Join the Dark Side
Posted in Development
For months now I’ve been using a dark theme for my Visual Studio, and I’m loving it. To someone who spends days and days in front of a computer, a dark-grey “canvas” definitely puts less strain on the eyes.
I don’t remember where I found the original color scheme, but I modified it a bit for my liking. Ever since I started using Consolas, I just can’t use any other font in Visual Studio.
Feel free to grab my Visual Studio 2005 and 2008 theme. Here’s how you install it:
- Copy the .vssettings file in My Documents. Visual Studio does some weird things if it can’t find the settings file later, so keep it in My Docs.
- In Visual Studio go to Tools | Import and Export Settings…
- Choose “Import selected environment settings”. Click Next.
- Decide if you want to back up your settings (you probably should, in case you want to go back if you don’t like the new syntax coloring) and click Next.
- Click Browse and find the .vssettings file from step #1. Click Next.
- Click Finish.
Oh, and if you haven’t configured your Windows box to use ClearType, you’re missing out a lot!
Enjoy!
5 comments
Daniel Steigerwald
on February 20, 2008
Cool, thanx.
Jon
on February 25, 2008
This is probably the best theme I've run across yet -- thanks for sharing! I had no idea how much the default theme was stressing my eyes until I made the switch.
Jasper
on March 12, 2008
I've been considering Lasik but was wondering if people who stare at a computer monitor all day and sometimes into the night would make a good candidate for Lasik. I really like your idea of the gray and the contrasting colors. Thanks.
Daniel Steigerwald
on April 14, 2008
Dark side is stronger and stronger. Next Visual Studio 2008 templates
http://www.winterdom.com/weblog/2007/11/22/VS2008ColorSchemes.aspx
Gordon Weakliem
on February 18, 2008
I've been using a green on black theme for about 7 years, ever since I got a LASIK and realized that black on white was burning my retinas.