Hi, I know this has been asked before but the solutions I read aren't working for me (I have practically no coding or Linux experience/knowledge as I come from Windows and have used Zorin without really messing much with it).
Basically, I want to set my Zorin theme to something that is not available/listed in the Zorin Appearance settings, so I am using Tweaks. After about 1 minute of setting my preferences, they go back to light blue, which I hate. I saw that maybe there is a priority issue with some .config file somewhere, but I literally don't even know where that would be located. Could you help me out? Also, I must say I haven't upgraded to Zorin OS v 18 cause I am not sure how risky that is and whether I truly need to back up my files (btw, do I lose all my apps and files when I upgrade?). Finally, I watched this video where this user creates their own theme which I wanna download but I don't know if it's safe to do so and if it's even compatible with Zorin lol Btw, how do you set this glassmorphism-like effect on linux for the windows?
I'll appreciate any help since, as you can see, I am extremely ignorant in this field. I apologise for the messy structure of my question, too. Thank you!!
How old is the theme?
Can you tell the name of the theme or show us where to find it? Then I can take a look later.
The theme of your linked video which you can download on github here
is probably not for Zorin, especially not with the installer script because Zorin has the gnome desktop and this is a theme for the use with hyprland (this is a window manager).
You want to backup personal files, as standard. You never know when a power outage will corrupt data - or hard drive failure will strike.
Nope, all files will remain in place and intact. Most apps should remain just fine - but there is a small chance that some apps will no longer be supported and so won't have a release file for Zorin OS 18. It is harmless if so, in that those apps won't be upgraded.
If you cannot find a theme that does it, then adding a user gtk.css to ~/.config/gtk-3.0 will do it.
GTK3 themes are still supported and should work fine. Most apps in use are GTK3.
Some apps are now the newest GTK4 - which, along with Gnome, is much more restrictive with theming as Forpli points out.
GTK4 removed a lot of the style handling and transfered it from the toolkit, where it is open source and auditable, to LibAdwaita, which locks it down and hides it. LibAdwaita then overrides your chosen theme and injects .css that Gnome Thinks you should be using, instead.
Thank you very much to both of you. I tried the Blur My Shell extension but it didn't give me the effect I wanted, though probably it's just me being unable to tweak it properly.
If you cannot find a theme that does it, then adding a user gtk.css to ~/.config/gtk-3.0 will do it.
What does that mean? Am I to understand you would add a text file named gtk.css in that gtk-3.0 folder? What would I write in the file? If it's too long to explain, don't worry about it, I'm just trying to learn but I understand this is getting long and repetitive.
As for my settings, I ended up clicking on Set To Default in the Zorin Appearance settings, after which I changed the themes on Tweaks and now everything looks like it used to. What can you make of all this? Was it a problem I created or something else? Asking cause I don't want to mess up again in the future.
As for upgrading to Zorin OS 18, I hear you, I'll back up my data. If I understand correctly, if and when I upgrade, some apps may not be able to run because they may not be supported in the new OS version, but that won't break anything apart from the app just not appearing/running (?). And in terms of the GTK issue (which idrk what it means), when I upgrade, the new OS won't change to GTK4 as this is an app-specific issue and not an OS handling problem? That is, if I upgrade to 18, my themes will still be tweakable but some apps could run into trouble? I know you never mentioned any of that, I am just trying to understand the relationship between upgrading the OS and the ability I currently have to tweak my visual settings.
Finally, since Gnome is what I believe I use and since you say there is a new version (gtk4) for some apps, is there any other customisation route I can take that doesn't involve Gnome and that allows for the customisations I'm interested in (in summary, I'm just a very visual person, so I'm trying to have control over what my screen looks like everywhere while still being manageable to me as a tech newbie coming from Windows, that's one of the reasons why I chose Zorin tbh).
Sorry for this insufferably long and messy response!
I actually think this is because Blur My Shell has a different effect.
There is no getting around the length - it is long.
But I would not want to stress you out with long explanations. I am a theme creator: https://www.deviantart.com/aravisian
So, you do not need to learn how to create a theme, rather, we can work together to create a file for you that you can copy paste.
Sadly, for me, at least, this is not enough detail to say it was or not something you did.
But, I would say, do not worry about what you do very much.
You are not "messing things up" even if you are learning the system. Even mistakes can make your knowledge and strength grow.
These are benefits, not fears.
Correct. There is a small chance some apps you use have been deprecated - but you can Check this before you upgrade if you want. For each app that you installed, look to see if it is available on Noble Numbat.
GTK is the GIMPToolKit. A toolkit is used to assemble the components of desktop and application widgets.
If you upgrade to Zorin OS 18, then this will upgrade the System Toolkit to GTK4 and will include LibAdwaita.
Themes are dependent on GTK version. Most current GTK3 themes will still work on Zorin OS 18, because GTK4 is still very new.
The apps will not have any trouble, at all. Themes only influence appearance styles, not application performance.
Yes, if you are on Zorin Core, that uses Gnome.
Gnome is the Desktop Environment of Zorin Core, just as Redmond is the Desktop Environment on Windows OS.
That is the environment you operate in - the user space.
If what I said earlier about Gnome overriding your custom presets and injecting their own that are hidden from you sounds like Microsoft - It really does.
Except... With Microsoft Windows you can still disable their controls. You can opt out.
Gnome does not allow that. You cannot opt out - it sets its HIG (Human Interface Guidelines) as a hard dependency.
Yes, you can use something else. Zorin OS Lite offers a non-Gnome Desktop Environment that allows much greater user control.
But... It still includes many Gnome Apps and LibAdwaita.
What I would recommend is switching to Zorin OS Lite, which you can do without reinstalling the OS.
Once done, begin setting things up Your Way. You do not need to be a GnuLinux Warrior like me right off the bat. Take it one step at a time.
I, too, am visual. But, a lot of these features are accessibility features, not wanton fluff. For example, being able to navigate to a scrollbar or find your mouse cursor right away - Just because themers make it FUN does not mean it is not FUNctional.
And I believe that a workbench should afford you a sense of joy while you are working - not be a drab cold cubicle you are eager to get away from.
To install Zorin OS Lite:
sudo apt install zorin-os-lite-desktop
When you see a prompt to switch from GDM to LightDM, I highly recommend you select yes and configure LightDM. LightDm allows you more controls and access, whereas GDM hides access.
For changing the sound of the uppercase button go to settings > audio > warning sounds, there you can choose between some sounds.
Logout and login again after you changed the sound.
If you want to set up a custom sound for the uppercase key, search for a sound in .ogg format (I'm not sure, if others work, too or futher steps were required then) and put it to ~/.local/share/sounds/_custom.
To show the hidden files in your file manager press ctrl+h. Rename the sound to bell.ogg. At gnome-tweaks set as sound theme "custom", and at settings for warning sounds "default". Then logout. It worked for me in my test. But I'm not sure if all other system sounds still work, you would have to test that. The startup sound e.g. still worked when I enabled it.
I tested the Desert gtk theme in Zorin 18 and Zorin 17. In Zorin 18 I was not able to select it at all - neither in Zorin appearance, nor in gnome-tweaks.
In Zorin 17 it worked with the teal color. I read, that the support for gtk 4 was added just for the colors teal and blue of the Desert theme.
Interestingly, at Zorin appearance, the theme was not shown and selectable for the apps, but in gnome-tweaks. The shell theme of Desert theme didn´t work correctly with the Zorin menu.
The Theme of the Video will not work on zorin. It is made for Hyprland. Zorin uses Gnome and xfce. And Hyprland isn't available for Zorin 17 (with Ubuntu 22.04 Base).
