[SOLVED] Tooltip unreadable under Kubuntu

[cacb]

I have just installed Kubuntu 16.10 and Code::Blocks 16.01 from the repository.

An annoying problem is that the codeblocks toolbar tooltip texts are unreadable, apparently because the tooltip background colour is the same as the text colour. Is there a way to make the tooltip text black so the text becomes readable? See attached photo of the tooltip problem.

A related problem is that the toolbars are taking up more vertical space (see photo) than before (compared to self-compiled C::B 10621 under Kubuntu 15:10) and far more space than on Windows 7 where they are compact and nice.

Is there a way to reduce the waste of space around the toolbar icons under Kubuntu? I have found the options under Settings -> Environment -> View  -> Toolbar icons size, but the only option is to make the icons bigger. I have the icon size at 16x16 but the toolbars themselves take up at least twice that, especially in the vertical direction, but also horizontally.

Any help appreciated. If this is a problem that is fixed in a nightly build I am happy to try that.

EDIT: See Commaster's reply below for an explanation and a solution to this problem.

[oBFusCATed]

What version of wxGTK are you using? What GTK2/3 theme are you using? Can you try the auidemo from the wxGTK project if it has the same problems?

[cacb]

What version of wxGTK are you using? What GTK2/3 theme are you using? Can you try the auidemo from the wxGTK project if it has the same problems?

I have not yet installed wxWidgets other than via $ sudo apt-get install codeblocks*

If I search I find files like /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libwx_gtk2u_aui-3.0.so.0.2.0
I guess that means GTK2?

I am using the default desktop theme under kubuntu, this is a fresh OS installation I am just trying to configure it. In the system settings the "look and feel is "Breeze" and Desktop Theme is also "Breeze"

It should be said when I check my old computer with Kubuntu 15.10 the tooltip problem is the same in Code::Blocks there. I have not been able to compile anything on the new computer yet, but on the old one I can confirm the tooltip problem was also the same there. So this isn't new.

The toolbar size problem has become worse though. I can see the problem relates to toolbars with comboboxes especially, but even the other ones have "too much air". I have Windows and Kubuntu side by side with identical screens and both with codeblocks, the toolbars are wasiting several cm vertically compared to on Windows unless I keep only one row of toolbars, but this isn't optimal.

[oBFusCATed]

Please try the auidemo wxgtk sample application. If it works there then we'll know the problem is codeblocks, but I think it isn't and it is a general wx problem.

Also you can try to switch the theme to see if the situation is improved.

[Commaster]

This is a known KDE-GTK issue and doesn't apply to C::B(or wx) only. I solved it a month ago after googling for ~5 minutes:

Settings -> Appearance -> Color -> Options -> Disable "Apply colors to non-QT applications".

Hope it helps you too.

[cacb]

Please try the auidemo wxgtk sample application. If it works there then we'll know the problem is codeblocks, but I think it isn't and it is a general wx problem.

Also you can try to switch the theme to see if the situation is improved.

Thank you, I will once I get my system set up. But see my response to Commaster, I think we can conclude now the issue is not really due to codeblocks or wx, but how non-Qt applications interact with the KDE desktop.

The remaining problem is that to solve the issue as a codeblocks-user you have to realise that a) KDE is Qt centric and b) codeblocks is not using Qt. A lot to ask, really. So the problem still remains an issue for codeblocks I think, because the average user would tend to think it is a codeblocks bug, even though technically it isn't.

[cacb]

This is a known KDE-GTK issue and doesn't apply to C::B(or wx) only. I solved it a month ago after googling for ~5 minutes:

Settings -> Appearance -> Color -> Options -> Disable "Apply colors to non-QT applications".

Hope it helps you too.

Great, thank you VERY much!

I am not too bad at searching for solutions myself, but this one I could not figure out, as I didn't understand the issue in sufficient detail to use the right search terms. But I can confirm that this really does solve the problem! 

To help others who use KDE and possibly use the "Application Menu" alternative in KDE like I do , the path to the setting is a little bit different
Settings -> System Settings  -> Appearance (headline) -> Color -> Options (tab) -> Uncheck "Apply colors to non-QT applications"

See attached for appearance after unchecking this option (I did a reboot also to verify it remains). I will mark this topic solved (except for the toolbar size issues).

Thanks again.

[Commaster]

Great, thank you VERY much!

FYI, there's a great app in KDE, called Spectacle. I can feel so much pain in these phone-shots...