Empathy List Archives

JB

Jordan Brown

Fri, May 8, 2026 6:41 AM

A couple of weeks ago I tried to start up discussion of policies
surrounding dark mode support, on issue #6796
https://github.com/openscad/openscad/issues/6796.

I got exactly zero feedback there. Perhaps there are people here on the
mailing list who have something to say.

Feel free to discuss here on the mailing list; if you have specific
comments on the policies I suggested then the issue might be a better place.

A couple of weeks ago I tried to start up discussion of policies surrounding dark mode support, on issue #6796 <https://github.com/openscad/openscad/issues/6796>. I got exactly zero feedback there. Perhaps there are people here on the mailing list who have something to say. Feel free to discuss here on the mailing list; if you have specific comments on the policies I suggested then the issue might be a better place.

DN

Dr. Nikolaus Klepp

Fri, May 8, 2026 7:14 AM

Anno domini 2026 Thu, 7 May 23:41:14 -0700
Jordan Brown via Discuss scripsit:

A couple of weeks ago I tried to start up discussion of policies
surrounding dark mode support, on issue #6796
https://github.com/openscad/openscad/issues/6796.

I got exactly zero feedback there. Perhaps there are people here on the
mailing list who have something to say.

Feel free to discuss here on the mailing list; if you have specific
comments on the policies I suggested then the issue might be a better place.

Hi!

IMO the problem is that QT (and basicly all other frameworks) do not play well with automatic colorscheme creation - e.g. light gray text on dark gray background might look cool, but if you happen to be visually impared this is a nogo. As long as I still can use my own colorscheme (see attachment) things are ok, but if you rely on QT to make thing right ... not so good.

Nik

--
Please do not email me anything that you are not comfortable also sharing with the NSA, CIA ...

Anno domini 2026 Thu, 7 May 23:41:14 -0700 Jordan Brown via Discuss scripsit: > A couple of weeks ago I tried to start up discussion of policies > surrounding dark mode support, on issue #6796 > <https://github.com/openscad/openscad/issues/6796>. > > I got exactly zero feedback there. Perhaps there are people here on the > mailing list who have something to say. > > Feel free to discuss here on the mailing list; if you have specific > comments on the policies I suggested then the issue might be a better place. > Hi! IMO the problem is that QT (and basicly all other frameworks) do not play well with automatic colorscheme creation - e.g. light gray text on dark gray background might look cool, but if you happen to be visually impared this is a nogo. As long as I still can use my own colorscheme (see attachment) things are ok, but if you rely on QT to make thing right ... not so good. Nik -- Please do not email me anything that you are not comfortable also sharing with the NSA, CIA ...

JB

Jordan Brown

Fri, May 8, 2026 3:37 PM

To be clear: the topic is not "is dark mode better than light mode" or
"do you like dark mode".

Some people like it. Some people don't. It seems clear that there's
enough demand on both sides that supporting both is a good idea. Nobody
is suggesting that we support only one or only the other.

The questions are around what requirements we put on our support, and
around exactly how we implement that support.

To be clear: the topic is not "is dark mode better than light mode" or "do you like dark mode". Some people like it. Some people don't. It seems clear that there's enough demand on both sides that supporting both is a good idea. Nobody is suggesting that we support only one or only the other. The questions are around what requirements we put on our support, and around exactly how we implement that support.

JL

Jamie Larkby-Lahet

Fri, May 8, 2026 4:16 PM

I have dark mode, matching my gtk theme, working with a
compiled-from-source openscad executable, using kvantum.

from my .zshrc:

export GTK_THEME=Adwaita:dark # optional, this is how I set my theme
without a full Desktop Environment
export QT_STYLE_OVERRIDE=kvantum

I had to install kvantum, and for my theme of choice, libadwaita.

this does not work work with the appimage builds, however. this is
because they do not have access to the system library for kvantum:

QApplication: invalid style override 'kvantum' passed, ignoring it.
Available styles: Windows, Fusion

I believe this could be remedied by adding kvantum to the appimage build.

cheers,

jamie

On Fri, May 8, 2026 at 10:38 AM Jordan Brown via Discuss <
discuss@lists.openscad.org> wrote:

To be clear: the topic is not "is dark mode better than light mode" or
"do you like dark mode".

Some people like it. Some people don't. It seems clear that there's
enough demand on both sides that supporting both is a good idea. Nobody is
suggesting that we support only one or only the other.

The questions are around what requirements we put on our support, and
around exactly how we implement that support.

OpenSCAD mailing list
To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org

I have dark mode, matching my gtk theme, working with a compiled-from-source openscad executable, using kvantum. from my .zshrc: export GTK_THEME=Adwaita:dark # optional, this is how I set my theme without a full Desktop Environment export QT_STYLE_OVERRIDE=kvantum I had to install kvantum, and for my theme of choice, libadwaita. this does not work work with the appimage builds, however. this is because they do not have access to the system library for kvantum: QApplication: invalid style override 'kvantum' passed, ignoring it. Available styles: Windows, Fusion I believe this could be remedied by adding kvantum to the appimage build. cheers, jamie On Fri, May 8, 2026 at 10:38 AM Jordan Brown via Discuss < discuss@lists.openscad.org> wrote: > To be clear: the topic is not "is dark mode better than light mode" or > "do you like dark mode". > > Some people like it. Some people don't. It seems clear that there's > enough demand on both sides that supporting both is a good idea. Nobody is > suggesting that we support only one or only the other. > > The questions are around what requirements we put on our support, and > around exactly how we implement that support. > > _______________________________________________ > OpenSCAD mailing list > To unsubscribe send an email to discuss-leave@lists.openscad.org

JB

Jordan Brown

Fri, May 8, 2026 4:35 PM

[ Bah. Sorry for the dup, first attempt sent from the wrong e-mail
address. ]

On 5/8/2026 9:16 AM, Jamie Larkby-Lahet via Discuss wrote:

I believe this could be remedied by adding kvantum to the appimage build.

How many such components are there, or could there be?

[ Bah. Sorry for the dup, first attempt sent from the wrong e-mail address. ] On 5/8/2026 9:16 AM, Jamie Larkby-Lahet via Discuss wrote: > I believe this could be remedied by adding kvantum to the appimage build. How many such components are there, or could there be?

JL

Jamie Larkby-Lahet

Fri, May 8, 2026 5:14 PM

kvantum is an SVG based engine rather than a single theme. it has a variety
of themes and reimplemented some gtk themes, so there's a built-in
selection of dark and light themes and the ability to drop in more as the
user desires, external to openscad.

I'm sure it's not the only QT theme engine out there but it is consistently
mentioned in a way no other QT engine I've seen, particularly for those
trying to match QT and GTK appearance.

given that it is a matter of co-packaging, rather than modifying the
openscad build proper, it seems like a low risk thing to try, with
immediate pay off in terms of easy dark theme support. though I understand
not wanting to open the door to a large number of similar requests.

on my system the total package install is 8.77 Mb, uncompressed.

On Fri, May 8, 2026, 11:35 Jordan Brown openscad@jordan.maileater.net
wrote:

[ Bah. Sorry for the dup, first attempt sent from the wrong e-mail
address. ]

On 5/8/2026 9:16 AM, Jamie Larkby-Lahet via Discuss wrote:

I believe this could be remedied by adding kvantum to the appimage build.

How many such components are there, or could there be?

kvantum is an SVG based engine rather than a single theme. it has a variety of themes and reimplemented some gtk themes, so there's a built-in selection of dark and light themes and the ability to drop in more as the user desires, external to openscad. I'm sure it's not the only QT theme engine out there but it is consistently mentioned in a way no other QT engine I've seen, particularly for those trying to match QT and GTK appearance. given that it is a matter of co-packaging, rather than modifying the openscad build proper, it seems like a low risk thing to try, with immediate pay off in terms of easy dark theme support. though I understand not wanting to open the door to a large number of similar requests. on my system the total package install is 8.77 Mb, uncompressed. On Fri, May 8, 2026, 11:35 Jordan Brown <openscad@jordan.maileater.net> wrote: > [ Bah. Sorry for the dup, first attempt sent from the wrong e-mail > address. ] > > On 5/8/2026 9:16 AM, Jamie Larkby-Lahet via Discuss wrote: > > I believe this could be remedied by adding kvantum to the appimage build. > > > How many such components are there, or could there be? > >

TP

Torsten Paul

Sat, May 9, 2026 2:32 PM

On 08.05.26 19:14, Jamie Larkby-Lahet via Discuss wrote:

given that it is a matter of co-packaging, rather than modifying the
openscad build proper, it seems like a low risk thing to try, with
immediate pay off in terms of easy dark theme support. though I
understand not wanting to open the door to a large number of similar
requests.

Well, not quite. AppImage is currently based on Ubuntu 22.04
and kvantum is not available for that.

That said, with 26.04 out, starting to move AppImage to 24.04
is probably a sensible option and also allow updating to Qt6.

Now the question is if someone would be helping with that. If
everyone is just waiting for me to do it, it's not going to
happen anytime soon.

It's probably not a complicated topic, but time consuming, so
if anyone has some time to spend on this, I'm happy to help
out. Feel free to reach out in our IRC channel...

ciao,
Torsten.

On 08.05.26 19:14, Jamie Larkby-Lahet via Discuss wrote: > given that it is a matter of co-packaging, rather than modifying the > openscad build proper, it seems like a low risk thing to try, with > immediate pay off in terms of easy dark theme support. though I > understand not wanting to open the door to a large number of similar > requests. Well, not quite. AppImage is currently based on Ubuntu 22.04 and kvantum is not available for that. That said, with 26.04 out, starting to move AppImage to 24.04 is probably a sensible option and also allow updating to Qt6. Now the question is if someone would be helping with that. If everyone is just waiting for me to do it, it's not going to happen anytime soon. It's probably not a complicated topic, but time consuming, so if anyone has some time to spend on this, I'm happy to help out. Feel free to reach out in our IRC channel... ciao, Torsten.

discuss@lists.openscad.org

Dark mode support