[mythtv-theming] How to set up a test bed for a theme

Michael T. Dean mtdean at thirdcontact.com
Mon Aug 1 14:02:56 UTC 2011


On 08/01/2011 12:20 AM, Kenneth Emerson wrote:
> I'm new to theme programing, but trying to learn.  I currently use the 
> blue-abstract-wide theme and wanted to make some small changes to one 
> of the menus (baby steps in the learning process).  Trying to follow 
> the instructions on the (several) theme wikis, I created a directory 
> in the mythtv user's home directory:
>
> /home/mythtv/.mythtv/themes/blue-abstract-wide/
>
> Then I copied the xml file I wanted to modify to that directory.  I 
> believe the wiki said that the frontend will search this directory 
> first and then the /usr/[local]/share/mythtv/theme directory for 
> everything else.

This is the way MythTV used to work, but it no longer does so.  It now 
expects a theme directory to contain all the theme files--and anything 
not found there is searched for only in default-wide and/or default, as 
appropriate.  So, all the suggestions to copy the entire theme directory 
are exactly right.

This makes more sense, now, with the reasoning that MythTV themes should 
be installed in the user theme dir ($HOME/.mythtv/themes/) by the Theme 
Chooser rather than installed into a system directory 
($PREFIX/share/mythtv/themes).  Ideally, one day, only a default and 
default-wide theme will be installed into system directories and all 
others will  be in user dirs.

Please feel free to update the wiki.  (IIRC, it's been like this since 
0.22, so no need to maintain info on the old style.)

Mike


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