Visual Studio 2017 Color Theme Editor

Question

I used Visual Studio 2015 Color Theme Editor and now I would like to use this extension for Visual Studio 2017. On the other hand, according to The Visual Studio Blog, it has not been updated yet. So, I am wondering if it is possible to use this extension for Visual Studio 2017 by modifying the previous one until the new Color Theme Editor is released.

Slushy

comment in marketplace link and in the blog on MSDN: blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/visualstudio/2017/03/07/… to request 2017 version – Jecon

@Jecon Thanks a lot. But Microsoft has not published an offline installer yet and creating some useful add-ons for VS2017 seems to take months or years for them :) – Inexpressible

you musr create your ISO. use the layout option to get all data – Jecon

See also https://mcmap.net/q/379060/-how-to-edit-customize-color-themes-in-vs2017-preview/814206 – Isagoge

Answer 1

Note : As Microsoft has just released Visual Studio 2017 Color Theme Editor, there is no need to use the hacked version anymore. You can install and start to use this newly released extension. On the other hand, if some changes are needed, you can follow the instructions mentioned on Update section below.

For anyone who want to use Color Theme Editor in Visual Studio 2017, there is an hacked version that can be used until Microsoft release it. The hacked version (created by Serban Var) is available on this page. Please be sure that using it on your own risk (I used it without any problem and the only thing I need to change for Solarized Dark Theme is Operator and Item Background colors). FYI...

Update : I use the following color settings for Solarized (Dark) Theme. Similarly, it is also possible to change the colors i.e. Operators, etc. for the themes you use via Tools → Options → Environment → Fonts and Colors.

Plain Text:

Operator:

Slushy

The colours in the VS15 themes not exactly match VS17. For example, binary operators are all black in all non-standard themes of the Theme Editor :( – Effeminate

@AlexeyZimarev Please see my update. If you use Solarized (Dark), applying these setting might solve your problem. You can also change the colors i.e. binary operators, etc. for the themes you use :) – Inexpressible

I was also able to use this method with Visual Studio 2017. I used the theme Darcula found here: github.com/strayiker/vs-theme-darcula. As with the Solarize, I needed to change the operator color. – Libelous

@Libelous As you mentioned, this approach can also be applied to another themes like Darcula that is one of my favorite theme after Solarized Dark ;) – Inexpressible

Using the VS 2015 color theme editor with VS 2017 can work. But... if you have both versions installed and use them both - any color theme picked in one version will be applied to the other as soon as it restarts. In other words, it is no longer useful for distinguishing, by color, which version you have open. :( – Separative

@Separative I think you missed something because there are two different location for settings: C:\Users\User\Documents\Visual Studio 2015\Settings and C:\Users\User\Documents\Visual Studio 2017\Settings. For this reason I have no trouble and I can use setting for both version. – Inexpressible

I followed another set of instructions for hacking the *.vsix module myself. Which could be why I got the results I did. I didn't think my employer would be happy with me using a hack from outside the company. They'd prefer something professional. – Separative

Just to add to the 2017 color list, structure guide lines is for the new dashed vertical lines that mark block structure. I'm using solarized dark and choose base02 for that. RGB 7, 54, 66 – Krusche

@Rfvgyhn That can also be use, but after trying it, I decided to use the default color for Structure guide lines :) Thanks. – Inexpressible

The actual extension from MSFT is now live. – Overscrupulous

Answer 2

The color theme editor is now available for VS 2017. Grab it here.

Overscrupulous