[Comfy.n]

attached version is working!

[varia]

Originally Posted by Comfy.n

attached version is working!

Awesome!!

[dunhill]

Originally Posted by Comfy.n

attached version is working!

Thanks, friend! If you want, we can put it in the plugins threads. Let me know what I missed. I'm going to prepare the translation support, which it already has but doesn't have the files, and in the init section under authoring I'll put this: `author = 'Dunhill & Comfy.n'`. Does that agree?

[Comfy.n]

Originally Posted by dunhill

Thanks, friend! If you want, we can put it in the plugins threads. Let me know what I missed. I'm going to prepare the translation support, which it already has but doesn't have the files, and in the init section under authoring I'll put this: `author = 'Dunhill & Comfy.n'`. Does that agree?

Cool, I appreciate the credit!.

Here is an improved version that can switch instantly across palette files, supports importing from zip files (recursively), and skips duplicates.

[dunhill]

Okay, I'll review the file you sent me. I've been working on the translation and replacing "themes" with "palettes" to standardize the usage of the plugin. It will be posted in the plugins threads soon. Thank you for your help.