I've just tried to install a number of themes under Gnome from gnomethemes.org with no success. The Gnome help file says things are very straightforward. Just tell it where the *tar.gz theme file is and install.

But everytime I get an "invalid file format" error message. Has there been some format change? Is there anything that I can look for in a theme file (e.g., a date after? or some component file) so that I don't waste any more time?

Thanks for your help.

I am not sitting in front of my computer, but I think that is goes something like this:

1. Download the file to, say, Desktop.
2. Open your theme manager, and drag the theme into the window.
3. Select your theme and enjoy.

Are you doing this?
Eric.

Thanks for the feedback.

I saved the *tar.gz to a directory under "Home". I then opened the "Theme Preferences" app under Gnome, hit "install Theme". It then gives a dialog box to browse to the file. Then I hit "install theme" and that's when I get the error message.

I also tried dragging the file to the window of the "theme preferences" app with the same resulting error message.

I don't think it should make a difference but I'm on an AMD64 3800+ dual core and Asus MB running kernel 2.6.18 (the latest one for etch).

I should add that I've been having a number of problems with the various Gnome config applets and I'm stumped.

I wouldn't think that I would have to be root for this.

Thanks for any ideas you can provide.

Not sure about this because I'm not using gnome. How about un-taring the theme file and copying it into /usr/share/themes? Or un-tar and copy into /home/your user name/.themes

Ok, let me try that. Thanks again for your help.

Sorry, for a real basic question. I'm coming over from Fedora where you can log on as root when you've got to do things or for tasks from the command line you log on as superuser from the terminal.

How go I get Debian to let me on as root under Gnome? It won't let me make changes to the \etc otherwise. The on-line help pulled up 158 hits about root but nothing about that.

Thanks again for your help

To get root at terminal type
you will be promted for your root password.
You might like to install the package nautilus-gksu. With that installed you can browse to the folder of file you need to edit and then open that file or folder as root. After install of nautilus-gksu you find that function in nautilus under the file or edit drop down context menus, one of the menu selections is "open as administrator".

Thanks again for your help. I found and installed the nautilus-gksu package with the Synaptic package manager and it said it installed it but the options are still not offered under the pulldowns, not even greyed-out.

Very frustrating.

I wonder if I should re-install. Maybe I inadvertently screwed something up earlier.

type gksu in a terminal. (gnome-terminal or xterm)
or just open a terminal and type su and you will be prompted for the root password.
or add the "Run Application" applet to the taskbar and use that.

Thanks for the feedback. I did a re-install but synaptic is saying something about it not being a good package so I'll wait a few days before trying to gksu again.