Themes — Mister Download Manager

Make your own theme

A theme is one small text file, in TOML (or JSON). It names only what it changes; everything else comes from the theme it builds on. You don't need to build MDM or know how to program.

Make it

Start with a few colours, then add more as you go:

name = "Harbour"
inherits = "classic"
icons = "color"

[seeds.light]
background = "#eef3f6"
surface = "#ffffff"
text = "#11202b"
accent = "#0f6c8c"

[seeds.dark]
background = "#14212a"
surface = "#0e171d"
text = "#e8f0f4"
accent = "#5cc3e6"

[sizes]
radius = 6

[controls]
focus = "ring"

inherits is the theme yours starts from: classic (the default), high-contrast, metro, adwaita, breeze, luna, aero, aqua, or another theme file in the same folder.
[seeds] are a handful of colours (background, surface, header, text, accent, selection, error, warning, success) that MDM spreads over every control. [seeds.light] and [seeds.dark] give each side its own.
[colors] sets single colour roles on both sides, [light] and [dark] on one side only: #rrggbb, or #rrggbbaa with transparency.
[sizes] are corner radii, border widths, font sizes and row heights, in pixels. [controls] chooses the shape of text boxes, check boxes, buttons, progress bars, scroll bars, the focus mark and the title bar.
icons is color, mono or accent. A theme in a folder of its own (my-theme/theme.toml) can bring its icons in icons/16 and icons/24, each named for what it shows (tb-add-url.svg, cat-music.png); -symbolic ones take the theme's text colour.
contrast = "high" strengthens every edge and text colour on top.

A key MDM doesn't know, or a value it can't read, is skipped and written to MDM's log (the logs folder beside the themes folder), so a file made for a newer MDM still loads. The built-in themes are written the same way: read them on GitHub.

Every colour role (156)

Key	What it colours
`window`	Windows' and dialogs' background
`text`	Text and glyphs
`text.disabled`	Disabled text, the one grey of every greyed control and label
`text.muted`	Secondary text: notes, sizes, versions
`link`	Text that opens something
`error`	Error text
`error.strong`	A failed check's message in Options (connection, browser and helper tests)
`warning`	Warning text
`success`	Success text (a matching checksum)
`reach.near`	A download's server near by its round trip (under 60 ms), in Properties
`reach.medium`	A server at a medium round trip (60 to 150 ms)
`reach.far`	A server far by its round trip (over 150 ms)
`flag.edge`	The thin edge around a country's flag
`accent`	The accent: focus lines, open and default controls, filters, links' focus
`focus.ring`	The dotted keyboard focus rectangle
`selection`	A selection's fill: rows, a chosen day, selected text
`selection.text`	Text on the selection
`selection.muted`	Secondary text on the selection
`selection.inactive`	A selected row in a list without the focus
`selection.focus`	The focused row's dotted outline on a selected row
`group.line`	A group box's frame
`etch.shadow`	An etched separator's shadow line
`etch.light`	An etched separator's highlight line
`tab.page`	A tab page's body
`tab`	An unselected tab, and the page's shadow
`tab.hot`	A tab under the pointer
`chevron`	A drop-down's or spin box's arrow
`chevron.disabled`	A greyed arrow
`subtle.hot`	A part with no face of its own (an arrow, a column header) under the pointer
`subtle.pressed`	Such a part pressed or open
`highlight.hot`	A calendar's day or arrow under the pointer, a drop target
`highlight.pressed`	A calendar's day or arrow pressed
`field`	A text box's or a list's inside
`field.border`	A text box's border
`field.bottom`	A text box's bottom line while it can be typed in
`field.disabled`	A greyed text box's inside
`field.disabled.border`	A greyed text box's border
`field.readonly`	A read-only text box's inside
`field.readonly.border`	A read-only text box's border
`combo.chevron`	A drop-down's chevron
`combo.arrow.hot`	An editable drop-down's arrow zone under the pointer
`combo.arrow.pressed`	An editable drop-down's arrow zone pressed or open
`button`	A button's face
`button.hot`	A button's face under the pointer
`button.pressed`	A button's face pressed
`button.border`	A button's border
`button.bottom`	A button's bottom edge
`button.text`	A button's text
`button.text.pressed`	A button's text pressed
`button.default.border`	The default button's border
`button.default.bottom`	The default button's bottom edge
`button.disabled`	A greyed button's face
`button.disabled.border`	A greyed button's border
`button.accent`	An accent button's face
`button.accent.hot`	An accent button's face under the pointer
`button.accent.pressed`	An accent button's face pressed
`button.accent.bottom`	An accent button's bottom edge
`button.accent.text`	An accent button's text
`button.accent.text.pressed`	An accent button's text pressed
`button.glow`	The glow inside a button under the pointer, where the style draws one (Luna; transparent: none)
`gloss`	The shine glossy parts blend toward at their top: buttons, boxes, bars and title bars (Luna, Aero, Aqua)
`check`	An unchecked box's or radio's inside
`check.hot`	Its inside under the pointer
`check.pressed`	Its inside pressed
`check.border`	An unchecked box's or radio's border
`check.border.hot`	Its border under the pointer
`check.border.pressed`	Its border pressed
`check.border.disabled`	A greyed unchecked box's border
`check.on`	A checked box's or radio's accent
`check.on.hot`	The checked accent under the pointer
`check.on.pressed`	The checked accent pressed
`check.on.disabled`	A greyed checked box's fill
`check.mark`	The tick or dot on the checked accent
`progress.track`	A progress bar's track
`progress.bar`	A progress bar's fill
`meter.track`	A meter's track (a download's part done)
`meter.edge`	A meter's edge
`meter.fill`	A meter's fill
`list`	The download list's background
`list.frame`	A list's, a table's or a box's outline
`grid`	Grid lines between a list's rows in dialogs
`list.grid`	The download list's grid lines
`header`	Every list's and table's column headers
`header.line`	A header's bottom line in dialogs' lists
`header.sep`	The dividers between column headers
`table.line`	The dividers in the link grabber's and Add torrent's tables
`header.sorted`	The sorted column's header
`header.sort-arrow`	The sort chevron
`row.pressed`	A list row pressed
`chip.web`	The download list's Web chip
`chip.torrent`	The download list's Torrent chip
`chip.text`	Text on a chip
`list.drag-ghost`	A column header being dragged
`list.marquee`	The rubber band that selects rows
`list.marquee.border`	The rubber band's edge
`scroll.track`	A scroll bar's track
`scroll.corner`	Where two scroll bars meet
`scroll.thumb`	A scroll bar's thumb and arrows
`scroll.thumb.hot`	The thumb or an arrow under the pointer
`scroll.thumb.pressed`	The thumb or an arrow pressed or dragged
`menubar`	The menu bar
`menubar.bottom`	The menu bar's last row
`menubar.line`	The line under the menu bar
`menubar.hot`	A menu title under the pointer
`menubar.open`	The open menu's title
`menu`	A menu's background
`menu.item`	A menu item
`menu.hot`	A menu item under the pointer
`menu.border`	A menu's and a popup's frame
`menu.sep`	A menu's separators
`menu.text`	A menu's text
`menu.glyph`	Bullets, ticks and submenu arrows
`menu.text.disabled`	A greyed menu item
`toolbar.line`	The toolbar's top line
`toolbar.line.light`	The highlight under it
`toolbar.hot`	A toolbar button under the pointer
`toolbar.hot.faint`	A split button's other part while one is under the pointer
`toolbar.pressed`	A toolbar button pressed
`toolbar.hot.edge`	A hot toolbar button's edge
`toolbar.hot.border`	A hot toolbar button's border (transparent: none)
`toolbar.split.shadow`	A split button's divider at rest: its shadow
`toolbar.split.light`	The divider's highlight
`toolbar.text.disabled`	A greyed toolbar label
`toolbar.arrow`	A drop-down button's arrow
`icon.disabled`	A greyed icon's ink (its start)
`icon.disabled.end`	A greyed icon's ink (its end)
`tree`	The categories tree's background
`tree.lines`	The tree's dotted connectors
`tree.expander`	The tree's chevrons, where the variant draws them
`tree.frame`	The categories pane's frame
`progress.status`	The progress window's Status value
`progress.label.disabled`	A greyed label in the progress window
`segments.border`	The segment bar's frame
`segments.corner`	The segment bar's corner pixels
`pieces.have`	A torrent piece that is here
`pieces.partial`	A square standing for pieces partly here
`pieces.missing`	A piece not here yet
`caption`	A title bar MDM draws itself
`caption.text`	Its title and glyphs
`caption.text.inactive`	Its title and glyphs while the window isn't the active one, and a greyed button's
`caption.hot`	A caption button under the pointer (a tint over the bar)
`caption.pressed`	A caption button pressed (a tint over the bar)
`caption.button`	A caption button at rest, where the style shows one (a tint over the bar; transparent: none)
`caption.close`	Close under the pointer
`caption.close.text`	Close's glyph under the pointer
`caption.inactive`	A title bar MDM draws, while its window isn't the active one (transparent: as when active)
`drop-target.edge`	The drop target's edge at rest
`egui.panel`	egui's panel background
`egui.window`	Tooltips' background
`egui.window.border`	Tooltips' border
`egui.text`	Tooltips' text
`egui.selection.text`	Selected text's ink in egui's boxes
`egui.extreme`	egui's darkest (or lightest) background
`egui.faint`	egui's faint background
`egui.widget`	egui's widgets at rest
`egui.widget.border`	Their border (transparent: none)

Every size (26)

Key	What it sets
`radius`	Corner radius of buttons, text boxes and drop-downs
`radius.button`	Corner radius of a glossy push button (Luna, Aero; Aqua's are round at the ends)
`radius.part`	Corner radius of a tinted part (an arrow zone, a spin button)
`radius.check`	Corner radius of a check box
`radius.flyout`	Corner radius of a popup in a window (a calendar, a filter box)
`radius.menu-item`	Corner radius of a menu item under the pointer
`radius.egui`	Corner radius of egui's own widgets
`radius.popup`	Corner radius of tooltips
`border`	Width of a control's border
`focus-line`	Height of a focused text box's accent line
`chevron.width`	Stroke width of a drop-down's chevron
`font.dialog`	Dialog text (Tahoma in IDM's dialogs)
`font.dialog.bold`	Options pages' titles
`font.title`	A window's headline (Tahoma Bold): the browser extension's, the helpers'
`font.code`	A sign-in code to type at a service's page
`font.ui`	Menus and the main window's text (Segoe UI)
`font.ui.bold`	Bold headings in the main window
`font.small`	egui's small text
`font.body`	egui's body text: tooltips, multi-line boxes
`font.heading`	egui's headings
`list.row`	Height of a row in the download list
`list.header`	Height of the download list's column headers
`tooltip.width`	Where a tooltip's text wraps
`tooltip.margin-x`	A tooltip's left and right padding
`tooltip.margin-top`	A tooltip's top padding
`tooltip.margin-bottom`	A tooltip's bottom padding

Every control style (7)

Key	Its styles
`field-focus`	line, border, ring
`check`	fluent, square, adwaita, breeze, luna, aero, aqua
`button`	fluent, breeze, luna, aero, aqua
`progress`	line, bar, blocks, gloss
`scroll`	overlay, classic
`caption`	system, metro, adwaita, breeze, luna, aero, aqua
`focus`	dotted, ring, frame

Or let an AI assistant write it

Copy this prompt into your AI assistant and describe the look you want at its end. It gives the assistant the format, the keys and the rules: readable text and a visible focus in both sides, and nothing copied from anyone else's artwork. Look at both sides yourself before you share the result.

You are making a theme file for Mister Download Manager (MDM), a free, open-source download manager. Write one TOML file, named after the theme in lower case with dashes (for example harbour.toml). Reply with the file only, in one code block, then one line on how to install it.

THE FORMAT
A theme names only what it changes; everything else comes from the theme it inherits.
- name = "Display name"
- inherits = "classic" (the default), "high-contrast", "metro", "adwaita", "breeze", "luna", "aero" or "aqua"
- icons = "color" | "mono" | "accent"
- contrast = "high" (optional: strengthens every edge and text colour)
- [seeds] a few colours MDM spreads over every control: background, surface, header, text, accent, selection, error, warning, success. Use [seeds.light] and [seeds.dark] to give each side its own.
- [colors] single colour roles for both sides; [light] and [dark] for one side only. Role names are dotted and must be quoted when they contain a dot, e.g. "button.hot" = "#e5f1fb". Useful roles: window, text, text.muted, link, accent, focus.ring, selection, selection.text, field, field.border, button, button.hot, button.pressed, button.border, button.text, check.on, check.mark, progress.bar, list, header, menubar, menu, menu.hot, menu.text, toolbar.hot, tree, caption, caption.text, scroll.thumb, gloss (the shine glossy parts blend toward), button.glow. "segments.done" takes one colour or a list of 13 (top to bottom).
- [sizes] in pixels, 0 to 400: radius, radius.button, radius.check, radius.menu-item, radius.popup, border, focus-line, list.row, list.header, font.ui, font.dialog.
- [controls] shapes: field-focus = line | border | ring; check = fluent | square | adwaita | breeze | luna | aero | aqua; button = fluent | breeze | luna | aero | aqua; progress = line | bar | blocks | gloss; scroll = overlay | classic; focus = dotted | ring | frame; caption = system | metro | adwaita | breeze | luna | aero | aqua.
- Colours are "#rrggbb" or "#rrggbbaa". Unknown keys are skipped, so only use the names above.

THE RULES
1. Make both a light and a dark side: give [seeds.light] and [seeds.dark] (or [light] and [dark]) their own colours, and check each side on its own.
2. Text must be easy to read: at least 4.5:1 contrast for text against its background (text on window and field, button.text on button, menu.text on menu, selection.text on selection, caption.text on caption), in both sides.
3. The keyboard focus must be easy to see: accent and focus.ring at least 3:1 against what they sit on.
4. Disabled text stays readable but clearly dimmer than normal text.
5. Clean room: no artwork, icons, logos, fonts or text copied from any other program or company. If the theme needs icons, describe original ones to draw, never copy existing ones, and note their source and licence in a SOURCES.txt.
6. Keep the layout: a theme changes colours, sizes and control shapes only.

After the file, list each text and background pair you checked with its contrast ratio, for both sides.

THE LOOK I WANT:

Try it, without building MDM

Put the file in MDM's themes folder. View → Theme → Open themes folder opens it, and makes it the first time. It is in MDM's data folder:

Windows
%APPDATA%\misterdownloadmanager\themes

Linux
~/.local/share/misterdownloadmanager/themes

macOS
~/Library/Application Support/misterdownloadmanager/themes

Portable copy
data\themes beside the program

Within two seconds it shows in View → Theme, under the built-in themes, by the name it gives itself. Pick it and the whole window changes at once. After you edit the file, pick it again in View → Theme to see the change. View → Dark Mode support and Always dark switch between its light and dark side.

View → Theme → Add a theme file… does it for you: pick the file anywhere, and MDM copies it into the themes folder and uses it at once.

Already have a Base16 or pywal scheme?

It's a theme already. A Base16 or Base24 scheme (.yaml) or pywal's colors.json, added the same way, changes MDM's colours and nothing else: the scheme's backgrounds behind the list and the windows, its text kept readable (4.5:1 or more), its blue on the focus, the selection and the progress bar. Once wal has run, View → Theme lists pywal, read from ~/.cache/wal/colors.json (%USERPROFILE%\.cache\wal\colors.json on Windows), and MDM follows each new wallpaper's colours within two seconds. The guide shows which colour goes where.
Share it

Made something others would like? Open a pull request on GitHub that adds it to crates/app/assets/themes, with:
- the .toml file, and its folder of icons if it has one;
- screenshots of the main window in its light and its dark side;
- a SOURCES.txt beside any icons, saying who drew them and under which licence. Icons must be your own or under a licence that lets MDM share them (GPL-3.0), never copied from another program.
Not sure yet? Show it in the discussions first. The contributing guide explains how pull requests work here.

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Download Mister Download Manager

Language

The same window, your way

Classic

Native

High contrast

Metro

Adwaita

Breeze

Luna

Aero

Aqua

Make your own theme

Make it

Or let an AI assistant write it

Try it, without building MDM

Already have a Base16 or pywal scheme?

The same window, your way

Classic

Native

High contrast

Metro

Adwaita

Breeze

Luna

Aero

Aqua

Make your own theme

Make it

Or let an AI assistant write it

Try it, without building MDM

Already have a Base16 or pywal scheme?

Share it