Old 01-13-2018, 08:38 PM   #1
PNorth70
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Default Simple task: changing track colors

Life is short. I've spent a bunch of it trying to figure out how to do something simple, which is changing the colors of media items in tracks. (I don't mean the track backgrounds, which I have found, though not easily.)

This does not work the way the instructional video works (it's using Reaper 4), and the exact theme used in the video also doesn't appear the same (and actually seems to not work). Not sure why something as marginal as this would get more complicated from one version to the next!
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Old 01-14-2018, 04:00 AM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PNorth70 View Post
Life is short. I've spent a bunch of it trying to figure out how to do something simple, which is changing the colors of media items in tracks. (I don't mean the track backgrounds, which I have found, though not easily.)

This does not work the way the instructional video works (it's using Reaper 4), and the exact theme used in the video also doesn't appear the same (and actually seems to not work). Not sure why something as marginal as this would get more complicated from one version to the next!
In Reaper's Action List you have this Action:
Item: Set to custom color...

- Select one or more Items
- Execute this Action
- Choose color from the Color Chooser window that pops up.

Outcome:
All selected Item(s) will be given that color.
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Old 01-14-2018, 05:15 AM   #3
Mordi
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You might be looking for how to make items get the same color of whatever track they're on?

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Old 01-14-2018, 05:59 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PNorth70 View Post
This does not work the way the instructional video works (it's using Reaper 4), and the exact theme used in the video also doesn't appear the same (and actually seems to not work).
All of Kenny Gioia's instruction videos linked above the forums ("Videos") are for the v5. Setting Up Shop: Colors
https://www.reaper.fm/videos.php#2FtR8-H3u-A

If you are using some older or custom themes, the possible settings depend on each given theme. As for why the changes to theming, read the sticky: 1. How to use a REAPER theme
https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=172074

Shortly, it is to give themers more control over the appearance of their themes:
Quote:
When you custom colour a track, the appearance of that colour on track panels, mixer panels and track items may have been defined by the theme maker, who has (from V5 of REAPER onwards) full control over where, and how strongly, the custom colour is applied.
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Old 01-18-2018, 09:56 AM   #5
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my theme IS a mod of a V4 theme [CIRCUS is my version]
and it works just fine for both track and item custom colors

It can take a little work to set it up to make all that very easy

One step is to have the SWS extensions loaded and then create a set of custom colors for the SWS colors... [TIP: you can create and save as diff names several of those if you like and easily load each one as desired]

and\or just use the color wheel to pick your colors...

you can then create a floating toolbar that is dedicated to setting colors...
Mine has track colors on the left side, using each of my 16 SWS colors plus black and white ..and.. also the main color wheel...

on the right side of that tool bar is the same thing but only for items

then also there are some script actions that let you copy the color of any item and past it to any other selected items...

here is what mine looks like:
https://i.imgur.com/MdMZxX1.jpg
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Old 01-20-2018, 03:39 PM   #6
PNorth70
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Default Changing DEFAULT track colors

Thanks for the responses. I may not have been completely clear in original post. All I'm trying to do is set the default track colors in any new project. I haven't found this in actions. Instructional video and theme that I'd like to use (both from v4) don't help/work in this regard. Still not clear how I can change default colors.
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Old 01-20-2018, 10:34 PM   #7
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there really is no such thing as 'default' colors

if you are using the default theme, any new track will not really have a color setting... but as already posted, you can set the color for each track and\or for all selected tracks...

then if you want to you can save a bunch of those loaded and colored tracks as a project template and you can make that the default project that reaper will start up with
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Old 01-21-2018, 05:08 PM   #8
PNorth70
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Default Colors

Thanks - much appreciated.
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Old 05-13-2018, 01:50 PM   #9
Hardmuncle
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Default Trying to match track colour onto items

Hi I am trying to make the media item colour match my track colour. I have found the line in the options that is posted above however its dulled out and I am unable to change the settings. I looked for theme as i read that might overide it but cannot find it in the plethora of options lol.

Any help appreciated.
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Old 05-13-2018, 11:13 PM   #10
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Do you have the free SWS extensions installed ?
(http://www.sws-extension.org/)

Cause when you have, there is a SWS Action available in Reaper Action List:

SWS: Set selected item(s) to respective track color
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Old 11-26-2019, 09:18 AM   #11
himalaya
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hardmuncle View Post
Hi I am trying to make the media item colour match my track colour. I have found the line in the options that is posted above however its dulled out and I am unable to change the settings. I looked for theme as i read that might overide it but cannot find it in the plethora of options lol.

Any help appreciated.

I have the same question. These options are greyed out. ?

The fine print says: "colour theme may override this preference"

Is there any way to undo that?

EDIT:
this SWS action solves this:
Set selected track(s)item(s) to custom color

But i'm still interested if it's possible to undo the 'theme override'.

Last edited by himalaya; 11-26-2019 at 09:28 AM.
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