---
layout: default
title: Theme Tab
menu_title: Theme Tab
---

<p>
  This tab contains settings that change the visual appearence of Ardour.
</p>

<img src="/files/a4/a4_preferences_theme.png" alt="preferences
theme tab"/>

<ul>
  <li>
    <p>
      <strong>Restore Defaults</strong> When clicked will change all settings
      on the Theme tab back to Ardour's default values.
    </p>
  </li>
  <li>
    <p>
      <strong>All floating windows are dialogs</strong> When enabled Ardour will
      use type &quot;Dialog&quot; for all floating windows instead of using type
      &quot;Utility&quot; for some of them. This may help usability with some
      window managers. This setting requires a restart of Ardour to take effect.
    </p>
  </li>
  <li>
    <p>
      <strong>Transient windows follow front window</strong> When enabled
      transient windows will follow the front window when toggling between the
      editor and mixer. This setting requires a restart of Ardour to take effect.
    </p>
  </li>
  <li>
    <p>
      <strong>Draw &quot;flat&quot; buttons</strong> When enabled button controls
      in the user interface will be drawn with a flat look. When disabled button
      controls will have a slight 3D appearence.
    </p>
  </li>
  <li>
    <p>
      <strong>Blink Rec-Arm buttons</strong> When enabled the record-armed
      buttons on tracks will blink when they are armed but not currently
      recording. When disabled the record-armed buttons on tracks will be
      outlined in red instead of blinking.
    </p>
  </li>
  <li>
    <p>
      <strong>Color regions using their track's color</strong> When enabled
      the background color of regions in the editor will be displayed using the
      the color assigned to the track. When disabled the default region
      background color will be used.
    </p>
  </li>
  <li>
    <p>
      <strong>Show waveform clipping</strong> When enalbled the waveform
      displayed will show peaks marked in red if they exceed the clip level. The
      Waveform Clip Level is set with a slider on the Preferences
      <a href="/preferences-and-session-properties/preferences-dialog/editor/">
	Editor tab</a>
    </p>
  </li>
  <li>
    <p>
      <strong>Icon Set</strong> Changes the mouse cursor icons used to indicate
      different tool modes in the editor. An example would be the icons used to
      indicate whether the cursor will select a region or change the length of a
      region.
    </p>
  </li>
  <li>
    <p>
      <strong>Waveforms color gradient depth</strong> Determines how much
      gradient effect is applied to audio waveforms displayed in the editor.
      Values range from 0.00, no graident effect, to 0.95, maximum effect.
    </p>
  </li>
  <li>
    <p>
      <strong>Timeline item gradient depth</strong> Determines how much
      gradient effect is applied to the backgrounds of regions displayed in the
      editor. Values range from 0.00, no graident effect, to 0.95, maximum
      effect.
    </p>
  </li>
  <li>
    <p>
      <strong>Colors</strong> The color of an item in the user interface is
      determined by which named color is assigned to it, the color displayed for
      each named color in the palette, and in some cases, the transparency of
      stacked items.
    </p>
    <ul>
      <li>
	<p>
	  <strong>Items</strong> Each display item has a named color assigned to
	  it from the palette. Example color names are
	  &quot;meter&nbsp;color9&quot; and &quot;color&nbsp;4&quot;.
	</p>
	<p>
	  Click on an item's color example to change the named color choice.
	</p>
      </li>
      <li>
	<p>
	  <strong>Palette</strong> Hover over a color to display it's name. Click
	  on a color to open a color chooser dialog.
	</p>
      </li>
      <li>
	<p>
	  <strong>Transparency</strong> Some items have a transparency value.
	  Transparency can be changed from opaque to totally transparent.
	</p>
      </li>
    </ul>
  </li>
</ul>