How to Make a Mozilla Firefox Theme
Mozilla Firefox has a set of attributes that can be altered to change the appearance of the browser. For example, the borders, buttons, backgrounds, and other visual elements can all be altered to give the browser a unique look. Mozilla has made this process open to the public, allowing anyone with skills in graphics editing and some basic programming to make their own theme. Although it can be difficult if you have no familiarity with CSS, the amount of programming necessary to create a Firefox theme is fairly limited. Thus, just about anyone with graphics editing abilities can create a Firefox theme.
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Things You'll Need
- Firefox theme
- Unpacking or unzipping program
- Text editor
- Graphics editor
Instructions
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Choose a theme that you will alter to create your own theme. Mozilla suggests using the default theme, which can be found in the install directory of Firefox. Some theme designers suggest downloading a theme that works on both Mac and PC as the default theme is programmed only for the system you are using. If you choose a third party theme, be sure to get permission before creating alterations.
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Create a folder to store the original theme, and your edits of that theme. Move the themes ".jar" file into this folder. For the default theme, this file is named, "classic.jar."
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Unpack the .jar file inside the folder. If your unpacking program cannot unpack the file, rename it with the file extension .zip and unzip it. For example, you would rename the default theme "classic.zip" and use an unzipping program to unzip the files.
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Navigate to famkruithof.net to create a unique ID for your theme. Every time a person navigates to this page, it creates a unique ID, called a UUID, that can be used in your Firefox theme. Copy the file, "install.rdf," in the themes directory, and open it using a text editor. Replace the UUID with your own UUID in the field that begins with "<em:id>."
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Open the image files you wish to edit. Many portions of the theme can be edited, including the background, the icons, the toolbar, and nearly any other image that is part of Firefox. Save any files you edit with their original name. This ensures that the CSS file does not create errors, and pull up the wrong image at the wrong time. Most Firefox theme images are created in .png format, the default for Adobe Fireworks.
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Repackage all the files into a new .zip file, and rename the file to have the extension .jar. For example, after zipping the programs back up, you wold name the file something like, "mytheme.jar." If you wish to share your work, you can upload the theme to the Firefox themes directory.
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Tips & Warnings
Using the standard .png file structure for your images helps create more seamless themes. .png files are the only image files that have a transparent edge, making them easier to integrate into the overall picture.
Ensure that the names of your files remain the same as the original files prevent you from having to reprogram the main CSS file, which saves time and requires less expertise.
There are many sub-folders within a theme directory. It is worth exploring all of them to determine if there are icons you wish to edit hidden in sub-folders.
Many themes, including the Firefox default theme, are licensed for open use. However, user created themes may be subject to copyright. When you choose a theme to use as your basic theme, be sure that you either have the author's permission to use the theme, or that it is specifically licensed under a GNU or public license allowing others to repackage and edit the contents.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images
