PLEASE!!!! add support for firefox themes

[GUARINOO]

what does happen (no mods or .CSS)

• install firefox theme from firefox addon store
• apply it in about:preferences
• sidebar and border colors stay the same, everything else like styles are themed, looks ugly and unreadable most of the time

what does happen (with themed sidebar mod)

• sidebar looks great!!! border and compact mode sidebar still the same color as zen sidebar with the styles of the theme, looks unreadable or ugly
• disable border with element separation 0, there is still a line with the og zen color and compact mode still looks unreadable
• animations are janky

what I think should happen

• theme styles and colors should seamlessly apply to sidebar, compact mode and border (as in firefox)
• zen colors should only appear when the "light," "dark," or "auto/system" themes are enabled
• when change theme color selected, prompt the user to turn off addon themes before changing the color!

I would do this but I dont know the first thing about programming, would be such a wonderful feature if added tho 🙏 lets make it happen!!!

[lecram89]

Yes that would be awesome, as firefox themes offer more customization options than the design color option.

[nms808]

I've been able to use firefox themes for a long time, since the last alpha version at least. I have a ton installed but I'm on windows so not sure what version you're using. If you can get your hand on the old early plugin that was delisted from the Zen store, SuperGradient (v1.2.1), you can have any colors you like! I have it installed with 1.13.1b and I can verify it's still working great, at least for windows. I still can't believe they removed this excellent extension from the Zen store.

[ekennedy80]

I second this idea!

[ekennedy80]

That being said, this browser is the chrome alternative we've all been dreaming of!

[AnonBlankzy]

Me as well. I've seen where other people are somehow changing the themes using things like css but not everyone understands how to do that, including myself. Since they removed firefox themes, I've started using Zen less and less.

[istnein]

We told the developer about this issue in #9262 ,but they didn't care.

[nms808]

Basic color compatibility with existing Firefox themes imho should never have been removed. That being said, it was an artistic choice. Many users detest that choice but many like it. However, everything is a work in progress...It is likely possible to restore everything by mod at some point.

[AnonBlankzy]

I guess we'll see if that happens or not. I have my doubts though.

[AnonBlankzy]

When I could use Firefox themes in Zen, I loved it as I could easily tell which tab I was currently in because it had a burnt orange ring around it. Now, however, it's very hard to tell which tab I have opened and that has forced me to go back to using Floorp browser. Oh well, Zen was good while it lasted.

[nms808]

I use Better Active Tab from the Zen Mod Store. It should pick up your theme colors.

https://zen-browser.app/mods/d8b79d4a-6cba-4495-9ff6-d6d30b0e94fe/

[SheepDomination]

Themes are useless. Zen is a minimalist browser, how will you even notice a theme.

[SheepDomination]

Minimalist, in the sense in the general user interface. Mods and extensions have nothing to do with this.

[nms808]

Minimalist, in the sense in the general user interface. Mods and extensions have nothing to do with this.

Well then I guess I'm certainly a pariah around here hahaha!!

Here's how I like to run it. Notice the selected text is aqua blue and same for the Zen tab page search text. That is locked at the moment. I can enable changing those colors through about:config but without a proper mod or css patch I can only get them to work until I restart. It comes up janky colored until I cycle the switches in about:config or reset the theme I'm using because I'm still playing with Firefox themes on this browser. I have a dozen or so installed for testing and fiddling purposes, but my favorite skin is still the original Formula One that they delisted from the Zen mod store and can run a Firefox theme on top of it and get cool new combos.

I like the reds and oranges because there is plenty of mundane black, blue, gray/grey, white, and green everywhere else. I am a big fan of gradients too, just not on my browser frame. Looks wickedly delicious on custom menus. That being said, changing this also used to affect the hover color over the buttons and now does not. Notice the dark shadow around the home button. I should be able to have orange (or any) hover colors I want along with the selected text. They actually had a theme builder for a minute that let you do that. You can see the red background in the download pie...latest Zen installer coming down the pipe.

Notice the dark shadow around the home button and sidebar active tab. I like them orange or red along with the selected text, and yes, that's a link to Atari Missile Command on my taskbar. Beats the stuffings out of Minesweeper for quick entertainment.

For example on Firefox (also looked similar on Zen until the first 1.14b release) :

Two buttons at the bottom, one to expand, one for a second bookmarks menu, and used to have a third for the old Zen panel. I actually heavily used and loved that panel. You could get your mobile sites there and your PC sites to the main windows which almost always display differently and one will be what you want or need and even have different specials advertised to you! It was nice to have that option. GONE WITH THE WIND!

However, from the ashes there are a few good things. Zen got a bit snappier. I'm finally using the update feature...you can see the green dot on the Zen menu icon which normally I have blocked. I still archive the installers, profiles, and system install folder. 1.14.10b was the build where I decided to try the update feature for the first time and it janked out on me. It also kept crashing the browser when trying to push the notification for the update but that 's been fixed. Murphy's Law, but now working great. I also found the CSS changes in the back logs that caused this Firefox theme incompatibility. Apparently because "it's ugly" but that is purely subjective.

Yeah, ultimate control over the menus, layout, and colors on a Firefox based browser with a mod store is what drew me here in the first place. So far I managed to have some time to devote to keeping most of it. Just want my hover colors back but for most of you, not, and yeah, I'm typing to the wind because of course, you're already GONE WITH THE WIND hahaha!!

[istnein]

Minimalist, in the sense in the general user interface. Mods and extensions have nothing to do with this.

The thing/problem is, zen user interface isn't minimalist at all :/
Have you seen minimalist app before?

[nms808]

Minimalist as in Internet Explorer hahaha? Only talking the GUI here, although I've used plenty of static broswers. You can't even bookmark a page and they had zero options to install any kind of plugins or download any files. Basically just back, forward, home, reload, and history with a small, mostly blank toolbar. Hard to get your holy grail perfect browser these days as the choices are mostly down to Chrome and Firefox related ports with little support left for much else. Lean times indeed.

[nms808]

As of 1.14.11b my background in the download wheel, download status bar, and the icon that used to go red when downloading and stay red until downloads were cleared from the menu is now grey. I swear this team can't stop fiddling with the colors on every single release. Give us back decent theming again. If not, why not just have it all a single color and change the name from Zen to Monoblock? It makes about as much sense as nerfing Firefox themes did.