Default Transfer list colors and icons need to be tweaked into a more sensible scheme where stopped/complete = black/white, downloading = blue, uploading = green, error = red and orange = stalled.

[Pentaphon]

A lot of people are annoyed with the default transfer list colors and icons and I think they need to be changed into something sensible and informative that works for the most users. Here's the main issues and the steps needed to solve them.

1. Nobody likes the current wall of blue text. The transfer list text should be black/white unless a torrent is actually doing something.
2. The icons needs to the torrent name need to be tweaked or re-arranged to show what is actually going on.

The solution?

We need to come up with a status color scheme that everybody agrees makes sense and looks good. The scheme should be:

a) Torrents that are stopped/completed should have a Black/White text color since that will be the majority of the list the majority of the time. Torrents that are complete and active should have 2 $${\color{green}Green}$$ / $${\color{blue}Blue}$$ parallel arrows going up/down, while stopped torrents should have a Black/White Stop icon (or the current $${\color{orange}Orange}$$ Stop icon)

b) Torrents that are incomplete and actively downloading to 100% should have a $${\color{blue}Blue}$$ text color to give the motif of a water torrent flowing to you. Likewise, the torrent's name icon should be 2 $${\color{blue}Blue}$$ stacked arrows going down to show the water motif flowing down to the user.

c) Torrents that are complete and actively uploading to other peers should have a $${\color{green}Green}$$ text color to give the motif of seeding to others like a green sprout. Likewise, the torrent's name icon should be 2 $${\color{green}Green}$$ stacked arrows going up to show the torrent being seeded upwards like a green seedling sprout reaching for the sky.

d) Torrents that have an error should have a $${\color{red}Red}$$ text color for high urgency and should have a $${\color{red}Red}$$ icon to go with it.

e) Torrents that are stalled should have an $${\color{orange}Orange}$$ Text color to show medium urgency and should have an $${\color{orange}Orange}$$ Icon to go with it.

Is everybody ok with this direction so far?

[Mazino-Urek]

This would solve 95% of the UI problem.

[Pentaphon]

This would solve 95% of the UI problem.

Yes! A lot of people complain about this and it seems like an easy fix for somebody who can just change defaults, rearrange the current icons and change a few icon colors.

I remember you. I'd be willing to offer feedback if you pushed a draft PR that solves this. Or to anybody else that takes this on.

[Mazino-Urek]

I remember you. I'd be willing to offer feedback if you pushed a draft PR that solves this. Or to anybody else that takes this on.

I intended to do that and even drafted a proposal in the discussion. I strognly believe that implementing default macOS color scheme will not only solve the UI coloring problem, it would make the whole app experience quite pleasing.

However, I am going to through a massive shift in carrer. I don't know when I would be able to contribute consistenely like the last time. This is not a regular PR. It takes massive amount of time and paitence. Last one took years to implement.

This is why, I don't want to start something, I can't finish. I will review any UI change related PR though.

[Pentaphon]

This is not a regular PR. It takes massive amount of time and paitence. Last one took years to implement.

To be fair, your first theme was a massive PR and this issue is just doing some final tweaks to make it perfect at least in terms of the transfer list. I think you can do it without sacrificing too much of your time and it could easily make a 5.0.x release but it is totally up to you. I know that coming up with a theme revamp is a huge undertaking so I created this issue and https://github.com/qbittorrent/qBittorrent/issues/21449 as more realistic goals instead of doing another theme from scratch.

[Ryrynz]

Feel free to start it anyone else could come in and do work on it if it stalls.

[Lamda604]

While you all are updating the colour scheme, could you also please look at the (lack of) padding around text and text alignment e.g. header titles and when in boxes? Also, we could reduce the amount of excessive outlining when there is already a background colour/shade change denoting a space to reduce visual clutter.

Also Arrows in dropdown lists for file related (Content window, Add new Torrent file list) screens are strangely squashed. They look normal in the Filters sidebar or Trackers window.

qBittorrent 5.0.0 Windows 11

Thanks!

[TheYMI]

While we're at it, there were some changes that make the list less usable. I'm using light theme with some color changes (e.g. black for stalled torrents, green for downloading, blue for uploading) on Windows 10.

Selecting a torrent now makes it white text on a blue background, overriding the color that shows the status. When you click away, the line turns grey with black text, making it indistinguishable from stalled torrents. Additionally, there used to be a faint blue background to the line under the mouse, which was useful and now is gone. Finally, the alternating colors are much harsher and visually dated. The right-click menu as well.

Baseline v4.6.7 vs. v5.0.0:

Selected torrent v4.6.7 vs. v5.0.0:

Selected torrent (not in focus) v4.6.7 vs. v5.0.0:

Mouse hover v4.6.7 vs. v5.0.0:

[sledgehammer999]

@TheYMI the issue you're seeing probably with the Fusion Qt style. In v5.0.1 you can change it back to the native OS look by selecting "System". See release notes for more info.

@Pentaphon what about the queued up and queued down states?

[Pentaphon]

what about the queued up and queued down states?

Black and white text with queued up, and queued down icons. Text color should only change when a torrent is actively moving data or must be looked at.

[TheYMI]

@sledgehammer999 the default is "System". After a restart it went back to the behavior I'm used to, but it completely changed all my visual settings (which columns I use, their sizes, their order).