(Archived) HOWTO: Bringing some color back to Lion...

[heather 604]

So, you're not happy with the overall "Drabness" of Lion"? Think it's too utilitarian?

Here's my own, personal, attempt at bringing some color back to Lion. It involves swapping some resource files, but as the Director of Technical Support here, I can guarantee it won't mess up anything with your notes.

First, download this file:

https://support.ever... ... bafe98965b

Then:

Quit Evernote from File->Quit and from the MenuBar.

Open Finder, Hit Command+Shift+G and enter the following path:

/Applications/Evernote.app/Contents/

Right-click the "Resources" directory and select "Copy", then Paste it to your desktop (you're backing it up). Then, from Applications/Evernote.app/Contents, click into Resources.

Open the downloaded ColoredIcons.zip file, and Cmd+A to highlight all the files within, then drag them into the Resources directory. "Replace" everything there.

Restart Evernote and color has returned to the left-hand pane.

Here's how to bring coloured Evernote icons back to Evernote 3.2:

• Download the original icons heather posted: https://support.ever...b30e5bafe98965b
  
• The icons are all 16x16 pixels. Resize them to 32x32.
  
• Rename all the icons, add "@2x" to the end. Eg. Rename "source_list_icon_notebook_linked_selected.png" to "source_list_icon_notebook_linked_selected@2x.png"
  
• Copy the icons to /Applications/Evernote.app/Contents/
  

If anyone else has some spare time, or the desire, to bring other icons over, I'll be happy to update this file.

[javajudi 2]

After replacing the icons in the resource folder - all my icons are now green (see screen shot). And my shared notebooks are blue (not shown)

Running Lion on a Mac

[brinky 2]

Im happy with the Lion look. Atleast keep this as the default if there are thoughts to introduce colour.

[AdamZed 0]

I would love to see colour icons back in the toolbar. Colour is a visual communication tool and helps distinguish one item from the next.

What's funny is that they’re in the application’s resources. It's only if you’re running Evernote under Snow Leopard and below that they show up.

[ElroyAguiar 0]

I'm running evernote 3.06 on my imac (with lion, home) and on my macbook (with snow leopard, work computer). Initially when the icons were greyed out in the lion version i intuitively thought you couldn't click on it, since other application use this colour coding scheme. annoying.

[davidfoster 2]

Personally I think the new gray on white is a big step backward and is in no way a desirable feature. I'd rather have many more features than this one (for starters I'd like all font sizes from 12 to 20 available in the pop-up menu). I'd also like a 'sticky' color swatch or two (like red, green and blue) that I only had to click on instead of opening up the ^&%$ dialog which is a real pain if you are on a MacBook Air. A button that provided a highlighter would be nice too. I also personally would like a styles capability - it would save me a lot of time with my 12,708 notes. While I am on the subject of requests I'd also like a easier and faster way to edit tags. Sorting the list by number of times used would make it easier for me to eliminate or consolidate ones I rarely or almost never use.

Please provide the option of a more colorful, controllable GUI. I really don't care what the default is as long as there are other options. Right now it is any color you'd like as long as it's white or gray.

I also think you should consider a 'dim' skin (easily toggled to/from) for those of us working in dimly lit rooms. All the white in the current skin is dazzlingly distracting in such a circumstance.

[xpcoolz 1]

i love the color icons in evernote. it's much better compared to lion's grey-themed icons. please bring it back in future versions.

[nova47 60]

Pretty strange that Heather gives an option to "Bring some color back to Lion" and the thread gets full of posts asking for color in future releases. Some like the gray, some like the color. Her first post lets everyone have it either way.

[macfixer 702]

Just installed this in my copy of 3.1 — can we seriously get some color back in Evernote?

[Lancer 0]

I have been following up with Customer Support about the lack of color in the UI since Lion. Ultimately, they called this a "feature". I would suggest that making the UI harder to use by removing all color is not a feature. While Heathers icons above work for the list on the left side of evernotes, there is no way, as far as I can figure, to add color to the icons along the top. Yes, the icons are in the resource file, but changing them has no effect on the UI. Since there are no appearance features for Evernotes, I would hope that they make available to option to tweek the interface to fit individual needs.

[briangiles 0]

Thank you very much.

This just made my day.

Brian

[RobertF57 4]

Again, could the folks at Evernote perhaps link to a page that show a screenshot of the new color option described above? One respondent uploaded a jpg but it isn't clear how we can access it to view it. Thanks.

[jplumey 1]

Thanks for this!

[PeterLondon 34]

Hi folks. Just upgraded to 3.2.0, and these coloured icons don't seem to be working?

I have tried a couple of time, and a full restart etc.

Help!

[magdalen 3]

Ditto what PeterLondon said. I'd like the colors back please!

[magdalen 3]

Ok, I just figured it out. Here's how to bring coloured Evernote icons back to Evernote 3.2:

• Download the original icons heather posted: https://support.evernote.com/FileManagement/Download/4c5eaa46e05246c5bb30e5bafe98965b
  
• The icons are all 16x16 pixels. Resize them to 32x32.
  
• Rename all the icons, add "@2x" to the end. Eg. Rename "source_list_icon_notebook_linked_selected.png" to "source_list_icon_notebook_linked_selected@2x.png"
  
• Copy the icons to /Applications/Evernote.app/Contents/
  

[Jaako 4]

Please make the colors back!!

I don't know why Evernote turned to grey ONLY style of icons... It's so boring.. Mountain Lion is already so dull... Mac was supposed to have some fun in it!! I hope that Evernote will correct their policy and put an optional switch where you can have either colored or grey style...

I use Evernote to write blog notes and articles.. And this interface is so boring that I don't have any inspiration from it.. So I am considering switching to another software with more colors :-)

[Philb 1]

I like that. Thanks for taking the time to provide those Heather.

[rachsmac 0]

This is so awesome! I really missed the colour. thank you

[braintoniq 11]

Thanks, Heather. Really nice!

[Pitamakan 2]

For some of us, the request for color is not about eye candy.

Too much color, or too little (or none), is not helpful.

I image each of us sees this differently, but I do NOT find having a FEW functional color buttons to be distracting.

Using a few, carefully selected colors on a few key buttons/tabs can make it much easier/quicker for our eye to find what we need.

Exactly.

[JMichaelTX 4,117]

For some of us, the request for color is not about eye candy.

Too much color, or too little (or none), is not helpful.

I imagine each of us sees this differently, but I do NOT find having a FEW functional color buttons to be distracting.

Using a few, carefully selected colors on a few key buttons/tabs can make it much easier/quicker for our eye to find what we need.

Some examples:

• 
  [*:67bqrmdi]Evernote Capture Button -- it is much easier to quickly find this button on the Browser when it is the standard Evernote green
  [*:67bqrmdi]Brower Tabs -- having the current active tab in bright color lets me quickly see which tab I'm working on.
  When all the tabs are grey, or even shades of grey, it is harder to tell.
  [*:67bqrmdi]All Notes button -- I can find it easier when it is a meaningful shape and color.

Many applications provide "skins" that allow the user to create/use their own color scheme.

The resource files that Heather has been so kind to supply does basically the same thing.

I hope others will publish their color resource files.

[nitinbadjatia 0]

I think it would make sense for you to have both options available. I'd hate to lose the new Lion look. Honestly, it's been a game changer since the UX is focused on the task at hand and the UI doesn't make your eye lose focus.

[TechBarber 100]

I happen to love the lion interface just as it is!

[heather 604]

As I said in the OP, this was just a stopgap measure. If anyone has the time and wants to try for full-on color revitalization, feel free. The icons are all there in the Resources folder, and I've laid down the groundwork. PM/email me with your results and I'll post them.

[herebedragons 0]

Can somebody post a screen shot of what this will look like?

[attachment=0]Screen Shot 2011-09-04 at 5.43.24 PM.png[/attachment]

[herebedragons 0]

This is excellent. Thank you so much! I was really unhappy with having all-grey icons; it's easier for me to find my offline notebooks when they are a different color.

~ Wendy

[karenjs 35]

Can somebody post a screen shot of what this will look like?

[gunnc 1]

And please can we have the old usage bar back - the icon requires an extra click and is a step backwards!

[macfixer 702]

This is great! Any chance the colorful version can make its way into the final version of the Lion app? As an option?

Like the way that in Appearance I can choose the colorful "blue" appearance, or the restrained "graphite"?

[mrgoerend 89]

Thank you, Heather!

[Pitamakan 2]

Thank you!! This is a great start to restoring both the visual appeal and the usability of the Evernote Mac app.

If EN is officially going to stick with the monochrome, I really hope the replacement color icons will continue to be available, and additional ones added to the set.