Change Finder Sidebar BG and Selection Color

[82asmdf203]

Is it possible to change the blue-ish background color of the Sidebar in Finder? The default is RGB 223:228:234. I'd like it totally gray.

Also, can the selection be changed to anything other than "Blue" or "Graphite"? I've tried Flavours but it only changes the menubar colors, not anything in Finder.

 

[GameGenie710]

I don't think so

I've messed around with this for a solid two weeks for a side project of mine, and I've decided that the Finder sidebar selection colors are drawn programmatically by Finder itself and that therefore users will be unable to change them to anything other than the two defaults OS X allows.

The reason the menu bar selection colors can be changed (among other things) is because the actual selection is an image stored deep within the System file structure along with the aqua buttons, checkboxes, etc. images in

/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/CoreUI.framework/Resources/ArtFile.bin

/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/CoreUI.framework/Resources/SArtFile.bin

/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/CoreUI.framework/Resources/ArtFile200.bin

(ArtFile200.bin for 10.7+ only). While these image files are encoded in this strange bin file, this guy alexzielenski has created a bash script to decode and recode the ArtFile.bin, ArtFile200.bin, and SArtFile.bin files. So it's entirely possible and incredibly easy now for programs, scripts, or users to decode these files, swap in the images with the new hue and color they want these resources to have, then recode them. The changes are reflected upon logging out and back in. Finder sidebar selection images are not in here though.

Not all Aqua resources are stored here however. There are numerous blue resources scattered everywhere such as

/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/FinderKit.framework/Versions/A/Resources/

for what seems to be deprecated and unused Finder sidebar selection images and some other blue resources, but regrettably changing these resources and plenty others scattered literally everywhere throughout the System directory had no effect on the Finder sidebar. I eventually got desperate enough to look through every image in the System directory by hand to exhaust every possibility to no avail.

Because of this, unless the Finder sidebar selection images are also encrypted in a different strange file in some obscure location in the system, I'm certain that this image doesn't exist and that the selection is drawn by Finder programmatically. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, hopefully with the impending UI refresh in 10.10 we will see a more reflective system where the global "tint" of the system can be changed easily to reflect the wallpaper or preference of the user (much like iOS 7), but until then we're stuck with the hard coded blue or graphite. If anyone out there has a correction or something to add please do so as this is just my own findings and might not be the whole picture.

 

[allthingsapple]

Is it possible to change the blue-ish background color of the Sidebar in Finder? The default is RGB 223:228:234. I'd like it totally gray.

Also, can the selection be changed to anything other than "Blue" or "Graphite"? I've tried Flavours but it only changes the menubar colors, not anything in Finder.

I've messed around with this for a solid two weeks for a side project of mine, and I've decided that the Finder sidebar selection colors are drawn programmatically by Finder itself and that therefore users will be unable to change them to anything other than the two defaults OS X allows.

Yes there is a way to change the finder sidebar selection highlight color and background to whatever color you like. I've changed mine to black. See attached pic

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/41388906/Screen Shot 2013-12-02 at 01.30.52.png

To do this you need to Firstly download Easy Simbl. Then open the app and click on the button that says show plugin folder. Download the zip file i've created below and open it, then drag the FBeye.bundle into the simbl plugins folder. Make sure the use easy simbl checkbox in the top right of the window is checked before quitting the easy simbl app. Go into terminal and type, Killall Finder. Quit terminal, Log out and log back in. Go back to the zip folder and open the FB eye controller app. Select the first 4 checkboxes and click on the color box next to it to select your color. Make sure all 4 are the same color you've chosen before quitting the app. It should resemble something like this picture https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/41388906/Screen Shot 2014-01-14 at 19.35.07.png

To change the finder sidebar background color. click the background source list checkbox and select your chosen color.

Click Save and you're done. If changes haven't taken effect. then reboot your mac open the fb eye controller app and reselect the chosen color. Quit the app. and re-launch finder by clicking going to force quit in the apple menu and clicking relaunch.

The files you need are in the zip here
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/41388906/FB eye Controller.zip

 

[GameGenie710]

Well what do you know, it is possible! Haha, that's awesome, I had honestly given up hope. I am a bit disappointed the only known method involves hooks, I'm not entirely comfortable modding my system that way. But it is great to know it *can* be done. Thanks allthingsapple!

 

[allthingsapple]

Well what do you know, it is possible! Haha, that's awesome, I had honestly given up hope. I am a bit disappointed the only known method involves hooks, I'm not entirely comfortable modding my system that way. But it is great to know it *can* be done. Thanks allthingsapple!

No Problem. You're welcome. The good thing about this mod is that it's completely reversible and doesn't overwrite any system files like some other mods do.

 

[GorillaDunk]

Been looking for something like this for a while now, thanks!

One question though, how could I go about changing the text color in the sidebar? I wan't my sidebar to be dark grey, but the black text is barely legible if I do this using the fbeye plugin.

I know this is an old thread, and it appears allthingsapple has been banned... but it's worth a shot