Processing Dark Theme Notes. 02/03/2025
Some people find a Dark Theme for Processing easier to look at. The theme settings are different in Processing-4 from Processing-3. See which you have with 'Help' 'About Processing.
Processing-4
Select 'Tools' 'Theme Selector'. Select which you prefer (there are a few with dark code areas), and save. After that you can edit the theme.txt (in the sketchbook directory). This is my best attempt so far. You can paste these lines into the file (over the existing similar lines).
# Two sorts of comments
editor.token.comment1.style = #00FF00,plain
editor.token.comment2.style = #00FF00,plain
#
# Nothing/Don't know
editor.token.function1.style = #B020E0,plain
#
# methods, e.g. format of String.format
editor.token.function2.style = #0080F0,plain
#
# for and if (but not else)
editor.token.function3.style = #F09000,plain
#
# Predifined func names e.g. setup, draw, mousePressed
editor.token.function4.style = #FFFF00,bold
#
# Nothing/Don't know
editor.token.invalid.style = #666666,bold
#
# void, new, public, import
editor.token.keyword1.style = #B00080,plain
#
# Nothing/Don't know
editor.token.keyword2.style = #FF8000,bold
#
# else
editor.token.keyword3.style = #F09000,plain
#
# width, height
editor.token.keyword4.style = #80B000,plain
#
# Data types: int, long, String, boolean, ArrayList
editor.token.keyword5.style = #E06000,plain
#
# this
editor.token.keyword6.style = #9080E0,plain
#
# Nothing/Don't know
editor.token.label.style = #666666,bold
#
# Character and string literals e.g. 'A' "Hello"
editor.token.literal1.style = #00B0B0,plain
#
# Constants: LEFT, RIGHT, CENTER,
editor.token.literal2.style = #404080,plain
#
# Nothing/Don't know
editor.token.operator.style = #FF8000,BOLD
#
Processing-3
For a dark Processing theme you need to adjust the contents of two files.
File: theme.txt
Folder: C:\Progam Files\Processing\lib (or wherever you installed Processing.)
In that folder:
- Make a safe copy of the existing theme.txt, just in case.
- Open Processing_Dark_theme.txt
- Copy all that text
- Edit \lib\theme.txt
- Select all
- Paste the text from the dark file.
- Save and close.
- Make a copy of the newly edited file in case it gets overwritten by a later Processing update.
There is only one of file for all users. You can edit this file at any time, the changes will be effective after the next start of Processing.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Before you edit this file make sure Processing is not running. Check in Task Manager. If Processing is running it will overwrite your changes when it exits. This file is specific for one user.
File: preferences.txt
Folder:
- C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\Processing (Windows XP)
- C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Processing (Windows 7...10) ?
- ?? (Mac )
In that folder:
- Make a safe copy of preferences.txt, just in case.
- Open Processing_dark_preferences.txt
- Look at the text, next you have to paste it over the same section in preferences.txt
- Copy all the text.
- Edit \AppData\Roaming\Processing\preferences.txt
- Find the section of lines the same as the text for pasting.
- it's at about line 27.
- the first line has ...comment1...
- the last line has ...operator...
- Select that section and paste the dark settings.
- Save, Close.