# Ignition "IDE": increase font size? change font family? dark mode? **URL:** \ **Category:** Ignition\ **Created:** [July 3, 2023, 1:41pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/ignition-ide-increase-font-size-change-font-family-dark-mode/75844 "2023-07-03T13:41:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ian.sebryk](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/ian.sebryk/32/49319_2.png) [@ian.sebryk](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/ian.sebryk)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2023, 1:41pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/ignition-ide-increase-font-size-change-font-family-dark-mode/75844/1 "2023-07-03T13:41:40Z")
new to ignition, not new to Python. since i'm handcuffed to using your "IDE", is there a way to: 1. change the font size without having to blow out Windows text to 150%? 2. change the font family to something else? 3. change to a Dark Mode? please tell me there's a dark mode... ---
**Author:** ![paul-griffith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/paul-griffith/32/37249_2.png) [@paul-griffith](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/paul-griffith)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2023, 6:22pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/ignition-ide-increase-font-size-change-font-family-dark-mode/75844/2 "2023-07-03T18:22:24Z")
> [@ian.sebryk](#): > > - change the font size without having to blow out Windows text to 150%? Ctrl + Mousewheel. > [@ian.sebryk](#): > > - change the font family to something else? Basically, no. Technically, possibly, via either runtime scripting or manipulating the font.properties in the locally cached JVM the designer is running in. > [@ian.sebryk](#): > > 1. change to a Dark Mode? please tell me there's a dark mode... No. > [@ian.sebryk](#): > > since i'm handcuffed to using your "IDE" Not exactly. On every Ignition version since v8, project resources are just files on disk; you can manipulate scripts in any text editor, or do more exotic things: > **[Ignition 8 Deployment Best Practices](https://inductiveautomation.com/resources/article/ignition-8-deployment-best-practices)** > > Inductive Automation provides this helpful guide for deploying Ignition applications. The guide offers Ignition 8 best practices for setting up development and testing workflow. > [@Spotting non-default properties in Perspective views](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/spotting-non-default-properties-in-perspective-views/70244/8): > > Incase this helps, I went ahead and published the extension with the feature it currently has I should probably document it better, but let me know if this helps or if there is a specific thing I can add to streamline what you are doing! > **[ignition-api](https://github.com/ignition-api)** > > GitHub org behind the ignition-api Python packages fostered by @coatl-dev - ignition-api > **[GitHub - thecesrom/incendium: 📦 Package that extends and wraps Ignition...](https://github.com/thecesrom/incendium)** > > 📦 Package that extends and wraps Ignition scripting API - GitHub - thecesrom/incendium: 📦 Package that extends and wraps Ignition scripting API ---
**Author:** ![ian.sebryk](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/ian.sebryk/32/49319_2.png) [@ian.sebryk](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/ian.sebryk)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2023, 6:37pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/ignition-ide-increase-font-size-change-font-family-dark-mode/75844/3 "2023-07-03T18:37:34Z")
@ PGriffith thank you; aw, dang; oh, poop; oh! hot damn! excellent! and in that order. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![paul-griffith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/paul-griffith/32/37249_2.png) [@paul-griffith](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/paul-griffith)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2023, 7:03pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/ignition-ide-increase-font-size-change-font-family-dark-mode/75844/4 "2023-07-03T19:03:09Z")
In some future version we'd really like to natively support external editors, but there's some significant complications to that effort. Ignition's execution and scripting environment is 'weird' 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ian.sebryk](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/ian.sebryk/32/49319_2.png) [@ian.sebryk](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/ian.sebryk)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2023, 7:41pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/ignition-ide-increase-font-size-change-font-family-dark-mode/75844/5 "2023-07-03T19:41:33Z")
the big bottleneck for me is decades of dev experience and a finely tuned IDE of my own colliding with 'click this button to get a path' and Jython oddities. nothing that can't be worked around, it just jams the machine for now. that and the 525 tan from the WHITE INTERFACE. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![pascal.fragnoud](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pascal.fragnoud/32/24728_2.png) [@pascal.fragnoud](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pascal.fragnoud)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2023, 8:07pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/ignition-ide-increase-font-size-change-font-family-dark-mode/75844/6 "2023-07-03T20:07:23Z")
How do you people not go blind using dark UIs ? ---
**Author:** ![ian.sebryk](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/ian.sebryk/32/49319_2.png) [@ian.sebryk](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/ian.sebryk)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2023, 8:12pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/ignition-ide-increase-font-size-change-font-family-dark-mode/75844/7 "2023-07-03T20:12:38Z")
@pascal.fragnoud spend 15yrs in dark server rooms, editing suites, and inside the guts of machinery poking at control panels and you'll grow different eyeballs. 😃 the WHITE overwhelms when the environment is dim or dark. makes reading telltales from equipment challenging too. plus i feel way more `3l33t` when i have a dark bg. it matches my dark, tortured soul. "\". 😉 ---
**Author:** ![pascal.fragnoud](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pascal.fragnoud/32/24728_2.png) [@pascal.fragnoud](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pascal.fragnoud)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2023, 8:15pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/ignition-ide-increase-font-size-change-font-family-dark-mode/75844/8 "2023-07-03T20:15:02Z")
I have good news for you: > **[Incandescent light bulb](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incandescent_light_bulb)** > > An incandescent light bulb, incandescent lamp or incandescent light globe is an electric light with a wire filament that is heated until it glows. The filament is enclosed in a glass bulb that is filled with vacuum or inert gas to protect the filament from oxidation. Current is supplied to the filament by terminals or wires embedded in the glass. A bulb socket provides mechanical support and electrical connections. > Incandescent bulbs are manufactured in a wide range of sizes, light output, a... ---
**Author:** ![ian.sebryk](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/ian.sebryk/32/49319_2.png) [@ian.sebryk](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/ian.sebryk)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2023, 8:17pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/ignition-ide-increase-font-size-change-font-family-dark-mode/75844/9 "2023-07-03T20:17:22Z")
lmao. nice. 😆 technology is a marvel; something new everyday. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kevin.Herron](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/kevin.herron/32/7259_2.png) [@Kevin.Herron](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Kevin.Herron)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2023, 8:17pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/ignition-ide-increase-font-size-change-font-family-dark-mode/75844/10 "2023-07-03T20:17:53Z")
> [@ian.sebryk](#): > > decades of dev experience and a finely tuned IDE of my own colliding with 'click this button to get a path' and Jython oddities. Don't make the mistake of thinking Ignition is all about scripting. You've got a programming hammer and everything looks like a programming nail to you, but scripting is only a part of Ignition for most projects. ---
**Author:** ![pturmel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pturmel/32/3295_2.png) [@pturmel](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pturmel)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2023, 8:23pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/ignition-ide-increase-font-size-change-font-family-dark-mode/75844/11 "2023-07-03T20:23:02Z")
> [@Kevin.Herron](#): > > but scripting is only a part of Ignition for most projects. Think of it as the mortar and nails that ties complex process and UI data flows together, when the cut rock and lumber doesn't quite fit on its own. An application that fits together perfectly as if dovetailed and doweled, with hairline seams between structural members, is what you can achieve with bindings of various kinds. ---
**Author:** ![ian.sebryk](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/ian.sebryk/32/49319_2.png) [@ian.sebryk](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/ian.sebryk)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2023, 8:28pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/ignition-ide-increase-font-size-change-font-family-dark-mode/75844/12 "2023-07-03T20:28:23Z")
oh i am aware. but i've been hired to handle the programming side of things, specifically building tools and other things to work with Ignition UIs. i am totally aware i'm parked on a small beach of this big lake. my history is building from scratch and speed was key. now speed is still key, but the build process is very different. a LOT of Ignition is not even used here because of the business model. i spent two hours on the horn with support and that was another major shift in comprehension. but since i have to stare at this screen for hours and days and weeks and months, i better be able to be comfortable doing it.