GTK2
Introduction
GnuCash version 2 uses GTK2 for its GUI. With version 3.0, GnuCash has upgraded to the GTK3 library.
GTK uses resource files to control the appearance of GnuCash. Resource file locations can be found at GTK Configuration Home , while the filenames can be found at Resource file names.
It is important to note that the resource files are not created by default, and a user may need to create the appropriate files using a text editor.
Tools
How a user changes the appearance of GnuCash varies by platform.
Windows users can use the Select Theme tool installed with GnuCash. This can be further modified by manually editing the appropriate resource file as identified at Resource file names. Note that manual edits can get overwritten by subsequent use of the Select Theme tool.
Linux and MacOS users edit the resource files directly using a text editor.
Examples
A sample GTK resource file for GTK2 is available at: GTK resource file example.
Here is an example that sets how toolbar items display:
gtk-toolbar-style = GTK_TOOLBAR_ICONS
The possible values are:
- GTK_TOOLBAR_ICONS
- icons only
- GTK_TOOLBAR_TEXT
- text only
- GTK_TOOLBAR_BOTH
- icons and text below
- GTK_TOOBLAR_BOTH_HORIZ
- icons and text aside
Register Appearance
The GnuCash registers use a yellow/green theme by default for register windows. Users must disable this default theme in order to change register appearance.
To override this, one first has to disable this custom theme by enabling "Don't use GnuCash built-in colors" in the GnuCash Preferences.
GnuCash will now use the default system theme (or more precisely the default GTK theme for your system) for all styling. The system theme can be overridden by creating a custom GTK configuration file following these guidelines.
Then create or change the GTK resource file for further styling tweaks.
For making changes to the register colors and fonts, you can copy the Register - Font section and the Register Window - Colors section to your own GTK resource file and adjust to taste.
