<![CDATA[New XCP-ng "theme" in shell]]>For XCP-ng 8 we thought that it might be interesting to get a dedicated visual identity outside the boot splash: the prompt and the "ncurse" display.

A new prompt

  • removed the current user (because it's an "appliance", with only root
  • added current time, very handy to know how long your command took (eg export)
  • using XCP-ng colors

New vs old:

newprompt.png

Obviously, we got a fallback for terminal without color support.

Also, it also works on white background terms:

promptclear.png

A new console theme (xsconsole)

New vs old:

newxsconsole.png

There is also a fallback on terminals without color support (unchanged)

Maybe you could think it's a minor thing, but in the end, that's how we show XCP-ng is not just a clone of CH/XS 🙂

Obviously, you can still configure this easily (especially the prompt, because you can override it).

What do you think?

]]>https://xcp-ng.org/forum/topic/1450/new-xcp-ng-theme-in-shellRSS for NodeWed, 15 Apr 2026 15:33:05 GMTTue, 04 Jun 2019 15:45:35 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to New XCP-ng "theme" in shell on Tue, 11 Jun 2019 10:49:38 GMT]]>Thanks for your input!

I think it might be the one then 🙂 Also, if there is a big problem with it, we can always update the package!

]]>https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12853https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12853Tue, 11 Jun 2019 10:49:38 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to New XCP-ng "theme" in shell on Tue, 11 Jun 2019 10:27:59 GMT]]>@olivierlambert
This one look the best 🙂

]]>https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12850https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12850Tue, 11 Jun 2019 10:27:59 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to New XCP-ng "theme" in shell on Mon, 10 Jun 2019 15:15:21 GMT]]>@olivierlambert I think this is probably the most sensible of the schemas so far.
The dark background reduces glare, text is high-contrast, and the red actually draws the eye as a highlight or accent color. Looks sharp!

]]>https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12811https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12811Mon, 10 Jun 2019 15:15:21 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to New XCP-ng "theme" in shell on Fri, 07 Jun 2019 12:40:15 GMT]]>I did do it on my install, that's why I'm suggesting it.
The default values made me thing I had a semi-transparent film all over my display.

My install is on a physical machine (a laptop) so I don't know how I'd take a proper screenshot.
I don't think a phone photo would show the difference.

]]>https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12620https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12620Fri, 07 Jun 2019 12:40:15 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to New XCP-ng "theme" in shell on Fri, 07 Jun 2019 12:36:09 GMT]]>Feel free to try on your install and use screenshot to show the diff 🙂

]]>https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12617https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12617Fri, 07 Jun 2019 12:36:09 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to New XCP-ng "theme" in shell on Fri, 07 Jun 2019 12:34:47 GMT]]>Unless it's an environmental decision to make the xsconsole as dim and washed out as possible, to save power, my humble suggestion would be to multiply the fgBright values by 1.249 to get 999,431,372, if my math is correct, and set fgNormal to something like 930,930,930

fgDark could either remain at its current values or be set to fbBright

]]>https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12615https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12615Fri, 07 Jun 2019 12:34:47 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to New XCP-ng "theme" in shell on Fri, 07 Jun 2019 11:58:02 GMT]]>@olivierlambert said in New XCP-ng "theme" in shell:

OK, but why not using xe CLI?

Sometimes I use xe, sometimes XCP-ng Center, sometimes xsconsole.

I mean, it's faster and you can get exactly what you need without moving the cursor in ncurse info?

Typing tens of characters is not faster than pressing a few keys (like arrow, arrow, enter).
Especially standing at a not familiar keyboard in a server room.

Regarding the size, feel free to take a look at the source, it's written in Python 🙂 https://github.com/xenserver/xsconsole

This question is not only pertaining xsconsole.

I tried various things, but the most what I achieved was during the boot phase. After this, the CLI resolution reverts to very small characters again 😞

]]>https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12607https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12607Fri, 07 Jun 2019 11:58:02 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to New XCP-ng "theme" in shell on Fri, 07 Jun 2019 11:44:49 GMT]]>OK, but why not using xe CLI? I mean, it's faster and you can get exactly what you need without moving the cursor in ncurse info?

Regarding the size, feel free to take a look at the source, it's written in Python 🙂 https://github.com/xenserver/xsconsole

]]>https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12602https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12602Fri, 07 Jun 2019 11:44:49 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to New XCP-ng "theme" in shell on Fri, 07 Jun 2019 10:50:44 GMT]]>@olivierlambert said in New XCP-ng "theme" in shell:

Feel free to explain your use cases, I'm interested 🙂

To observe Host Performance Information, VMs' performance info, stop and start VMs, especially before and after a host reboot.

Especially being in the server room. There I use a physical console with a keyboard/video switch, not a workstation with a browser. Also, while working in a server room I don't seat near the display all the time and I must have a look from a side or from a larger distance.

Besides, it's usually faster for me to ssh somewhere than to make a series of tunnels to access the destination with a browser or XCP-ng Center. So also when ssh-ing, xsconsole is handy.

Having a legible xsconsole is important for me.

Especially on some new host, on which xsconsole use only a small fraction of the physical display and the characters are very small.

Do you know how I can configure Dom0 to have normal tty with 24 rows and 80 columns, so that xsconsole occupy all the physical display?

]]>https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12594https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12594Fri, 07 Jun 2019 10:50:44 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to New XCP-ng "theme" in shell on Fri, 07 Jun 2019 09:35:24 GMT]]>Users of the 8.0.0 beta can now update and will get the new prompt and new console.

]]>https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12583https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12583Fri, 07 Jun 2019 09:35:24 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to New XCP-ng "theme" in shell on Fri, 07 Jun 2019 08:50:03 GMT]]>Feel free to explain your use cases, I'm interested 🙂

]]>https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12581https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12581Fri, 07 Jun 2019 08:50:03 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to New XCP-ng "theme" in shell on Thu, 06 Jun 2019 22:21:13 GMT]]>@olivierlambert said in New XCP-ng "theme" in shell:

(I mean, who's really using this UI to do operations outside reboot or read IP address?)

Me is.

]]>https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12553https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12553Thu, 06 Jun 2019 22:21:13 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to New XCP-ng "theme" in shell on Thu, 06 Jun 2019 22:15:48 GMT]]>I like the last result!

]]>https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12550https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12550Thu, 06 Jun 2019 22:15:48 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to New XCP-ng "theme" in shell on Thu, 06 Jun 2019 17:17:28 GMT]]>Indeed 🙂 And the feedback reduced the amount of "red", for the best I suppose. Constructive criticism is always good 🙂

]]>https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12533https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12533Thu, 06 Jun 2019 17:17:28 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to New XCP-ng "theme" in shell on Thu, 06 Jun 2019 17:16:37 GMT]]>@olivierlambert It just shows that people are passionate about this project.

In the end you cannot make everyone happy, but since you are seeking feedback I will provide my 2 cents.

]]>https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12532https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12532Thu, 06 Jun 2019 17:16:37 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to New XCP-ng "theme" in shell on Thu, 06 Jun 2019 16:39:45 GMT]]>@snowstruk I think it's the best balance between making a "brand" on XCP-ng and usability.

But as @bnrstnr suggest, yeah I'm still surprised there is so much debate on it for something nobody use a lot (I mean, who's really using this UI to do operations outside reboot or read IP address?)

]]>https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12530https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12530Thu, 06 Jun 2019 16:39:45 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to New XCP-ng "theme" in shell on Thu, 06 Jun 2019 16:38:43 GMT]]>I can't believe this is even a thing. How much time are people spending on this screen?! lol

]]>https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12529https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12529Thu, 06 Jun 2019 16:38:43 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to New XCP-ng "theme" in shell on Thu, 06 Jun 2019 16:36:46 GMT]]>@olivierlambert I like this one the best so far. I like how there is a lot less red, but still some there.

]]>https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12528https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12528Thu, 06 Jun 2019 16:36:46 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to New XCP-ng "theme" in shell on Thu, 06 Jun 2019 16:29:03 GMT]]>@akurzawa maybe try setterm -blank 0 -powerdown 0 but I have no idea if it will work.

]]>https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12527https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12527Thu, 06 Jun 2019 16:29:03 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to New XCP-ng "theme" in shell on Thu, 06 Jun 2019 16:27:57 GMT]]>Less yellowish terminal to use less different colors and keeping the variations in the logo:

5.png

]]>https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12526https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12526Thu, 06 Jun 2019 16:27:57 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to New XCP-ng "theme" in shell on Thu, 06 Jun 2019 09:00:07 GMT]]>little off-top, any one know how to prevent status screen from going blank? I would like to see those information all the time

]]>https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12510https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12510Thu, 06 Jun 2019 09:00:07 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to New XCP-ng "theme" in shell on Thu, 06 Jun 2019 08:29:59 GMT]]>Yeah despite xsconsole is far from being the main entry point to manage XS/XCP-ng, it seems people are very touchy about changing anything there 😛

]]>https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12506https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12506Thu, 06 Jun 2019 08:29:59 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to New XCP-ng "theme" in shell on Thu, 06 Jun 2019 08:29:00 GMT]]>@olivierlambert colors and themes are always the most important features in software 😉

]]>https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12505https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12505Thu, 06 Jun 2019 08:29:00 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to New XCP-ng "theme" in shell on Thu, 06 Jun 2019 08:15:13 GMT]]>We'll see in the future to have a config file easily editable and maybe preconfigured "themes" 🙂

]]>https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12499https://xcp-ng.org/forum/post/12499Thu, 06 Jun 2019 08:15:13 GMT