Metro Skin for Calibre

Steppa · 04-14-2011, 11:53 AM

I am big fan of the clean monochromatic look of Metro UI (usied in Windows Phone 7). I have skinned about 80% of Calibre on the same principle and here are the results.

Big Thanks to Kiwi Dude for configuring his plugins to use the "resources image folder". This allows plugin icons to be skinned just once and then remain the same whenever you update your plugins.

[Graphic too large. Deleted. - MODERATOR]

[Graphic too large. Deleted. - MODERATOR]

Steppa · 04-15-2011, 07:08 AM

Let's try this again with the images resized.

WT Sharpe · 04-15-2011, 07:15 AM

Much better (although I replaced the tiny URLs with the full links - we have a policy against using tint URLs)!

DoctorOhh · 04-15-2011, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steppa

Big Thanks to Kiwi Dude for configuring his plugins to use the "resources image folder". This allows plugin icons to be skinned just once and then remain the same whenever you update your plugins.

Looks good, zip up the icons and attach them to the post.

Steppa · 04-16-2011, 07:24 AM

Once again thanks to KiwiDude for his modified plugin code and to Yankoa on Deviant Art for allowing the use of his wonderful Metro Icons. And off course Kovid for creating this awesome program.

Main GUI skin is complete. The following Plugin images are also included:
Book Sync
Devices
Extract ISBN
Generate Cover
Goodreads Sync
Plugin Updater
Quality Check
Search The Internet
View Manager.

1. Back Up you existing AppData/Roaming/calibre/Resources folder.
2. Extract the zip file to your AppData/Roaming/calibre/Resources folder.
3. Restart Calibre
4. Enjoy.

Note: I did not skin any plug-in icons that are tiny (32x32) as it did not look good.

Cheers.

DeadMan · 04-17-2011, 08:58 PM

Very cool. Thanks.

Wish there was an easy way to change the colours for the rest of the GUI in the Windows version. Unless there is something new I missed along the way.

Manichean · 04-21-2011, 06:00 AM

A very nice-looking icon set, although I personally prefer the default- that might be a case of what I'm used to, though

One thing you may want to look into: On Win XP, the tray icon didn't show for me, although I suspect that's because I'm using a display theme that has black title and task bars. It would help, though, to have a white border on that icon.
Another thing: The splash screen is broken, as in the status text Calibre displays writes on the image. I think you need to put a little blank space in there.

araxhiel · 04-26-2015, 11:22 PM

I know, that this is a very, very old thread, but I just wanted to say 2 things:

1) Even after +4 years, this skin is still working (or sort of... it's unknown to me how it looked back on 2011), at least all the icons were changed, including the "splash screen", and in overall looks nice.

2) If someone decides to try this after me, just wanted to make note that the path provided by OP isn't valid anymore (at least on Windows 7 x64):

Instead of "%AppData%/calibre/Resources", the correct path is "%programfiles%\Calibre\Resources" (or "%programfiles(x86)%\Calibre\Resources" if you are using "normal" Calibre instead of the 64-bit version of Calibre on a 64 bits OS).

Thanks,

eschwartz · 04-26-2015, 11:48 PM

Wrong. That folder is still very much used. If you use the installation folder it will work too, but it will be updated with the original version every time you update calibre.

The configuration folder provides the ability to set a persistent overrides folder for any files in the resources folder, which will not be expunged every time calibre is updated.

Do note, replacement images need to go in the exact filepath duplicated from the install folder, which is "resources\images\".

theducks · 04-27-2015, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by araxhiel

I know, that this is a very, very old thread, but I just wanted to say 2 things:

1) Even after +4 years, this skin is still working (or sort of... it's unknown to me how it looked back on 2011), at least all the icons were changed, including the "splash screen", and in overall looks nice.

2) If someone decides to try this after me, just wanted to make note that the path provided by OP isn't valid anymore (at least on Windows 7 x64):

Instead of "%AppData%/calibre/Resources", the correct path is "%programfiles%\Calibre\Resources" (or "%programfiles(x86)%\Calibre\Resources" if you are using "normal" Calibre instead of the 64-bit version of Calibre on a 64 bits OS).

Thanks,

NO NO NO
Calibre was designed (properly) to NOT need Admin rights for skinning.
Icons (and other custom stuff) belong in the Configuration folder counterpart of the program folder.
This way, each USER account on the PC can have their OWN personal Look and Feel.

In addition, using the config folder makes the mod fairly resistant to weekly updates (Calibre Updates replace the old program files).

araxhiel · 05-01-2015, 10:16 AM

Ok, I got it...

I'm curious, it will take the icons/theme from %appdata% even if that folder (calibre/Resources) doesn't exist in first place?

eschwartz · 05-01-2015, 10:23 AM

Yes. Appdata is loaded if it exists. Same goes for anything else in the %APPDATA%\calibre\ folder.

By default, nothing exists, not even the editor/gui/tweaks/history/conversion/etc settings. As they are needed, they are created.

theducks · 05-01-2015, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by araxhiel

Ok, I got it...

I'm curious, it will take the icons/theme from %appdata% even if that folder (calibre/Resources) doesn't exist in first place?

You need to add the Resources (and only the desired sub folders) if you want to use them.
Empty folders need not exist.
The full set of 'X' need not exist (I only have an replacement Trash Icon in there)
Any (replacement) item in a Resources folder needs to have the EXACT same filename (Case and path)

04-14-2011, 11:53 AM	#1
Steppa Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 366 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Nook Color	Metro Skin for Calibre I am big fan of the clean monochromatic look of Metro UI (usied in Windows Phone 7). I have skinned about 80% of Calibre on the same principle and here are the results. Big Thanks to Kiwi Dude for configuring his plugins to use the "resources image folder". This allows plugin icons to be skinned just once and then remain the same whenever you update your plugins. [Graphic too large. Deleted. - MODERATOR] [Graphic too large. Deleted. - MODERATOR] Last edited by Dr. Drib; 04-14-2011 at 01:03 PM.

04-15-2011, 07:08 AM	#2
Steppa Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 366 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Nook Color	Let's try this again with the images resized. Last edited by WT Sharpe; 04-15-2011 at 07:39 AM.

04-15-2011, 07:15 AM	#3
WT Sharpe Bah, humbug! Posts: 39,073 Karma: 157049943 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Chesapeake, VA, USA Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Pro, & a Samsung Galaxy S9.	Much better (although I replaced the tiny URLs with the full links - we have a policy against using tint URLs)! Last edited by WT Sharpe; 04-15-2011 at 07:40 AM.

05-01-2015, 10:23 AM	#12
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,422 Karma: 85397180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Yes. Appdata is loaded if it exists. Same goes for anything else in the %APPDATA%\calibre\ folder. By default, nothing exists, not even the editor/gui/tweaks/history/conversion/etc settings. As they are needed, they are created. Last edited by eschwartz; 05-01-2015 at 10:31 AM.

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04-17-2011, 08:58 PM	#6
DeadMan Enthusiast Posts: 42 Karma: 1496 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Saskatoon, SK. Device: Kobo Aura One	Very cool. Thanks. Wish there was an easy way to change the colours for the rest of the GUI in the Windows version. Unless there is something new I missed along the way.

04-21-2011, 06:00 AM	#7
Manichean Wizard Posts: 3,130 Karma: 91256 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Germany Device: Cybook Gen3	A very nice-looking icon set, although I personally prefer the default- that might be a case of what I'm used to, though One thing you may want to look into: On Win XP, the tray icon didn't show for me, although I suspect that's because I'm using a display theme that has black title and task bars. It would help, though, to have a white border on that icon. Another thing: The splash screen is broken, as in the status text Calibre displays writes on the image. I think you need to put a little blank space in there.

04-26-2015, 11:22 PM	#8
araxhiel Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2011 Device: Kindle for Android/iPhone	I know, that this is a very, very old thread, but I just wanted to say 2 things: 1) Even after +4 years, this skin is still working (or sort of... it's unknown to me how it looked back on 2011), at least all the icons were changed, including the "splash screen", and in overall looks nice. 2) If someone decides to try this after me, just wanted to make note that the path provided by OP isn't valid anymore (at least on Windows 7 x64): Instead of "%AppData%/calibre/Resources", the correct path is "%programfiles%\Calibre\Resources" (or "%programfiles(x86)%\Calibre\Resources" if you are using "normal" Calibre instead of the 64-bit version of Calibre on a 64 bits OS). Thanks,

04-26-2015, 11:48 PM	#9
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,422 Karma: 85397180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Wrong. That folder is still very much used. If you use the installation folder it will work too, but it will be updated with the original version every time you update calibre. The configuration folder provides the ability to set a persistent overrides folder for any files in the resources folder, which will not be expunged every time calibre is updated. Do note, replacement images need to go in the exact filepath duplicated from the install folder, which is "resources\images\".

05-01-2015, 10:16 AM	#11
araxhiel Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2011 Device: Kindle for Android/iPhone	Ok, I got it... I'm curious, it will take the icons/theme from %appdata% even if that folder (calibre/Resources) doesn't exist in first place?