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HOW-TO: Permanently change the theme for your user

slooksterPSV

slooksterPSV

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Apr 17, 2004
3,545
309
Nowheresville
Many of us can get tired of the same ole, but we love it none the less, Aqua theme. Now I'm going to show you how you can change this theme on OS X 10.3 or even 10.4. NOTE: THIS MAY HARM YOUR SYSTEM ----BUT WE CAN FIX THAT WITH A SIMPLE TOOL WE INSTALL ALONG THE WAY----!
First thing to do is download ShapeShifter 2.2 - if you have already used this product for 15 days, sorry, you're out of luck - reinstall the OS if you want and get the 15 days again.

1. Download and Install ShapeShifter 2.2 - google it.
2. Download ThemeChanger - extract it
3. Download ThemePark 2.1.1 Trial - extract it
4. Open ShapeShifter 2.2 in the System Preferences, find the theme you want, download it from there, or google for ShapeShifter 2.2 Themes, and download some.
5. After you've found some themes or a theme you want permanently, basically, install it by going to ShapeShifter in the System Preferences, clicking on Apply Themes. If you downloaded it off of a website, there is a some_file.guiKit, just double click that file and it'll install the theme for you.
6. Open up ThemePark now, while you have that theme on. CMD+N or File->New to create a new Theme. Click on Themes, then click Add and Rename the theme while you're at it.
7. OPTIONAL BUT RECOMMENDED - while on your Theme click the Options button and enable the checkbox in there.
8. Click on Appearance PrefPane, then click Theme->Merge With Installed Elements. Then Finder, click Theme->Merge With Installed Elements. Then Global Elements, click Theme->Merge with Installed Elements. Then Menu Extras, Theme->Merge with Installed Elements. Finally, Save Dialog, click Theme->Merge with Installed Elements.
9. Click File->Export->DLTA - Save the file as whatever you named it.
10. Go to /Users/your_login_name/Library and create a folder called Themes
11. Copy the DLTA file you made into Themes
12. Open ThemeChanger and change your theme. Just continue with the dialogs and install the tcfix tool - which is how we revert back to Aqua if things go horribly wrong.
13. Pat yourself on the back if you understood this and did everything exactly. - Now post your October Desktops people!

YOU MUST BE ADMINISTRATOR TO DO ALL OF THESE CONSIDERING 1 IS AN INSTALL AND THE ONE YOU HAVE TO HAVE ADMIN RIGHTS TO REMOVE/CHANGE FILES!

- I just restarted and I don't think its prmanent, but you do have to keep changing it with Theme Changer.

--This is the second HOW-TO Tutorial I've wrote on this website I think. I'm post 73 on October Desktops if you want to see how my Mac looks with Aluminum Alloy.

DARN IT - I forgot to give credit where credit is due: http://www.maxthemes.com/support/?question=7
That is where I got all of the information from.

AS FOR ICON'S Google for Candybar, its a freeware icon changer. It's by iconfactory and it's awesome.
 
Now to make this more to the point - the tool we installed was: tcfix
If for some reason, Mac OS X does not boot - boot into Single User Mode - CMD+S before the chime on startup. Once there type in tcfix to repair your Aqua Theme.
 
Just reading all that made me queasy.

Is it worth buggering up your system to save $20 buying shapeshifter?

My favourite theme is Titanium8.1 Nice plain grey, works well with photoshop palettes too.

For a background I like the "Ti7 Padded" another brillian slightly quilted plain grey.
 
dogbone said:
Just reading all that made me queasy.

Is it worth buggering up your system to save $20 buying shapeshifter?

My favourite theme is Titanium8.1 Nice plain grey, works well with photoshop palettes too.

For a background I like the "Ti7 Padded" another brillian slightly quilted plain grey.
Click to expand...

You're right it can make an inexperienced Mac user uneasy, and I don't blame them - you mess up one thing and don't have a back up, ur screwed. I'm experienced, and if I messup my computer I can fix it or reinstall lol. Lol sorry I'm just a risk taker. It won't mess up your system really if you backup the aqua theme then use the utility to fix it. So that's why we have redudancy-fixable tools built in.
 
slooksterPSV said:
--This is the second HOW-TO Tutorial I've wrote on this website I think. I'm post 73 on October Desktops if you want to see how my Mac looks with Aluminum Alloy.
Click to expand...


Slookster, you should look into a blog of some sort to keep all your HOW-TO articles organized. http://www.blogger.com/

Screen shots would add value too.

Also - whats Fink Linux (see your sig)?
 
kingjr3 said:
Slookster, you should look into a blog of some sort to keep all your HOW-TO articles organized. http://www.blogger.com/

Screen shots would add value too.

Also - whats Fink Linux (see your sig)?
Click to expand...
I'll try and do that.

Fink Linux is running Window Managers and Desktops that are Native Linux on Mac. So for example, I can run KDE 3.1 on Mac OS X Panther or Tiger using Fink or XDarwin is what it's called.
 
slooksterPSV said:
I'll try and do that.

Fink Linux is running Window Managers and Desktops that are Native Linux on Mac. So for example, I can run KDE 3.1 on Mac OS X Panther or Tiger using Fink or XDarwin is what it's called.
Click to expand...


And I just thought Fink was a package manager that allowed you to install *NIX apps...
 
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