27.1.2.5 System Themes

A System Theme is handy for applying a uniform set of graph styles -- colors, line widths, fill patterns, tick mark configurations, etc. -- to every graph that you make, regardless of the styles that were saved with the template used to create the graph (see Important Note, below). You can designate any Theme as a System Theme. Use of a System Theme is optional and there can be only one System Theme at any given time. If you have designated a System Theme, you will see the name of the Theme displayed on the taskbar in the lower-right corner of the Origin workspace.

Since the property settings in the System Theme will apply to all newly created graphs, your System Theme should include only those properties that you really want to include in all of your graphs. Ideally, a System Theme will consist of only a few key elements.

For example, if you would like to apply an "all ticks in" Theme to a number of your graphs, then the System Theme should probably only contain this property and nothing else. This way, as new graphs are created from your various templates, no template settings other than the one that you are specifically concerned with -- tick direction -- are affected by your System Theme. Note that a System Theme for "ticks in" ships with Origin. You can view and/or edit these included System Themes to learn how a compact System Theme should be constructed.

Designating a System Theme

You can designate a System Theme from the Save Format as Theme dialog box. Right-click on a graph window and choose Save Format as Theme from the shortcut menu. This opens the Save Format as Theme dialog box. Select the Set as System Theme check box.

You can designate a System Theme from the Theme Organizer. From the menu, choose Preferences: Theme Organizer. Any existing System Theme registers in the Current System Theme text box. To designate or swap System Themes, right-click on a Theme and choose Set as System Theme from the shortcut menu.

Note: You cannot designate Group Incremental Lists as System Themes.

Removing the System Theme

You can remove the System Theme via the Theme Organizer. From the menu, choose Preferences: Theme Organizer. The System Theme, if any exists, will register in the Current System Theme text box; the name will also appear in bold text in the Themes list.

To remove the System Theme status from this Theme:

Highlight the System Theme in the graph theme list.
Right-click and choose Clear System Theme from the shortcut menu.

Note:

Under various scenarios (e.g. you distribute a script application and a graph template file to co-workers to use on their computers, but unbeknownst to you, some of those co-workers are using a System Theme), having an active System Theme may produce unintended results. If you do not want the System Theme to override settings saved with your custom template(s), you should do the following:

Make a graph using your custom template.
Open the Command Window or the Code Builder IDE and issue one of the following commands:
PAGE.CNTRL=16; //LabTalk command issued in the Script Window

LabTalk.Page.Cntrl = 16; //Origin C command issued from Code Builder
Re-save the graph template. This ensures that custom template settings will not be changed by an active System Theme. This procedure pertains to both user-interface and scripting/programming applications involving use of graph templates.