[Mitch]

An update to my old guide which was for Leopard. This guide will change your Snow Leopard menubar from transparent white to transparent black giving a 'HUD' look. This time I give the credit to the guys over at MacThemes2 who provided the menubar files used in this tutorial. Below are screenshots on how it looks with different backgrounds.



Update
After a fair bit of research, KristaffaH modded the menubar to make the black look better and more transparent - matching the black menubar mod for Leopard. You can find the updated pack of 'Black Menubar Files' here

1. Download the Menubar files from this link or the more recent updated files from this link
2. Browse to /System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.Framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/HLToolbox.Framework/Versions/A/Resources and make a backup of the Extras2.rsrc file
3. Browse to /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/CoreUI.Framework/Versions/A/Resources and make a backup of Sartfile.bin
4. Replace Extras2.rsrc with the one provided in the folder and do the same with Sartfile.bin (may need to delete and then paste the new files in the folders)
5. Extract the folder 'White Menubar Icons' and inside you will see a list of files all ending in .menu
6. Navigate to /System/Library/CoreServices/Menu Extras and backup all the .menu files in this directory
7. Replace all the files in /System/Library/CoreServices/Menu Extras with the newer ones we extracted
8. For Spotlight icon navigate to /System/Library/CoreServices/Search.Bundle and right click on that selecting 'Show Package Contents'
9. Go into the resources folder and replaces MSSearchMenuIcon.pdf with the one located in the 'Spotlight White Menubar Icon' Folder
10. Reboot and you should have a working black menubar as shown in the picture. If it is still white, Right Click On Desktop>Change Desktop Background> and tick/untick Translucent Menu Bar.
11. IStatMenus for the custom clock with white text

Enjoy. Remember to make backups of all the files and I am not responsible if your snow leopard breaks because their is always a chance of this happening if you do something wrong. Sometime in the near future I will mod some sleeker menubar icons to make them white.

[KristaffaH]

deleted by author. problem fixed

[KristaffaH]

UPDATE

The Extras2.rsrc file Mitch posted earlier, not just changed the menubar text to white, it also changed scrollbars in safari/finder++ and progress bars in safari++, and the colors of menus.
I didn't want that.

I followed Mitch's link to the mactheme forum, and its alot of mess there right now. A lot of different mods and releases for the menubar.

I collected files from different releases in a new zip file, to make it easy.
The new Extras2.rsrc file inverts the text WHITOUT changing scrollbars and prosess bars. It DOES change the colors of menus though (waiting for a new realese).

I also changed the Airport icon back to its original form (waves, instead of blocks), and made some improvements to the battery icon.

The zip file includes: Extras2.rsrc, SArtFile.bin, Inverted menubar icons, a readme file with Mitch's tutorial.

Download removed. (updated download in later post)

Enjoy!
(Remember to backup before changing anything, and once again mitch or me are not responsible if you make a mess out of your system)

[Mitch]

KristaffaH, on Oct 14 2009, 05:21 AM, said:

UPDATE

The Extras2.rsrc file Mitch posted earlier, not just changed the menubar text to white, it also changed scrollbars in safari/finder++ and progress bars in safari++, and the colors of menus.
I didn't want that.

I followed Mitch's link to the mactheme forum, and its alot of mess there right now. A lot of different mods and releases for the menubar.

I collected files from different releases in a new zip file, to make it easy.
The new Extras2.rsrc file inverts the text WHITOUT changing scrollbars and prosess bars. It DOES change the colors of menus though (waiting for a new realese).

I also changed the Airport icon back to its original form (waves, instead of blocks), and made some improvements to the battery icon.

The zip file includes: Extras2.rsrc, SArtFile.bin, Inverted menubar icons, a readme file with Mitch's tutorial.

Download

Enjoy!
(Remember to backup before changing anything, and once again mitch or me are not responsible if you make a mess out of your system)

Sweet as, so the version you posted doesn't include the other unesscary mods for the scrollbars and so? If so I can update the main post

Thanks, also not sure on why it seems to be a lot lighter then Leopard menubar. I'll open Sartfile.bin and see if I can adjust the contrast in it, also will start working on those sleeker menubar icons - trust me they look a lot better then SL's standard

[Mitch]

After opening Sartfile.Bin in Theme Park and editing it I finally found the menubar background file (macthemes2's wiki needs to be updated). Below is an example of that I did with it, I made it completely black (a little too black?)

[jkr801]

[quote name='Mitch' date='Oct 13 2009, 11:00 PM' post='147028']
After opening Sartfile.Bin in Theme Park and editing it I finally found the menubar background file (macthemes2's wiki needs to be updated). Below is an example of that I did with it, I made it completely black (a little too black?)

No way that is sick... So do you have directions on where at in the Sartfile.bin to change the contrast?? Or can you just upload your sartfile.bin? Thanks for all the hard work!

[KristaffaH]

Mitch, on Oct 13 2009, 11:22 PM, said:

KristaffaH, on Oct 14 2009, 05:21 AM, said:

UPDATE

The Extras2.rsrc file Mitch posted earlier, not just changed the menubar text to white, it also changed scrollbars in safari/finder++ and progress bars in safari++, and the colors of menus.
I didn't want that.

I followed Mitch's link to the mactheme forum, and its alot of mess there right now. A lot of different mods and releases for the menubar.

I collected files from different releases in a new zip file, to make it easy.
The new Extras2.rsrc file inverts the text WHITOUT changing scrollbars and prosess bars. It DOES change the colors of menus though (waiting for a new realese).

I also changed the Airport icon back to its original form (waves, instead of blocks), and made some improvements to the battery icon.

The zip file includes: Extras2.rsrc, SArtFile.bin, Inverted menubar icons, a readme file with Mitch's tutorial.

Download

Enjoy!
(Remember to backup before changing anything, and once again mitch or me are not responsible if you make a mess out of your system)

Sweet as, so the version you posted doesn't include the other unesscary mods for the scrollbars and so? If so I can update the main post

Thanks, also not sure on why it seems to be a lot lighter then Leopard menubar. I'll open Sartfile.bin and see if I can adjust the contrast in it, also will start working on those sleeker menubar icons - trust me they look a lot better then SL's standard

NEW UPDATE

I went to this thread on the mactheme forum. This was another guy named "tru", who also had modded the menubar for SL. He hadn't made any other changes to the Extras2.rsrc than just changing the text to white. So this was nice. He had made a totally black menubar (like you have now Mitch), but with a white line on the bottom. I didn't like the white line and also wanted it to be a bit transparent. I sent him a request for those changes and voila!

Here is the best mod i have seen for Snow Leopard yet:

- It has a black menubar with 75% transparency
- It has white text (no changes to the menus, progress bars, scrollbars and that stuff)
- It includes some modded icons. (if you need some more to be inverted send me an request)

- The only thing you may not like is a the way the apple icon looks in the top left corner (i think it looks quite nice).

So here is the DOWNLOAD

(It contains: Extras2.rsrc, SArtFile.bin, Inverted Menubar Icons, Mitch's tutorial in an readme file.
It also contains aliases (shortcuts) to the folders where Extras2.rsrc and SArtFile.bin should be placed, to make this process smoother. No alias for the icons though, follow Mitch's tutorial.)

Mitch: You are more than welcome to put the zip-file in your originale post. Its not that different from what your last screenshot looked like. Only that its a bit transparent.
- I still don't know witch of the apple icons i like best, yours or the mod i found.
- I also changed back to the airport icon you uploaded, and made some improvements to it.
- But I would change the battery icon if I was you. If you look in your last screen, the little indicator in the middle of the battery (witch indicates that its charging), is black, I have inverted that as well.

I also wonder how it would look with more trasparency than 75%. Maybe 50%. If you know how to make those changes I would realy like to see the resault.


Best of luck!


Current screen:

[htctoucher]

nevermind, fixed it

looks great thanks guys!

[KristaffaH]

htctoucher, on Oct 18 2009, 03:13 PM, said:

nevermind, fixed it

looks great thanks guys!

Did you manage to make a version of the SArtFile.bin file i uploaded with a white apple icon?
Care to share?

Thanks

[htctoucher]

KristaffaH, on Oct 19 2009, 08:35 AM, said:

htctoucher, on Oct 18 2009, 03:13 PM, said:

nevermind, fixed it

looks great thanks guys!

Did you manage to make a version of the SArtFile.bin file i uploaded with a white apple icon?
Care to share?

Thanks

yeah, no problem

instead of placing the sartfile in the system first and then editing it in themepark, i did the reverse, which worked

I opened the sartfile on the desktop with themepark, replaced the 2 icons with the white icon and hit cmd+s to save and quit. then I placed the desktop sartfile in the system (coreui.framework resources), and restarted

here is a preview (I made the menubar slightly darker too, its not that much darker):


and here is the file (i also included the white airport shown in the screen above, in case you'd like to use it):
 htctoucher_black_menubar_tweak.zip (740.81K)
Number of downloads: 62

enjoy!
htctoucher

[Alex MacK]

Hey so I've been bouncing around between several of these menu's... but none of them seem to have a fix for the iChat menu icon.... If I had any idea how to fiddle with the colors on it, trust me I would.

Can anyone help?

[KristaffaH]

Alex MacK, on Oct 20 2009, 11:02 AM, said:

Hey so I've been bouncing around between several of these menu's... but none of them seem to have a fix for the iChat menu icon.... If I had any idea how to fiddle with the colors on it, trust me I would.

Can anyone help?

Hmm.. I took an original iChat.menu file and inverted the icons, overwrited the old one, restarted and, nothing happened.. Strange. Here is the file, try it and see if you have more luck with it.

Download: iChat white icon

[KristaffaH]

htctoucher, on Oct 20 2009, 08:22 AM, said:

KristaffaH, on Oct 19 2009, 08:35 AM, said:

htctoucher, on Oct 18 2009, 03:13 PM, said:

nevermind, fixed it

looks great thanks guys!

Did you manage to make a version of the SArtFile.bin file i uploaded with a white apple icon?
Care to share?

Thanks

yeah, no problem

instead of placing the sartfile in the system first and then editing it in themepark, i did the reverse, which worked

I opened the sartfile on the desktop with themepark, replaced the 2 icons with the white icon and hit cmd+s to save and quit. then I placed the desktop sartfile in the system (coreui.framework resources), and restarted

here is a preview (I made the menubar slightly darker too, its not that much darker):


and here is the file (i also included the white airport shown in the screen above, in case you'd like to use it):
htctouch...ar_tweak.zip

enjoy!
htctoucher

Great release! Thanks alot htctoucher!

I know this is much to ask for, but if you would be so kind:

1. My old black menubar (for leopard) had a nicer looking white apple icon than those i have seen for Snow Leopard. All of the mods have the icon you have. Is it possible to open the old SArtFile.bin (leopard) in themepark, get the nice apple icon, and copy it to the new SArtfile.bin for Snow leopard?
Download: SArtFile.bin (for leopard)

2. Make the release with the old trasparency value (think it was 75%)

Thanks alot!
-Kris

[Mitch]

Thanks for all your help guys. Will update the main post sometime soon. Last time I tried to make it transparent for some odd reason it just failed..

Sartfile.bin index numbers for ThemePark


61 → Menubar Apple Icon (inactive)
62 → Menubar Apple Icon (active)

65 → List/Grid View, Lower Left Corner Tile
66 → List/Grid View, Lower Middle Tile
67 → List/Grid View, Lower Right Corner Tile
68 → List/Grid View, Down Arrow Tile
69 → List/Grid View, Fill/Center Tile
70 → List/Grid View, Middle Left Tile
71 → List/Grid View, Left Arrow Tile
72 → List/Grid View, Middle Right Tile
73 → List/Grid View, Right Arrow Tile
74 → List/Grid View, Upper Left Corner Tile
75 → List/Grid View, Upper Middle Tile
76 → List/Grid View, Upper Right Corner Tile
77 → List/Grid View, Up Arrow Tile

103 → Aqua Theme Menubar Background (active)
104 → Graphite Theme Menubar Background (active)

105 → Window Corner Mask, Bottom Left
106 → Window Corner Mask, Bottom Right
109 → Titlebar, Middle Highlight
110 → Titlebar, Left Highlight
111 → Window Corner Mask, Top Left
112 → Titlebar, Right Highlight
113 → Window Corner Mask, Top Right

114 → Aqua Theme, Context Background (active)
115 → Graphite Theme, Context Background (active)
116 → Menubar Background (inactive)
117 → Aqua Theme, Spotlight/Search Background
118 → Graphite Theme, Spotlight/search Background

[htctoucher]

KristaffaH, on Oct 21 2009, 08:11 AM, said:

htctoucher, on Oct 20 2009, 08:22 AM, said:

KristaffaH, on Oct 19 2009, 08:35 AM, said:

htctoucher, on Oct 18 2009, 03:13 PM, said:

nevermind, fixed it

looks great thanks guys!

Did you manage to make a version of the SArtFile.bin file i uploaded with a white apple icon?
Care to share?

Thanks

yeah, no problem

instead of placing the sartfile in the system first and then editing it in themepark, i did the reverse, which worked

I opened the sartfile on the desktop with themepark, replaced the 2 icons with the white icon and hit cmd+s to save and quit. then I placed the desktop sartfile in the system (coreui.framework resources), and restarted

here is a preview (I made the menubar slightly darker too, its not that much darker):

and here is the file (i also included the white airport shown in the screen above, in case you'd like to use it):
htctouch...ar_tweak.zip

enjoy!
htctoucher

Great release! Thanks alot htctoucher!

I know this is much to ask for, but if you would be so kind:

1. My old black menubar (for leopard) had a nicer looking white apple icon than those i have seen for Snow Leopard. All of the mods have the icon you have. Is it possible to open the old SArtFile.bin (leopard) in themepark, get the nice apple icon, and copy it to the new SArtfile.bin for Snow leopard?
Download: SArtFile.bin (for leopard)

2. Make the release with the old trasparency value (think it was 75%)

Thanks alot!
-Kris

hey man, no problem!

here is the file you requested, it is the sartfile from the other thread (the one i saw you liked from that thread), changed the menu image to the one here, and substituted the apple icon for leopard's

i didnt test it, but it should look the way you want it
 SArtFile.bin.zip (102.69K)
Number of downloads: 22
enjoy!
htctoucher