How to change color theme?

[ags1234]

Using Far decompressed in a directory from Far30b6286.x86.20240315.7z archive.
In Addons\Colors\Interface\ noticed some predefined themes, but it is not obvious to me how to apply them.
Went to Options - Colors and changed a few things there that reflected in the interface, but I don't know how to save all my modifications to a separate theme.

[alabuzhev]

it is not obvious to me how to apply them

See Addons\README.TXT

how to save all my modifications to a separate theme

No predefined action for this, but you can export the configuration (see far /?) and copy the corresponding node into a new file.

[ags1234]

Ah, thanks @alabuzhev !
So assuming you opened Command Prompt and are in the current directory where far.exe is:

Far.exe /import .\Addons\Colors\Interface\dn_like.farconfig

to import the configuration from the desired file, dn_like.farconfig in this case. Then, to start the program with a configuration that includes what we imported above:

Far.exe

Just trying out Far and it seems nice, though a little awkward having just a text interface.
A little annoying that it does not fit as much content as a graphical orthodox file manager. So I have to make the window bigger to see all the long names.
And it does not seem too advanced with color theme management.

[alabuzhev]

I have to make the window bigger to see all the long names

You can make the window bigger, or the font smaller, or the panel or its columns wider, or scroll the long names manually, there are quite a few options.

And it does not seem too advanced with color theme management

In theory we could introduce a proper UI for this, with a list of available themes, preview, export etc.
I even have a draft branch somewhere.
However, usually you only try other themes once, realize that you don't like them anyway, come up with your own and stick to it till the end of time, so there's not much motivation to make this too advanced.

[ags1234]

However, usually you only try other themes once, realize that you don't like them anyway, come up with your own and stick to it till the end of time, so there's not much motivation to make this too advanced.

Haha, fair enough!

[MKadaner]

@ags1234, welcome to Far user community as they say it these days. I highly recommend doing two things:

1. Turn off mouse in Options → Interface settings → Mouse. Far is at its best when controlled from the keyboard.
2. Read help from cover to cover. It is not large. You can even read FarEng.hlf file. It's a text file, just about 7000 short lines. The best way to read it is in the built-in Far editor (F4). You likely would forget most of the keyboard shortcuts, but you will get an idea of what is possible, so next time you need something, you know it is there somewhere.

[ags1234]

I am going to do that, thanks.
There might be a somewhat difficult accommodation to Far for new users, mainly because it is text mode.
So no comfortable interaction with the rest of the GUI software, like drag-and-drop.
Also the window space is not as efficiently used when all the fonts are fixed width.
But the interface is clear, very well organized, with a lot of advanced options. It shows it's maturity.
With a nice theme, there is a certain sweetness to Far.

[MKadaner]

... because it is text mode.

Well, it's the whole point of using Far. In exchange, you're getting a real, honest command prompt and console. You can run (virtually) any command line application, and it will work exactly as you would expect it. I believe there is no way to emulate console in a GUI application with this level of fidelity (unless you use another console emulator). For example, if you use a command line script to set up a complex command-line-based development environment (which is often the case), you can launch Far at the end of such script and have the fully functional environment plus Far panels and all other goodies.

... like drag-and-drop.

While you cannot drop a file from Explorer to Far (but why do you use Explorer to start with? 🙂) you can copy file's full path with Alt+Shift+Ins and paste it directly to any GUI "Open" or "Save" dialog. This trick replaces dragging file from Far to GUI applications and works like charm.

[ags1234]

You are right about Explorer :)
But unfortunately the Desktop is still Explorer.
I found this plugin (https://github.com/VictorVG/PLG/blob/master/Drag-n-Drop.7z), which should add support for drag-and-drop to Far.
The problem is that when I try to drag a file from Far to Desktop it badly freezes my ConEmu+Far. But if I am patient through the freeze, the control is returned and the file is copied.

[bitraid]

If you are using ConEmu, it already provides support for drag and drop with Far. Look at Settings -> Far Manager.

[ags1234]

@bitraid, thanks for that. It seems there is a tight integration between these two.
I disabled the plugin and relied only on ConEmu for drag-and-drop, but it doe not work for me, in neither direction.

[bitraid]

Have you installed the ConEmu plugin in Far?

[ags1234]

@bitraid
Hey, it worked!
I copied ConEmu directory from \ConEmu\plugins into \Far\Plugins. And restarted Far.
Now in F11 menu I have 4 new ConEmu entries.