Rofi theme customizability

[trueNAHO]

How to customize Stylix' default rofi theme?

For example, launching rofi -f <FILE> -show run with the following file successfully modifies rofi's appearance:

element {
    padding: 5px;
    spacing: 5px;
}

inputbar {
    children: [ prompt, entry ];
    padding: 10px 10px;
    spacing: 10px;
}

window {
    width: 25%;
}

Currently, it seems impossible to customize Stylix' default rofi theme without workarounds. For instance, defining programs.rofi.theme in Home Manager with the above configuration when Stylix is enabled, results in the following error because the attribute sets are not properly merged:

error:
       … while evaluating a branch condition

         at /nix/store/xjviahzwa7x51vl51kc3c1k1n1jmhpd5-source/lib/lists.nix:57:9:

           56|       fold' = n:
           57|         if n == len
             |         ^
           58|         then nul

       … while calling the 'length' builtin

         at /nix/store/xjviahzwa7x51vl51kc3c1k1n1jmhpd5-source/lib/lists.nix:55:13:

           54|     let
           55|       len = length list;
             |             ^
           56|       fold' = n:

       (stack trace truncated; use '--show-trace' to show the full trace)

       error: The option `programs.rofi.theme' is defined multiple times while it's expected to be unique.

       Definition values:
       - In `/nix/store/3gmxlakzyn7ylnkjqz9v843dajm8b375-modules/rofi/hm.nix': "/nix/store/sxichxgwnw8igh3am8kv4rc81n91l8bq-stylix/base16-stylix.rasi"
       - In `/nix/store/kl5mlqcs9bw8v1n125sacwk1ll5qixx4-source/modules/homeManager/programs/rofi':
           {
             "#inputbar" = {
               children = [
                 {
                   _type = "literal";
           ...
       Use `lib.mkForce value` or `lib.mkDefault value` to change the priority on any of these definitions.

Additionnally, I have been unable to get programs.rofi.extraConfig to work with my intended theme modifications. But that could be my mistake.

Related:

• https://discourse.nixos.org/t/trouble-configuring-rofi-theme-in-home-nix/16641/11
• https://github.com/danth/stylix/blob/b2f73724d11868d020207fb87fb2d9c3ae96976d/modules/rofi/hm.nix
• https://github.com/nix-community/home-manager/blob/c5c1ea85181d2bb44e46e8a944a8a3f56ad88f19/modules/programs/rofi.nix

[trueNAHO]

Additionally, should https://github.com/danth/stylix/blob/b2f73724d11868d020207fb87fb2d9c3ae96976d/modules/rofi/template.mustache declare non-color values, like paddings, in the first place?

[danth]

I'm not sure why we're setting paddings. Does the theme look different/worse if those are removed?

[trueNAHO]

This issue should be re-opened because it is not yet resolved. #179 is related to this issue, but does not resolve it.

[TotalChaos05]

how do i get rofi back to how it was before?
is there a way to default to the original style, but make it easy to override?

[trueNAHO]

how do i get rofi back to how it was before?

The opinionated settings have been removed in #179.

is there a way to default to the original style

I assume you are referring to the state prior to #179, which is not rofi's default appearance.

make it easy to override

Customizing rofi is exactly what this issue addresses: #176 (comment).

As long as this issue is not resolved, feel free to take inspiration from my workaround:

Currently, it seems impossible to customize Stylix' default rofi theme without workarounds.

(Source: #176 (comment))