Complete Tutorial for OS X Mavericks Theme on macOS Sierra

[hungx]

After running OS X Mavericks on the last MacBook Pro to run it natively, it was time for me to move on to macOS Sierra after losing my MBP in a house fire. This is my take on a Mavericks theme for Sierra.

1.) **Required** Disable System Integrity Protection (SIP).

a. While your Mac is booting up, hold down command-R.

b. Open Terminal from the Utilities menu.

c. Enter the following command without quotation marks and press return. “csrutil disable”

d. Restart.



2.) Menu Bar:

Use Menu Bar Tint (free).

https://manytricks.com/menubartint/


To make the menu bar opaque, go to System Preferences.app/Accessibility/Display and select Reduce Transparency.



3.) Dock:

Use cDock 2 (free).

http://w0lfschild.github.io/app_cDock.html

You may use the same settings as I did, or you can choose your own.




4.) Aesthetics, App Icons, Charging Sound, Menu Bar Icons, System Font, and System Icons and Sounds:

Aesthetics – Includes traffic light icons, check boxes, radio buttons, etc.
Charging Sound – Uses the iOS charging sound pre-iOS
Menu Bar Icons – Uses OS X Mavericks icons for WiFi, Bluetooth, AirPlay, etc.

Use xRevert ($4.99).

https://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/52882/xrevert

There are bugs with the Aesthetics files and System Font. The aesthetics files causes the text on push buttons to be uncentered, and highlighted items in Finder are unreadable. The system font option has spacing issues on the text on Safari tabs. I did not use these options. I modified the system appearance files myself, but kept the Sierra push buttons. My files are located here:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_JCsO_jReuneVdoS1NWUlNLbEU

Copy these files to /System/Library/CoreServices/SystemAppearance.bundle/Contents

For the iTunes traffic lights, copy the Assets.car file here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_JCsO_jReunMWd3ME5HdU11TGs

Paste it in /Applications/iTunes.app/Contents/Resources



For the Siri icon, paste the Siri.icns file attached to this post here:
/Applications/Siri.app/Contents/Resources

5.) Miscellaneous:

I copied the Photo Booth.app and Calculator.app from my Mavericks backup, and these work fine in Sierra.



Final product:

 

[sigmadog]

So you are running Sierra but you made it look like Mavericks?

Interesting idea. I've just upgraded to Sierra from Mavericks myself (after testing it on a secondary drive) and I have to say the skin doesn't matter as much to me as does the functionality of my software. In other words, as long as Adobe CS6 Master Collection and my other software is still functional in Sierra, it could look like a ten-year old's clown party and I'd be fine. Of course, the theme is visually very far from a clown party, and Sierra looks good to me (so far).

To be honest, that's one of the fun aspects of a OS upgrade: Getting used to the tweaks and visual changes makes it seem like a new computer at times.

Like I said, changing Sierra to look like Mavericks is an interesting idea, though I suspect it has limited appeal.

Cheers!

 

[wyzfreedom8]

Hi HungX, I am a big fan of Mavercicks theme and I really hate 10.10+ theming. I use cDock too. I even replace the Yosemite folder icon with classic folder.

Just like what you wrote, Xrevert is problematic. I really like mavericks traffic light color. Could you share us your systemapparance.car file? The file you currently share is only iTunes's assets.car.

Thank you!
Leonard

 

[hungx]

Hi HungX, I am a big fan of Mavercicks theme and I really hate 10.10+ theming. I use cDock too. I even replace the Yosemite folder icon with classic folder.

Just like what you wrote, Xrevert is problematic. I really like mavericks traffic light color. Could you share us your systemapparance.car file? The file you currently share is only iTunes's assets.car.

Thank you!
Leonard

I have 2 files linked in my post. That version actually uses the zoom buttons from Mavericks, but I am currently working on a version for the full screen mode. I'm away from my Mac right now, so I'll probably have the updated version up by Monday.

 

[jbarley]

Anyone looking for good traffic light replacements for Sierra /High Sierra should check out these from "redheeler", they don't come any better then this, complete with an easy install script.
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...or-macos-high-sierra-os-x-el-capitan.2062673/

 

[hungx]

Hi HungX, I am a big fan of Mavercicks theme and I really hate 10.10+ theming. I use cDock too. I even replace the Yosemite folder icon with classic folder.

Just like what you wrote, Xrevert is problematic. I really like mavericks traffic light color. Could you share us your systemapparance.car file? The file you currently share is only iTunes's assets.car.

Thank you!
Leonard

The updated files are now up!

 

[MarcusCarpenter]

The updated files are now up!

Hi I am having trouble using your modified files on High Sierra, seems the back and forward buttons disappear

 

[hungx]

Hi I am having trouble using your modified files on High Sierra, seems the back and forward buttons disappear

Apple might have updated the system appearance files. If you can upload the original High Sierra files, I can take a look at them. I'm currently still on Sierra.

 

[ThunderMasterMind]

I have been doing the same thing, but I'm basically doing everything from scratch, so it's taking a lot of time. xRevert is only good for the icons and pointing out what should be modified in the system. Some of the things I have to make myself like textured buttons for titlebars and such. Either I couldn't find them in Mavericks, or they were tampered with the extraction process making them useless.

Anyways, here is what mine looks like:

 

[MarcusCarpenter]

I have been doing the same thing, but I'm basically doing everything from scratch, so it's taking a lot of time. xRevert is only good for the icons and pointing out what should be modified in the system. Some of the things I have to make myself like textured buttons for titlebars and such. Either I couldn't find them in Mavericks, or they were tampered with the extraction process making them useless.

Anyways, here is what mine looks like:
View attachment 734758
View attachment 734760

View attachment 734761

This looks amazing, can you send your files please?

 

[ThunderMasterMind]

This looks amazing, can you send your files please?

Let me patch something up quickly, then I'll drop it into a Google Drive link for you. It's a work in progress, so a lot of things are still not themed and just use the default elements, but you are more than welcome to use it.
[doublepost=1510478919][/doublepost]

This looks amazing, can you send your files please?

Here's the link. This is for SystemAppearance.bundle. To install them, go to:

~System>Library>CoreServices>SystemAppearance.bundle(right click and select "Show Package Contents")>Contents>Resources

Once there, simply paste the new files in and replace the old ones.

Make sure you make a backup of the Resources folder in case you want to revert back or something goes wrong.

Apps will immediately use them when restarted, but to apply it system wide, restart your machine.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1sHKZ1YhK4d5QDZgjJ2t88_Fr40oqBxw1

 

[MarcusCarpenter]

Let me patch something up quickly, then I'll drop it into a Google Drive link for you. It's a work in progress, so a lot of things are still not themed and just use the default elements, but you are more than welcome to use it.
[doublepost=1510478919][/doublepost]
Here's the link. This is for SystemAppearance.bundle. To install them, go to:

~System>Library>CoreServices>SystemAppearance.bundle(right click and select "Show Package Contents")>Contents>Resources

Once there, simply paste the new files in and replace the old ones.

Make sure you make a backup of the Resources folder in case you want to revert back or something goes wrong.

Apps will immediately use them when restarted, but to apply it system wide, restart your machine.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1sHKZ1YhK4d5QDZgjJ2t88_Fr40oqBxw1

How do you get the back/forward buttons to work? they are not showing for me.
thank you

 

[ThunderMasterMind]

How do you get the back/forward buttons to work? they are not showing for me.
thank you

Those are in another file. I forgot where it’s located, so I’ll try and find it and I’ll send it to you.

 

[MarcusCarpenter]

Those are in another file. I forgot where it’s located, so I’ll try and find it and I’ll send it to you.

Thank you, very much appreciated

 

[Nawrocki]

Let me patch something up quickly, then I'll drop it into a Google Drive link for you. It's a work in progress, so a lot of things are still not themed and just use the default elements, but you are more than welcome to use it.
[doublepost=1510478919][/doublepost]
Here's the link. This is for SystemAppearance.bundle. To install them, go to:

~System>Library>CoreServices>SystemAppearance.bundle(right click and select "Show Package Contents")>Contents>Resources

Once there, simply paste the new files in and replace the old ones.

Make sure you make a backup of the Resources folder in case you want to revert back or something goes wrong.

Apps will immediately use them when restarted, but to apply it system wide, restart your machine.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1sHKZ1YhK4d5QDZgjJ2t88_Fr40oqBxw1

Is there an expected timeline when a theme pack might be ready to go? I'd be interested to try this on High Sierra.

 

[ThunderMasterMind]

Is there an expected timeline when a theme pack might be ready to go? I'd be interested to try this on High Sierra.

It will get done when it does. I never had a set deadline on it, so I work on it when I find time to. Retina is my main priority with it, so the SD portion is a little behind the Retina side.

 

[Nawrocki]

It will get done when it does. I never had a set deadline on it, so I work on it when I find time to. Retina is my main priority with it, so the SD portion is a little behind the Retina side.

No worries mate! I was just casually curious really. And I have a retina MBP so that sounds good to me!

 

[atul3009]

It will get done when it does. I never had a set deadline on it, so I work on it when I find time to. Retina is my main priority with it, so the SD portion is a little behind the Retina side.

any update for osx mavericks theme ?

 

[ThunderMasterMind]

any update for osx mavericks theme ?

None at all. I updated to High Sierra and it doesn’t work on that version, so I put it on hold until I got back onto Sierra. That MacBook unfortunately is bricked at the moment, but I do have my Mavericks hackintosh going strong with all my files.

 

[R2FX]

Hey guys,
does Menu Bar Tint work for you on multiple Desktops in Mission Control? For me it's only applied on the initial Desktop, when I switch between others they have no gradient applied:/

 

[BoopleSnoopy]

Anyone looking for good traffic light replacements for Sierra /High Sierra should check out these from "redheeler", they don't come any better then this, complete with an easy install script.
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...or-macos-high-sierra-os-x-el-capitan.2062673/

Here's a theme I have recently made for High Sierra.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/avq7byk9qz9o1nz/SystemAppearance.car

 

[jbarley]

Here's a theme I have recently made for High Sierra.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/avq7byk9qz9o1nz/SystemAppearance.car

Some sample screen shots would be good.

 

[BoopleSnoopy]

Some sample screen shots would be good.

Here.

 

[jbarley]

I prefer the traffic lights from Red Heeler because of the slightly larger size and color.

Yours are on the right...

 

[madastrota]

I just now upgraded to Sierra from Mavericks as well, purely out of necessity. I was perfectly happy with Mavericks and with the workflow I had developed with it and previous operating systems.
But circumstances prompted me to upgrade and Sierra has completely mucked me up!
The one big problem is that Sierra, in it's current state, isn't allowing me to have multiple windows open at once. Here are some examples:
1) When working on a project it is sometimes necessary for me to have multiple text documents open, along with some PDFs in Preview, and maybe even stuff from an additional program. In the process of comparing and referring to these multiple documents, when I minimize them (in Mavericks) they go to the dock where I can easily find them and call them up. But with Sierra, I'm only able to have ONE single document of ANY kind open at one time. And when I minimize something now it doesn't appear in the dock, it just slides into it's program icon, essentially disappearing.
And if I have a text document open then click on a second text document, it automatically closes the first one! So then I have to find it in it's original location instead of being able to pull it from the dock. This is incredibly inconvenient and inefficient.
2) Also, Sierra isn't allowing me to have multiple Finder windows open at once. Sometimes I need to drag or copy files from a subfolder in one window to a subfolder in another window. But now when I have a folder open then click on a second folder, the second folder opens in a tab inside the window that's already open. So I have to go the the menu bar and manually tell it to open that second folder in it's own window. That, at least, is a workaround but still incredibly inconvenient and inefficient.
3) It is common for me to be looking at a web page and then open a text document so that it's laying on top of the web page so that I'm able to make notes in my document while reading the web page. But, again, Sierra isn't allowing me to have multiple documents on the screen at the same time. So when I pull up my text document the browser goes away. I can't work like this!
These kind of seem like the same problem. Is there a way to reset this protocol to function like it does in Mavericks, where there are no limitations on open windows? If not, I have a pretty serious problem.