metacity-theme-viewer

metacity-theme-viewer [THEME_DIRECTORY]

THEME_DIRECTORY
    Path to the directory containing the Metacity theme to preview. If omitted, the current theme is previewed.

The metacity-theme-viewer command is a simple utility for previewing Metacity window manager themes. It allows users to quickly view how a particular theme will render window decorations (title bars, buttons, borders) without having to apply the theme system-wide. This is especially useful for theme developers or users who want to quickly browse and compare different themes before making a final selection. The viewer provides a sample window that visually represents the theme's appearance, enabling inspection of colors, fonts, button styles, and overall layout. The command reads the theme's XML description files and renders a representative window accordingly. This tool is helpful for identifying issues with a theme, such as incorrect colors or misaligned elements, before the theme is actually used in a live desktop environment. It simplifies the theme selection process and contributes to a better user experience in GNOME-based desktops using Metacity as the window manager.

The viewer utilizes the Metacity theme engine and drawing routines to create an accurate depiction of the theme's visual characteristics.

This command only works with Metacity themes. It might not function correctly with themes designed for other window managers. It also assumes a functioning X server is available.

Metacity themes typically consist of an metacity-1 directory containing an metacity-theme-1.xml file and a gtk-2.0 directory for GTK+2 settings and images. The metacity-theme-1.xml file defines the window decoration appearance.

If the viewer doesn't render the theme correctly, check if the specified theme directory exists and contains valid Metacity theme files. Also, ensure the necessary dependencies (e.g., the Metacity theme engine) are installed.

metacity-theme-viewer was developed as part of the Metacity window manager project, which was the default window manager for the GNOME desktop environment for many years. Its primary purpose was to aid in theme development and selection. With the transition to Mutter as the default GNOME window manager, the relevance of metacity-theme-viewer has somewhat diminished, but it remains useful for environments still utilizing Metacity or for theme development targeting that window manager.

metacity(1), gtk-theme-config(1)