We’ve noticed that the "Skyline Mixed" colour UI scheme has recently been removed in favour of light (white) or dark (black) modes, and we’d like to better understand the reasoning behind this change.
From an operational perspective, this has presented some challenges for our environment:
- Our existing service drawings (Visio-based) are not compatible with dark mode, and converting thousands of these diagrams is not feasible from both a time and cost standpoint.
- Using the fully white (light) UI in a live MCR environment introduces significant screen glare, which impacts operator comfort and usability during extended monitoring periods.
The previous mixed colour scheme provided a good balance and was well suited to our operational setup.
Could you advise:
- Why the mixed colour option was removed?
- Whether there are plans to reintroduce it, or provide alternative configurable UI options?
We would strongly advocate for the return of the mixed colour scheme, as it better supports our operational needs.
Hi Paul,
Thank you for taking the time to explain why the "Skyline Mixed" theme is important in your environment. I completely understand the concern. Personally, I was also a big fan of the mixed theme, so its removal was certainly not a decision we made lightly.
At Skyline, we continuously modernize both Cube and our web applications to keep the user experience aligned with current software design standards. During that process, we observed that the industry is increasingly converging on Light and Dark themes, while more traditional "classic" themes are gradually disappearing. Supporting fewer themes also allows us to focus more effort on consistency, quality, and long-term maintainability.
Because of that, we evaluated the impact of removing the "Skyline Mixed" theme. We knew strong Dark Theme support was essential, especially for MCR and similar operational environments. However, I believe we underestimated how many Visio-based views in the field are still not fully compatible with Dark Theme, which effectively made "Skyline Mixed" the preferred and sometimes only practical option for some users.
You are definitely not alone in this feedback. We have received similar comments from other users as well, particularly from MCR environments relying on Visio diagrams. Based on that feedback, we are seriously considering bringing back a mixed-style theme in some form. That said, it will likely not return exactly as before, since we still want to achieve the broader UI modernization goals.
In the meantime, if the new theming was introduced through automatic Cube updates, there is an easy workaround available. In the Cube Launcher, you can right-click an agent tile and select "Connect using..." to choose another compatible Cube version. Versions prior to 10.6.2609.xxxx should still include the "Skyline Mixed" theme option.
Hi Paul,
Once we have a concrete proposal, my plan is to reach out to you and a few other stakeholders first to gather some early feedback and validate the direction.
After that, I would also like to follow up here in this discussion so we can involve the broader community as well.
Thank you again for raising this and for providing the detailed context. I will get back to you as soon as we have more to share.
Update on the Skyline Mixed Theme Feedback
Thank you to everyone who shared feedback on the recent theming changes.
So far, the feedback has been very consistent. The main concern comes from systems with extensive Visio-based views that work well in the Light and former Mixed themes but are not fully compatible with the Dark Theme. This is especially noticeable in MCR environments, where the Mixed Theme provided a comfortable balance between usability and reduced screen glare.
After reviewing the feedback and discussing possible solutions internally, we believe the core issue is not the Dark Theme itself, but how Visio drawings are rendered within it. Today, DataMiner applies a black background to Visio drawings in Dark Theme and a white background in Light Theme.
One option we are actively considering is allowing Visio drawings to use a white background while the rest of the UI remains in Dark Theme. This would provide an experience very similar to the former Mixed Theme while offering greater flexibility and supporting our ongoing UI modernization efforts.
At this stage, this approach appears to be the most balanced solution. It addresses the primary concern raised by users while allowing us to continue investing in a modern, maintainable theming experience.
We appreciate all feedback and will keep the community updated as discussions progress.
We aim to release this end of summer.
Hi Pieter,
Thank you for the detailed response — I really appreciate you taking the time to explain the background and considerations behind the change.
We have indeed been using an older version of Cube to retain the “Skyline Mixed” theme, as it remains the best option fully compatible with our current service views and operational requirements.
It’s reassuring to hear that similar feedback has been received from others and that you are considering reintroducing a mixed-style theme in some form. This would certainly be beneficial for our MCR environment.
We would also appreciate being kept informed of any decisions or developments regarding this, particularly the outcome of early discussions.
KR Paul