[Lazarus] Special Request: Theme entire IDE support

[Michael Van Canneyt]

On Mon, 12 Mar 2018, Anthony Walter via Lazarus wrote:

> Graeme, thanks for the feedback.
>
> To everyone, I already have a plan for a basic theme system for all
> platforms which I'll be publishing as a design time package soon. It will
> work using text theme define files, and apply properties values to
> everything in the IDE using a pattern matching system with groups. It will
> search for published properties of all controls inside the IDE, changing
> them to the values specified in the define file. It will also provide a
> preview of changes to a select group of controls such that you can preview
> a theme by clicking on its name from a list of available themes.

I don't think this is a good idea.

If you do this, then you're again offsetting a real solution by years by
providing a half-baked solution that maybe satisfies an itch you have now, 
but fails to provide a long-term solution.

So if you do intend to make an effort (and I realize it is one), 
please do it on a lower level, namely the LCL. That can mean making fpGUI
widgetset really usable for the IDE, or the customdrawn widgetset, or
something else.

But at least then all applications can benefit from the effort.

There is nothing wrong with having vision and a long-term plan.
But yes, it does take perseverance and resisting scratching an immediate itch.

Michael.