Dark mode

[ZenoArrow]

Would it be okay to have a dark mode for the Fesh UI? I try to stick to apps with dark modes where possible, as they tend to be much more comfortable to look at.

[goswinr]

That could work via https://github.com/Dirkster99/AvalonEditHighlightingThemes
I am also using a dark theme in VS code. But when I host Fesh in Rhino (or Revit) the host UI is light only, so that is why I use light for now.

[ZenoArrow]

Thanks for looking into how this could be achieved @goswinr .

Just to point out, Rhino has supported dark mode for about a year...
https://www.rhino3d.com/features/user-interface/dark-mode/

... and Revit has some support for this too...

https://help.autodesk.com/view/RVT/2024/ENU/?guid=GUID-7CFE6DFD-CD70-445B-A3A3-3F470364B18C

It's possible other users of Rhino/Revit prefer to use a dark mode, so it could be good to start prepping for similar requests from these users.

[goswinr]

@ZenoArrow you are right, they actually have dark mode now! 🤔

[noncom]

+1 for dark mode! I tried the portable version, can't look at the white thing at all.

[goswinr]

@noncom I personally like the white versions. I guess I am old school🤣. But I will take pull request for a dark mode. Do you or @ZenoArrow want do the main WPF UI? I have never done theming. It currently has no explicit theming, also there is no XAML, its all F#. I could then do the Editor itself.

[noncom]

Well, it's not about style. I actually like how white and bright themes look. But my eyes physically are very much against that. I had to make myself get used to dark themes as I used to dislike them initially. From what I gathered from people I worked with over the years, this is the story of at least half of the people who use dark themes. Maybe some do use them from liking how they look, but that's not the prevalent reason for many.

At the same time I must say that I don't have much experience with XAML or F#, I'm just thinking about evaluating F#, so not sure if I'm able to provide a pull request soon.

[moooodie]

That could work via https://github.com/Dirkster99/AvalonEditHighlightingThemes I am also using a dark theme in VS code. But when I host Fesh in Rhino (or Revit) the host UI is light only, so that is why I use light for now.

@goswinr How would you use the linked repo to implement it if I may ask? I have been looking into it myself and I'm not sure where to start 😅

[goswinr]

@notMoods I actually tried a port to Avalonia, that would bring a dark theme and be crossplatform and under active development. The POC runs, but I had to comment out quite a bit of Functionality had some confusing bugs, But solved them AvaloniaUI/Avalonia#18697
( I couldn't get started with Dirkster99 either)

[moooodie]

@goswinr that sounds excellent to hear. I'd love to look at the codebase once that becomes public. I've had experience with Avalonia through the FuncUI layer (specifically Elmish) so I could potentially be of assistance

[goswinr]

@notMoods it's here: https://github.com/goswinr/Fesh/tree/Avalonia it runs, but the colors are still terrible:

If you really want to contribute, I will be happy to guide you through the codebase. It is rather imperative. Event based. No XAML. It grew over many years before Elmish existed.

[ZenoArrow]

@goswinr This looks like a promising development, thank you for this. Just an idea for the colours, perhaps matching the colours used by the dark mode themes in Rhino or Revit could be a good way to get a slicker looking dark mode that had the added benefit of feeling (more) native in at least one of those apps. Personally I think Rhino's dark mode looks better but I don't mind either way. I don't use either app but I could have a go at extracting colour palettes from screenshots if that would help?