Plasma 6 configuration files for main and floating panels

Goyano · March 18, 2025, 12:24pm

I want to change the background colours of the main panel and the floating panel for the global themes I’m using. One global theme is Edna, is it below file?
~/.local/share/plasma/desktoptheme/Edna/colors:

colors

[ColorEffects:Disabled]
Color=56,56,56
ColorAmount=0
ColorEffect=0
ContrastAmount=0.65
ContrastEffect=1
IntensityAmount=0.1
IntensityEffect=2

[ColorEffects:Inactive]
ChangeSelectionColor=true
Color=112,111,110
ColorAmount=0.025
ColorEffect=2
ContrastAmount=0.1
ContrastEffect=2
Enable=false
IntensityAmount=0
IntensityEffect=0

[Colors:Button]
BackgroundAlternate=224,223,222
BackgroundNormal=38,50,56
DecorationFocus=16,166,212
DecorationHover=16,166,212
ForegroundActive=16,166,212
ForegroundInactive=77,96,118
ForegroundLink=96,150,184
ForegroundNegative=231,76,60
ForegroundNeutral=230,126,34
ForegroundNormal=245,245,245
ForegroundPositive=26,188,156
ForegroundVisited=91,44,112

[Colors:Complementary]
BackgroundAlternate=30,87,116
BackgroundNormal=38,50,56
DecorationFocus=42,133,213
DecorationHover=42,133,213
ForegroundActive=42,133,213
ForegroundInactive=161,169,177
ForegroundLink=0,188,212
ForegroundNegative=218,68,83
ForegroundNeutral=246,116,0
ForegroundNormal=252,252,252
ForegroundPositive=39,174,96
ForegroundVisited=155,89,182

[Colors:Header]
BackgroundAlternate=38,50,56
BackgroundNormal=38,50,56
DecorationFocus=42,133,213
DecorationHover=42,133,213
ForegroundActive=42,133,213
ForegroundInactive=161,169,177
ForegroundLink=0,188,212
ForegroundNegative=218,68,83
ForegroundNeutral=246,116,0
ForegroundNormal=252,252,252
ForegroundPositive=39,174,96
ForegroundVisited=155,89,182

[Colors:Header][Inactive]
BackgroundAlternate=38,50,56
BackgroundNormal=38,50,56
DecorationFocus=42,133,213
DecorationHover=42,133,213
ForegroundActive=42,133,213
ForegroundInactive=161,169,177
ForegroundLink=0,188,212
ForegroundNegative=218,68,83
ForegroundNeutral=246,116,0
ForegroundNormal=252,252,252
ForegroundPositive=39,174,96
ForegroundVisited=155,89,182

[Colors:Selection]
BackgroundAlternate=62,138,204
BackgroundNormal=52,152,219
DecorationFocus=96,150,184
DecorationHover=52,152,219
ForegroundActive=189,195,199
ForegroundInactive=230,230,230
ForegroundLink=96,150,184
ForegroundNegative=231,76,60
ForegroundNeutral=230,126,34
ForegroundNormal=245,245,245
ForegroundPositive=26,188,156
ForegroundVisited=91,44,112

[Colors:Tooltip]
BackgroundAlternate=196,224,255
BackgroundNormal=38,50,56
DecorationFocus=96,150,184
DecorationHover=52,152,219
ForegroundActive=189,195,199
ForegroundInactive=77,96,118
ForegroundLink=96,150,184
ForegroundNegative=231,76,60
ForegroundNeutral=230,126,34
ForegroundNormal=255,255,255
ForegroundPositive=26,188,156
ForegroundVisited=91,44,112

[Colors:View]
BackgroundAlternate=248,247,246
BackgroundNormal=38,50,56
DecorationFocus=96,150,184
DecorationHover=52,152,219
ForegroundActive=189,195,199
ForegroundInactive=77,96,118
ForegroundLink=96,150,184
ForegroundNegative=231,76,60
ForegroundNeutral=230,126,34
ForegroundNormal=245,245,245
ForegroundPositive=26,188,156
ForegroundVisited=91,44,112

[Colors:Window]
BackgroundAlternate=218,217,216
BackgroundNormal=38,50,56
DecorationFocus=96,150,184
DecorationHover=52,152,219
ForegroundActive=189,195,199
ForegroundInactive=77,96,118
ForegroundLink=96,150,184
ForegroundNegative=231,76,60
ForegroundNeutral=230,126,34
ForegroundNormal=245,245,245
ForegroundPositive=26,188,156
ForegroundVisited=91,44,112

[General]
ColorScheme=Edna
Name=Edna
shadeSortColumn=true

[KDE]
contrast=4

[WM]
activeBackground=102,114,114
activeBlend=102,114,114
activeForeground=255,255,255
inactiveBackground=38,50,56
inactiveBlend=38,50,56
inactiveForeground=245,245,245

Does anybody know what configuration file it is?

I’m aware of tools like kde widget “panel colorizer” or “klassy”, but I want to edit it manually on purpose since I’m use a dark / light theme toggle (that interferes with these tools)

Bink · March 18, 2025, 10:32pm

I don’t have experience with this, but it would appear to me you’re in the right place.

This guide supports your finding, and provides some details on how to approach the task of customising your theme:

eso · March 18, 2025, 11:28pm

So you are using plasma6-panel-colorizer aren’t you?
First use the presets and copy 2 from
/usr/share/plasma/plasmoids/luisbocanegra.panel.colorizer/contents/ui/presets/
under your home. These commands will change the (two) presets
qdbus6 luisbocanegra.panel.colorizer.c32.w54 /preset preset ~/.config/panel-colorizer/presets/Rubik

qdbus6 luisbocanegra.panel.colorizer.c32.w54 /preset preset ~/.config/panel-colorizer/presets/Skittles

Modify the settings.json files if you feel ready for it.

qdbus6 -h | grep luisbo # show the correct command line not this

You can modify the global themes - probably solved - with

lookandfeeltool -a org.kde.klassylighttraditional.desktop 
lookandfeeltool -a org.kde.klassydarktraditional.desktop

(These are random examples only.)

MichelN · March 19, 2025, 11:46am

How do you het the bar for opening Firefox that wide (like windows) ? When mine opens i only have the icon visible without the name behind it.

keescase · March 19, 2025, 11:56am

That would be this widget I think.

eso · March 19, 2025, 2:16pm

There is always more than one way to do. (I’m still learning Plasma 6)
This is the Icons-and-Text Task Manager in Default Panel.
The width can be Narrow/Medium/Wide single or multi line etc..
Application launcher is dragged right.
2Panels

MichelN · March 19, 2025, 2:40pm

Thanks both of you, will look into it

Goyano · March 19, 2025, 6:52pm

@Bink
Thanks for sharing.
This is the section that describes the panel background color (widgets/panel-background.svg):

I understand this is part of the selected plasma style, but I still have no idea how to modify background color manually.

As I ealier stated I use kdecontrolstation to toggle between the global schemes edna and edna-light. And now my work around. I modify the global scheme definition file and mix in different (non global scheme) color theme, plasma style, etc. For edna this is the file: ~/.local/share/plasma/look-and-feel/Edna/contents/defaults

defaults

[kcminputrc][Mouse]
cursorTheme=WhiteSur-cursors

[kdeglobals][General]
ColorScheme=AtomOneDark

[kdeglobals][KDE]
widgetStyle=kvantum-dark

[kdeglobals][Icons]
Theme=WhiteSur-dark

[kwinrc][DesktopSwitcher]
LayoutName=org.kde.breeze.desktop

[kwinrc][WindowSwitcher]
LayoutName=org.kde.breeze.desktop

[kwinrc][org.kde.kdecoration2]
library=org.kde.kwin.aurorae
theme=__aurorae__svg__Edna

[plasmarc][Theme]
name=Rich.Teal.Sea

[Wallpaper]
Image=Edna-RanchoCucamonga

I think the file content is understandable other than “[plasmarc][Theme]”, which is the plasma style.
I still may tweak the used color scheme definition files.

@eso
Thanks for the hints. I may use this in the future.

eso · March 19, 2025, 8:54pm

Maybe it’s my fault, but I don’t understand. You insert Panel colorizer widget into each panel.
Right-click > Configure Panel colorizer
Enable it by a check-box
At Preset Autoloading down at Widget Click set Action Show popup
Use the panels of Edna or pick / Download the Presets you like. Out of 35 only 3 or 5 did not work for me.
At Appearance the Background Colors can be Custom list:

and these customized presets can be swapped by commands. See at post #3.
You are not the first person with such a dream. No need to reinwent the wheel.
Do I misread something?

Goyano · March 20, 2025, 12:45pm

I used Panel colorizer widget.
I toggle between two global schemes, a dark and a light scheme, depending on light environment (day and night). Ideally for me these schemes would be a darker and a lighter grey, but not too light. There is not a single day / night scheme in the kde store following this coloring.
I thought panel colorizer could help me but it doesn’t, and swapping presets with commands I do not want.
That aspect is so much easier in gnome, just install an extension, then toggle between day and night colors as specified in the extension.
But I’m with kde, and the reality is, just everyone likes black or extreme bright background. Like EOS purple on black, or Garuda dragonized insane coloring, what do scheme creators believe how that is for people with eye deficiencies? Manjaro at least provides a day/night scheme including day/night wallpaper, however the dark scheme is way too dark, the light scheme is way too light. Ok, in all fairness, users supposed to change it on their on. All good, but I’m struggeling to get it done on plasma 6. Because plasma 6 is not designed for simple color modifications, emphesis on simple.

Given what plasma 6 is, probably most people with such a dream eventually find themselves in gnome.

eso · March 20, 2025, 11:09pm

Thank you. Now I know more about the problem.
We all move in a bubble of habits. All I’m reporting is that I tried installing hyprland next to Plasma.
Alongside. At login you can select the session: Hyprland or Plasma.
https://github.com/JaKooLit/Arch-Hyprland
I ran the install.sh outside Plasma – pressed Ctrl+Alt+F3 – and selected all except for rog (asus).
No need to be afraid. With few modifications you can get to a system with much more readable screens.
Geany has the advantage it remembers the last position of the modified text file. So
~/.config/waybar/style.css
is a symlink pointing to the actual style.css.
I cycled all over the possible variants by pressing Super+Shift+E k- which brings up
Switch Dark-Light Theme
having pressed Enter I called geany by Super+D and modified
font-size: 97%
to
font-size: 105%
in each style.css. Not too elegant but it works. Later you can delete the styles you dislike.
The panel is called waybar here. These are the options:
swappy-20250320-234812
I use a laptop layout.
Some sample styles of waybar:

These Dark-Light theme changes are doable by Shortcuts. I do not believe in automatic ‘redshift’.
I stop whispering and lift my hat in front of the developer(s) of JaKooLit Arch-Hyprland.
On the top of all that Super+Alt + mouse scroll magnifies the screen.
Start with clicking on HINT! or press Super+H