Biomedical Informatics

Sometimes when managing Moodle we need to clone one theme to apply to a category or course, this would allow to personalize that cool theme. The original article in Moodle can be found here.  But I'm even lazier than that.  My approach is simple.

1. 1. Create a copy of your theme (<theme>) folder, and rename it <new_theme>.  Keep it in lower cases.
2. 2. Open Eclipse PDT IDE
3. 3. Open your theme using the Eclipse Menu : "File->Open Project from File System... "
4. 4. Click on the "Directory" button and select your <new_theme> folder
5. 5. Once it reads your folder click on the "Finish" button
6. 6. Now go to "Search->Search"
7. 7. In the containing text field type "<old_theme>"
8. 8. Then click in "Replace" button. It would find all occurrences
9. 9. Then typo <new_theme>  in the "With:" field
10. 10. Click "Ok"

You have changed all strings, now we need to change files' names. 

1. 1. Open the search function "Search->File.."
2. 2. Leave containing text field empty
3. 3. The file pattern will be *<old_theme>*  (Including the "*") 
4. 4. The list will be available in your Search results window
5. 5. Right click in each one and "Show In -> Project Explorer"
6. 6. In the project explorer Right Click "Rename" or "F2" and replace <old_theme>  for <new_theme>  in the file name
7. 7. Renamed files will disappear from your list, then once you have no more results, you are done.

Now copy your <new_theme> folder into your "<moodle>/theme " folder

Run Moodle and follow administration/update instructions

You need to remember that if you are using a 3rd Party theme, once it updates, or you update your Moodle, you may need to go over this process again.  Use it responsibly.