Tweaking KDE GUI Apps in a Gnome Environment
Why?
For those of us who enjoy using the Gnome desktop environment, we know we want our GUI applications to be easy to use and seamless. But, there's always that one program that uses the KDE QT library to provide a front-end. For example, I love to listen to music, and nothing beats AmaroK for me. But, every time I use it, the color scheme and icon theme completely clash with my Gnome desktop. In this tutorial, you'll learn how to change the native KDE theme to blend with a standard Gnome GTK theme.
Isn't there an app that's suppose to do this for me? Well, for KDE users, there's the GTK-QT engine that completely converts the looks of GTK apps to fit the users KDE theme. But, unfortunately, is doesn't work both ways. You'll need to find common themes that match for both KDE and Gnome to work in a Gnome environment. Taking for granted you already have your perfect Gnome theme set up, I'll show you how to work around it. If not, this tutorial uses a very common Gnome Clearlooks control scheme and the Human icon set to help unify the Gnome and KDE look & feel.
What You'll Need
To begin, you'll need to download two packages. The first is the KlearLook KDE control theme at KDE-Look.org. If you use Gentoo, Slackware, or Debian (Ubuntu) a pre-compiled package is already available for you. Second, you'll need an KDE-specific icon theme to match your Gnome icons. Since there are so many, I'll use the default choice from Ubuntu 7.04, which is the "Human" theme. You can find it available at KDE-Look.org. If you do not use the Human icon set, you can probably find a remake of the Gnome set for KDE using the KDE-Look search option. Thankfully, Gnome handles the window border theme automatically, so that does not have to be changed.
Now to Tweak
Controls
First, you'll need to install the control scheme for your distro. For most, it's as simple as clicking on the package and walking through the installation process after you've downloaded it. If you have to compile from source, make sure you have the KDE development sources and headers installed.
Now you'll need to open the KDE Control Center to configure your KDE apps. You can find it by running the "kcontrol" program. This should be standard on any KDE application installation. One of the easiest ways to do that while in Gnome is by pressing Alt+F2 at the same time, and then entering "kcontrol" in the dialog box. Once the Control Center is up, browse to "Appearance & Themes", then to "Style". Select "Klearlook" in the the "Widget Style" box. Click "Apply" and watch the changes appear instantly.
Changing the KDE Control Theme
Icons
While the KDE Control Center is still up, browse to "Appearance & Themes", then to "Icons". Here you will choose to "Install New Theme..."and direct it to where you saved the Human KDE Icon set. Then, make sure "Human for KDE" is selected, and click "Apply" at the bottom right of the Control Center. Now you're one step closer to completing a Gnome/KDE friendly desktop.
The KDE Control Center
Colors
Next, you'll have to tweak your KDE color scheme to match that of Gnome's. One of the simplest ways to do this is to keep one Gnome application open while editing in the KDE Control Center. For a simple app to test with, open the Gnome Theme Manager by browsing in your Gnome panel menu from "System->Preferences->Theme". You'll have to take a quick screen shot to preserve all of the widget colors by pressing the Alt+Print Screen button on your keyboard. Save it (usually to the desktop), and then immediately open for viewing. You will then want to position your Control Center window and the screen shot for easy viewing.
KDE Color Scheme Tweaking in Progress
There a many color scheme options in KDE to be tweaked, but you only have to change three to get the right look. While the KDE Control Center is still open, browse to "Appearance & Themes", then to "Colors". In the "Widget Color" box, you'll want to the "Window Background Option", then click on the color box. You'll see a new window with a small green eye-dropper icon. Click the eye dropper icon, and then select any spot on the Gnome window background. The color will be taken from the pixel point you selected, and filled into the KDE option box. Select "OK" and move to the next KDE widget color option. Next will be the "Button Background". By the same process, choose the color of a Gnome button background to fill it.
Finally, change the option for the "Selected Background". This is where the purpose of a screen shot comes in. Usually because the KDE Control Center becomes the selected window, you cannot take a sample for the Gnome selected background color. Since we have the snapshot of the selected Gnome window, the color preferences are preserved. To select a color sample for KDE, choose the highlighted area in the big Gnome Theme Manager selection box. Once the KDE color has been chosen, the final step is to click "Apply" in the Control Center, and the process is complete.
In conclusion...
Now you have a simple desktop with matching application themes that will never be an eyesore again!
RSS
Gtk Style in Qt — Gnome applications on KDE...
Well I know many newbies in Linux often pose themselves the question, which is better, The KDE desktop or The Gnome Desktop. Well I’m not going far into this. For more have a look HERE.What I can say is KDE is often easier to use because its oft...
[...] the general principle to any Linux distro that uses drastically different themes in Gnome and KDE. Tweaking KDE GUI Apps in a Gnome Environment [...]
You can skip the screen shot step and get the Gnome theme colours by opening the "Colors" tab from "Theme Details" dialog in Gnome's Theme Preference and use KControl's eye dropper to pick the colours from there.
[...] the general principle to any Linux distro that uses drastically different themes in Gnome and KDE. Tweaking KDE GUI Apps in a Gnome Environment [...]
David, your method usually works, but if someone is using a pre-configured Gnome theme, the Gnome Theme Manager disables those buttons, saying the theme "does not support color schemes". Not sure why that happens, though. But, thanks for the shortcut!
[...] the general principle to any Linux distro that uses drastically different themes in Gnome and KDE. Tweaking KDE GUI Apps in a Gnome Environment [...]
thanks, I always wondered if I could do this. I will link to you in my blog.
[...] Tweaking KDE GUI Apps in a Gnome Environment - Nerdica [...]
I've never understood why Kubuntu cannot ship with a theme that matches Gnome's Human. The Human theme add functionality as well as beauty, as the mnouseover scrollbars are much more visible on my Dell lappy than anything static that I could do in KDE.
I personally think the look is better when you use the Plastik theme instead of the Klearlook theme. Once you change the KDE colors, Plastik look perfect!
[...] Nerdica » Tweaking KDE GUI Apps in a Gnome Environment [...]
[...] the general principle to any Linux distro that uses drastically different themes in Gnome and KDE. Tweaking KDE GUI Apps in a Gnome Environment [...]
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[...] Hacer que KDE parezca Gnome [...]
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[...] the only reason I’m in a good mood, it seems I’ve been featured on LifeHacker.com. A tutorial I wrote remained on the front page all yesterday. Not too shabby for my first tech post. I had a [...]
[...] the only reason I’m in a good mood, it seems I’ve been featured on LifeHacker.com. A tutorial I wrote remained on the front page all yesterday. Not too shabby for my first tech post. I had a [...]
I think Plastik works better when you change it to match Clearlooks.
1. Open kcontrol, go to Appearances & Themes, and choose Style.
2. Choose Plastik from the drop-down box.
3. Click the Configure button.
4. Make sure that you only select "Animate progress bars" and de-select everything else.
5. Click OK.
6. Check the "Show icons on buttons" checkbox.
However, care should be taken to carefully review the message board guidelines to ensure you are not doing anything inappropriate,
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Nerdica » Tweaking KDE GUI Apps in a Gnome Environment
handy for those picky souls (e.g. ...
Hi webmaster!
Hi webmaster!
This is an excellent article. Thank you so much. My one can't live with out KDE app is K9Copy. Now thanks to you it blends in with the rest of my desktop. Kudos for a great tutorial.
Interesting facts.I have bookmarked this site. stephanazs
[...] short answer is NO. You need to install kdebase to get kcontrol. Just follow these two pages: Nerdica ? Tweaking KDE GUI Apps in a Gnome Environment KDE Applications looking bad in GNOME? Let’s fix ‘em up. ? Il Pozzo Oscuro [written for [...]
[...] short answer is NO. You need to install kdebase to get kcontrol. Just follow these two pages: Nerdica ? Tweaking KDE GUI Apps in a Gnome Environment KDE Applications looking bad in GNOME? Let’s fix ‘em up. ? Il Pozzo Oscuro [written for [...]
as is
http://ubuntuforums.org/archive/index.php/t-1012759.html
Very useful information
Very useful information. I think it is useful for many people. Thank you for your blogs.