Dark Mode

[AdminX]

I wish all chess GUI's had a dark mode. As I get older, I find bright colors cause me more eye strain when looking at the screen for long periods of time. I already use f.lux to help with it. I have noticed that ChessX has a Dark theme that is easy on the eyes. I was able to hack one together for Shredder and have not looked at Banksia yet. I also enjoy using Dark Mode on Lichess and TCEC.

[jhellis3]

Indeed! Dark mode is great.

For eye strain in general, blue light blocking glasses work wonders. If don't have a pair already, snag some from eyebuydirect or zenni. Worth every penny.

[mvanthoor]

I wish all chess GUI's had a dark mode. As I get older, I find bright colors cause me more eye strain when looking at the screen for long periods of time. I already use f.lux to help with it. I have noticed that ChessX has a Dark theme that is easy on the eyes. I was able to hack one together for Shredder and have not looked at Banksia yet. I also enjoy using Dark Mode on Lichess and TCEC.

That's awesome. Could you share this theme for Shredder?

If you don't already, you can also look into the extension "Dark Reader", for several browsers and Thunderbird.

The screens nowadays have such massive contrast that white is super bright and dark is super dark, which is very straining on the eyes. I have calibrated my monitor because I use it for editing photo's, but the contrast ratio is still about 750:1. Maybe I'll make a calibration for daily work at something like 300:1 (brighter blacks, dimmer whites). 300:1 was the contrast ratio of a VERY good CRT back in the day.

Contrast ratio's and luminocity are crazy nowadays, for daily work. That's the reason why dark user interfaces (and I mean DARK, not BLACK) are so popular.

After my cataract surgery last year, I have a serious problem with very bright user interfaces. My vision has much improved since the operation (except for reading tiny print...), but light sensitivity did increase a lot.

[phhnguyen]

I wish all chess GUI's had a dark mode. As I get older, I find bright colors cause me more eye strain when looking at the screen for long periods of time. I already use f.lux to help with it. I have noticed that ChessX has a Dark theme that is easy on the eyes. I was able to hack one together for Shredder and have not looked at Banksia yet. I also enjoy using Dark Mode on Lichess and TCEC.

BanksiaGUI has some supports for dark themes already, say, black toolbars and panels with customisation of background and transparency (alpha). Just missing some dark themes. Any help is more than welcome

[towforce]

Don't know which OS people are using, but in Windows 10, you're just two mouse clicks away from night mode.

[AdminX]

Indeed! Dark mode is great.

For eye strain in general, blue light blocking glasses work wonders. If don't have a pair already, snag some from eyebuydirect or zenni. Worth every penny.

Thanks for the Advice

That's awesome. Could you share this theme for Shredder?

If you don't already, you can also look into the extension "Dark Reader", for several browsers and Thunderbird.

The screens nowadays have such massive contrast that white is super bright and dark is super dark, which is very straining on the eyes. I have calibrated my monitor because I use it for editing photo's, but the contrast ratio is still about 750:1. Maybe I'll make a calibration for daily work at something like 300:1 (brighter blacks, dimmer whites). 300:1 was the contrast ratio of a VERY good CRT back in the day.

Contrast ratio's and luminocity are crazy nowadays, for daily work. That's the reason why dark user interfaces (and I mean DARK, not BLACK) are so popular.

After my cataract surgery last year, I have a serious problem with very bright user interfaces. My vision has much improved since the operation (except for reading tiny print...), but light sensitivity did increase a lot.

Thanks for the advice and here are the settings.

Dark Mode Settings

Goto Windows Menu > Design > Colors

Text and Moves R:128 G:255 B:128
Text Background R:85 G:85 B:85
Windows Background R:58 G:58 B:58

Engine Information R:77 G:77 B:77
Engine Name R:41 G:79 B:124
Engine Name Background R:196 G:255 B:136

First Variation R:255 G:255 B:15
Further Variations R:192 G:192 B:192
Current Move R:255 G:255 B:15
Comments R:255 G:255 B:255
Permanent Brain Info R:255 G:164 B:119

Classic Light 2D Squares R:202 G:255 B:202
Classic Dark 2D Squares R:0 G:204 B:102

Here is a link to the Chessboard I used, just replace the board number with any board you don't like that comes with Shredder by default.
https://i.ibb.co/MCPGYDy/board7.png

BanksiaGUI has some supports for dark themes already, say, black toolbars and panels with customisation of background and transparency (alpha). Just missing some dark themes. Any help is more than welcome

Planning on it! May need to add Colored Fonts.

[AdminX]

In all honesty I see no reason to replace the board as the default board that it comes with looks better in my opinion.

https://i.ibb.co/KXHGrfz/2021-06-03-8-46-49.jpg

[AdminX]

Here is a modified Dark Mode based on a Chessboard I like from LiChess.



Dark Mode Settings

Goto Windows Menu > Design > Colors

Text and Moves R: 234 G: 255 B: 254
Text Background R: 85 G: 85 B: 85
Windows Background R:58 G: 58 B:58
Engine Information R: 77 G: 77 B: 77
Engine Name R: 255 G: 255 B: 255
Engine Name Background R: 120 G: 79 B: 139

First Variation R: 255 G: 255 B: 15
Further Variations R: 219 G: 219 B: 219
Current Move R: 255 G: 255 B: 15
Comments R: 210 G: 240 B: 255
Permanent Brain Info R: 255 G: 164 B: 119

Classic Light 2D Squares R: 156 G: 146 B: 173
Classic Dark 2D Squares R: 120 G: 79 B: 139

Video of the display in action: Dark Mode Settings:

[AdminX]

Updated Dark Mode Settings


Click Image for larger view.

Dark Mode Settings

Goto Windows Menu > Design > Colors

Text and Moves R: 234 G: 255 B: 254
Text Background R: 117 G: 117 B: 117
Windows Background R:89 G: 89 B:89
Engine Information R: 69 G: 137 B: 137
Engine Name R: 255 G: 255 B: 255
Engine Name Background R: 0 G: 193 B: 49

First Variation R: 255 G: 255 B: 15
Further Variations R: 219 G: 219 B: 219
Current Move R: 255 G: 255 B: 15
Comments R: 210 G: 240 B: 255
Permanent Brain Info R: 255 G: 164 B: 119

Classic Light 2D Squares R: 208 G: 224 B: 208
Classic Dark 2D Squares R: 128 G: 160 B: 160

You can download the board here: https://i.ibb.co/M1wbWWH/board3d.png