Visual Studio color theme

Question

What Visual Studio color theme do you use? Or just the default?

Also see: What color scheme do you use for programming?

Answer 1

Call me old-skool, but I just like the default. I just can't get into the dark color-schemes.

Answer 2

Dark themes as described at length by Scott Hanselman are interesting.

Answer 3

i also like the default one.. i tryed the black theme once.. i didn't like it..

Answer 4

John Lam's Vibrant Ink Port

More themes on Visual Studio Programmer Themes Gallery.

Answer 5

I think this is really down to the individual.. There are numerous good posts on the subject (such as Scott Hanselman's). I'm sure Jeff did a post too but Google Reader isn't finding it for me.. :\

I prefer a dark theme, find it easiter on the eyes...

Answer 6

Don't want to be negative, but this one has been asked before - is the feature that shows similar posts not working?

Answer 7

I'm using a customized version of Oren Ellenbogen's dark theme.

The main difference is that I've added extra highlighting for types and method signatures so they stand out a bit more for me.

Answer 8

I had a look at themes following two posts by Scott Hanselman Post 1|Post 2. I'm using the white theme Jeff Atwood is showing here.

Answer 9

I use the default theme, but usually because I find whenver i get my system perfectly set up (fonts, color themes, etc, etc) my machine finds a reason to be re-formatted. Also, moving around from contract to contract, it's just easier to use stuff out of the box to be more productive.

Answer 10

Font is a lot more important than color. Consolas!

Answer 11

Since nobody else has mentioned this, Ryan Lanciaux wrote a really cool Visual Studio Theme Generator with an excellent user experience here:

http://www.frickinsweet.com/tools/Theme.mvc.aspx

Answer 12

I use the defaults, except for setting the background to a slightly off-white(#FAFAFA). I find that it much less tiring on the eyes than a white background.

Answer 13

These ones are very nice. I like "Dark grey" most. Very important is the Consolas font, I think there isn't any other font which is as clear to read..

Answer 14

I use a variation of the Zen theme: Zen Theme

I've changed a few small details but my vs looks like that one mostly. I also set Windows XP to use old style (no Luna) with grey colors. So I'm mostly dark but not black. Since I use VStudio inside a virtual machine running inside OS X, I try to make windows look more "Leopard" like (grey/dark grey) so the colors don't distract me.

Off topic: I use OS X with "Graphite" so the Aqua buttons are less annoying (in terms of colors).

Here's a small sshot of both VS and a OS X Finder window together:

Visual Studio and Finder

Answer 15

I use the dark theme that I found here:http://weblogs.asp.net/infinitiesloop/archive/2006/08/06/Join-the-Dark-Side-of-Visual-Studio.aspx.

I have real problems with my eyes so have had to change my theme a couple of times because my eyes play up with some colours mostly black text on white backgroundn,some days it gives me headaches just staring at a white screen all day.

I also find changing my theme now and then helps get rid of any mind block that I have, I also run my VS in full screen mode to get rid of any remaining white so I can focus.

Answer 16

Modified Vibrant Jedi (basically orange on black with blue namespaces/classnames) with Droid Sans Mono. In Delphi I started off with the standard white, but tried Twilight when I thought the white was giving me eyestrain. I now much prefer dark or low contrast themes.

Answer 17

In my opinion the best low contrast themes for Visual Studio are Zenburn and Oren Ellenbogen's modification of it. I am currently using a modification of the Zenburn theme which does not have green colored output window and has a better support for XML files. I call it Zenburn Remixed.