Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

inscrewtable

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Oct 9, 2010
1,656
402
The menu bar us a bit too bright for me and I don't want to add 3rd party hacks so I was wondering if there is an easy way to replace a system resource file that won't bugger up the OS. And if there is, where it is located.
 
can't you change it under "appearence"?

osx-system-preferences.png


----------

*edit

no you can't. sorry
 
I've had a look at nocturne some time ago and from memory it made the menu bar black with white type which I did not like. I just want the light grey that it is now to be a few shades darker. The text can stay black.

I was wondering if there is a simple tif image somewhere in the system resources that controls the current light grey.
 
Top is how it is now, middle image is how I'd like it, and if there was a tif resource that controls the flyout background as well then the bottom image would be my ideal

menu.jpg
 
The menu bar us a bit too bright for me and I don't want to add 3rd party hacks so I was wondering if there is an easy way to replace a system resource file that won't bugger up the OS. And if there is, where it is located.

What you can do it turn menu bar transparency on then use a desktop photo that is dark along the top just enough pixels to match up with the width of the menu bar. That would make it look darker like you want.

I recall when I think Leopard came out the the transparency and it could not be turned off, there was actually a web site someone setup that you could upload a photo to and it would add just the right amount of dark band across the top to do this. I just search a little but no longer see the site. You might be able to just figure out how many pixels wide the menu bar is and make your own desktop like this.
 
There is already has a black image the full size of the screen, which is part of the problem insofar as it makes the menu bar stand out even more.


What I'm really wanting to know is, is what determines the menu and flyouts, is there something simple like a single tiff file in the system resources? Or should I just forget about it.
 
There is already has a black image the full size of the screen, which is part of the problem insofar as it makes the menu bar stand out even more.


What I'm really wanting to know is, is what determines the menu and flyouts, is there something simple like a single tiff file in the system resources? Or should I just forget about it.

That's what I am saying... with a dark desktop like you have, if you turn on transparency the black will show through and the menu will be much less intrusive.

I don't have an answer for your second question. Sorry.
 
In the end I've gone back to nocturne and although I did not like it at first I find that it's actually not too bad after some tweaking.

However it's the overly bright flyout menus that would be nice to tone down. Maybe apple should consider that as a future option seeing as all their apps like FCP and Aperture as well as the new CS6 all go for a dark environment and bright menu flyouts, especially big ones can be very annoying.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.