Grub2 theme in the spirit of Lubuntu?

Fri May 30 00:11:31 UTC 2014

As I began trying to tame the terminal box, I was working from the info 
in Towheed's Definitive Guide: Workarounds For Known Bugs: Apply a 
background image to the terminal window.

But as far as I can tell that info no longer accurately applies to the 
beta version of grub2 installed in Lubuntu 14.04 (and probably all 
current *buntu's), and I have not been able to determine what governs 
current behavior.

So I changed aim and used a plain-color desktop image and terminal box 
background.  The result is a box that seamlessly covers the boot menu 
and progress bar, but leaves the title and bottom labels untouched.  (I 
couldn't get a screen grab of that to post since the VM doesn't offer 
screen EDID info to grub, and grub responds by scaling the term box to 
cover almost the entire screen.  I'd love to duplicate the effect on 
real hardware but don't know a way.)

Screen shots, an archive (~ 750KB) with an install script, and notes on 
independence from resolution and aspect ratio are in a new post at Post 
your Grub2 Themes 
<http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1823915&page=14&p=13036809#post13036809>.  
I also detail there a couple easy manual mods needed after the install 
script runs if you want to match my results.

You can also see above it in post 138 the last screen shots of my 
stalled effort to use the Lubuntu wallpaper.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Earlier in the quest, I found that grub-theme-starfield is in the 
repos.  It is the default grub2 theme.  But under Lubuntu (and perhaps 
all current *buntu's), it does not work after installation without some 
knowledgeable mods.  And even when I got it working, I found that the 
dark-font menu items were almost invisible against the dark background.

Even as is, I'll venture to say that my theme is an improvement over 
starfield.  So sure, it would be great if someone with expertise edited 
the current install script to eliminate my supplemental manual mods to 
provide for easier installation.

Even better if someone made a package.

Even better yet if we could someone get current info on terminal box 
behavior.  Then it might be possible to smoothly use the Lubuntu 
wallpaper.  (I grant that in a dual-boot environment with Windows there 
is an argument for something more neutral.  But the correct info would 
be useful anyhow.)

Rafael & Co. might also have something to say about artistic touches.

On 5/25/2014 11:02 AM, John Hupp wrote:
> I have set desktop-image in theme.txt and GRUB_BACKGROUND in 
> /etc/default/grub to both point at the Lubuntu wallpaper file, and in 
> my VM testing I don't see a terminal box.  It may be that it appears 
> but blends so nicely that it's not apparent.
>
> But the terminal box was apparent on real hardware when I was testing 
> other things (before I started work on my theme), so that's why 
> further testing is still on my to-do list.
>
> If the terminal box appearance seems like a problem on real hardware, 
> then I plan on looking at the further-refined hack nicely detailed in 
> Towheeds Definitive Guide.  It provides more precision for the 
> overlaid box.  See the section "Workarounds For Known Bugs - Apply a 
> background image to the terminal window."  I think you already know 
> about this guide, but for general reference an archive of the guide 
> can be downloaded from http://ubuntuone.com/2EslXTLj5s2zzbeYKx17wJ
>
> Setting terminal-box to a non-existent file set seemed to have the 
> result in the VM that the terminal box did not appear.  But on real 
> hardware with that setting, the default black box appeared.  It may be 
> that the VM just does not display the terminal box at all for some reason.
>
> In any case, no, no way to truly make it not appear, but some hacks 
> that may be workable enough.
>
> On 5/25/2014 1:01 AM, Israel wrote:
>> Keep up the Good work!!
>> The terminal box is unavoidable unfortunately... however I have 
>> 'overcome this' by adding a grub background that says 'Loading' So it 
>> at least looks decent...  That terminal box is why I gave up theming 
>> Grub.... I wish there was a way to hide it.
>> Does anyone here know if you are able to hid it by anymeans?
>>
>> On 05/24/2014 04:20 PM, John Hupp wrote:
>>> I updated my screen shots at Post your Grub 2 Themes 
>>> <http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1823915&page=14&p=13031738#post13031738>
>>>
>>> Still on my to-do list:
>>> _ Lubuntu icon
>>> _ LightDM shade of white?
>>> _ Test on other hardware to see if an ugly terminal box appears
>>> _ Install script
>>>
>>> AFAIK, you can't style unselected boot menu items, so there is a 
>>> limit to matching with the LightDM login screen.
>>>
>>> On 5/23/2014 7:32 PM, John Hupp wrote:
>>>> You can see a shot of the work-in-progress at Post your Grub 2 
>>>> Themes 
>>>> <http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1823915&page=14&p=13031738#post13031738>
>>>>
>>>> I have some other things on the to-do list also, but I would be 
>>>> happy not only to have a Lubuntu icon, but also to know what shade 
>>>> of white is used in the LightDM login box.
>>>>
>>
>> -- 
>> Regards
>>
>>
>
>
>

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