Quote:
Originally Posted by juliansader
Could someone please explain in a bit more detail how the item_bg.png file and transparency of empty items work?
I am using the RADO V4 theme, and even though I have edited item_bg.png, or even copied the file from other themes, nothing seems to affect the transparency of empty items.
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See the following setting in Preferences:
Appearance -> peaks/waveforms: tint strength for media item background
This works together with the item_bg.png and item_sel_bg.png files. I'm guessing your setting is at 4 for "unselected" and you'd prefer it at 2 or 3.
"Version 5" line in rtconfig.txt is also important. If it's in there it'll prevent you from making some changes to the appearance of the theme in terms of tinting. Plus:
-If "Version 5" line is not in rtconfig.txt, and there's no transparency in the mcp/tcp/item bg png files, the color of the files becomes the color of the elements.
-If "Version 5" line is not in rtconfig.txt, and there IS transparency in those png files, then not only does that affect the tinting of those elements but you can also use that setting in the preferences that I mentioned. (You may have to remove that line from your theme.)
Oh also if the line "tinttcp" existsin rtconfig.txt, that'll override the settings in preferences for these things. (You may want to change it to "tinttcp=0" to relinquish control of those tinting options to your preferences in Reaper, then change your settings in preferences including also for the Appearance -> track control panels.)
Depending on the theme, removing "Version 5" and/or "tinttcp" lines can mean you have to specify some tinting specifically by changing the PNG files (there's no "control" by the tinttcp line anymore).
I'm far from an expert on this, but I've noticed this much while editing a theme or two.
Note: I just realized that removing the "Version 5" line in rtconfig.txt makes transparency irrelevant for TCP/MCP background png images (instead relying only on color/shade of tint in those png files).
So yeeeeeaaaah...it's a lot of messing around.
Here's what I'm doing, and I recommend (if you're not already doing something similar):
-unpack the .reaperthemezip file you're working on and remove it from the colorthemes directory (leaving the *.reapertheme and folder of files; Reaper should be able to load the theme from these instead).
-open Reaper and load the theme.
-open the theme's image files you want to edit in your image editor while having Reaper open. Do your edits (and assuming you have an undo history there in the image editor), then save the files but don't close the editor (this means you can undo what you did to the files quickly if you need to).
-reload the theme in Reaper (CTRL+ALT+PageDown then CTRL+ALT+PageUp will quickly do the trick) to see the changes. If you're not sure of the changes or you just want the old version back, undo what you did in the image editor (you left it open, right?
) and then save those files again and reload the theme again.
-once you're sure you're done editing all the things you want (but hey, we're never done are we?
), zip the *.reapertheme and folder as a zip file and rename it *.reaperthemezip. Leave that in the colorthemes directory and remove the "unzipped" ones.