How to Modify Mathematica 7 Documentation Center Default Styles
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg106356] How to Modify Mathematica 7 Documentation Center Default Styles
- From: cjg <chuckgwo at gmail.com>
- Date: Sun, 10 Jan 2010 03:29:55 -0500 (EST)
This is dedicated to all the Old-Timer who has, for what ever reason, downgraded to Mathematica 7 and suffered through the process. As years go by and my eyes are getting older every day, computer screen are getting better with ever smaller pixel size, default styles used in Documentation Center, or DC, is absolutely unbearable. This post give instructions on how to modify the default style sheet associated with various part of the DC, which includes Function Navigator and Virtual Book. Here I need to thank David Reiss for pointing out that DC style is defined in Reference.nb. On a Mac, it is located at / Applications/MathematicaV7.app/SystemFiles/FrontEnd/StyleSheets/ Wolfram/. For a while, I was in vain modifying HelpBrowser.nb, which defines the styles used in Mathematica 5.2 Help Browser. On a Mac, find Mathematica 7 in the Application folder. Right click it and select show package contents. Go to the above location and copy Reference and save it some where else for backup. Now, you can double click Reference to open it. My goal here is not to completely modify all the styles used in DC. I just want to modify enough of it so that most of DC is more legible on a modern computer screen for a pair of old eyes. The list of styles to modify is not intended to be exhaustive. However, it already covers over 90% the DC that we use most often. Once Reference is opened, you can modify each to your own liking. Don't worry about messing anything up. You have the original to go back to. In addition, you will not be able to save this notebook to its original location. You have to use save as command to save it some where else. Changes made at each style will be reflected immediately in DC. So, it is a good idea to open the corresponding part of DC to see if you like what you see. To change each style, locate it, open the cell group, select the first cell, this one defines the style for the screen environment, unlock the cell by selecting Cell\Cell Properties\Editable, go to the Format menu to make the change that suit you, reverse above steps as necessary and go on to the next. If you want to modify a part of the DC that you don't know which style to change, just as I did in finding the list below, you can start out by changing a suspected one to some unusual color and look back at DC and see if you guess it right or not. Change to Reference are reflected immediately in DC. Make a note of what changes you made that suite your taste. Once you are happy with what you see in DC, save Reference. You can't save it back to the original location, so save it in your own document folder. Now, quit Mathematica and copy Reference you just modified to replace the original in /Applications/MathematicaV7.app/SystemFiles/ FrontEnd/StyleSheets/Wolfram/. Launch Mathematica and all the changes you just made will be reflected in DC. Here is the list in Reference that I made change to suit my own need. It should be a good starting point. Text Text -> Verdana 14 Function Page Styles: define styles used in Function Navigator Usage -> Verdana 14 Notes -> Verdana 14 1ColumnTableMod -> Courier 14 2ColumnTableMod -> Courier 14 3ColumnTableMod -> Courier 14 PrimaryExampleSection -> Verdana 12 ExampleText -> Verdana 14 ExampleSection -> Verdana Bold 12 ExampleSubsection -> Verdana Bold 12 SeeAlsoSection -> Verdana 12 SeeAlso -> Verdana Bold 12 Tutorials -> Verdana 14 Tutorial Page Styles: define styles used in Virtual Book DefinitionBox -> Verdana 14 DefinitionBox3Col -> Verdana 13 Caption -> Helvetica 12 MathCaption -> Verdana 14 RelatedTutorialsSection -> Verdana 12 RelatedTutorials -> Verdana 14 TutorialMoreAboutSection -> Verdana 12 TutorialMoreAbout -> Verdana 14 TutorialRelatedLinksSection -> Verdana 12 TutorialMoreAbout -> Verdana 14 I hope you like the new look of DC. I surely feel liberated. Now I can change DC window magnification back to 100% which is a much better use of screen real estate. Now, all I need to do is to figure it out how to make DC windows remember its previous location and size so that I don't have to change it every time!