RE: about colors

["Drew Adams" <drew.adams@oracle.com>]

> how to find all color that I should define?

You don't really define colors.  You choose them (a) as attributes for faces
(foreground, background, over/underlines, boxing,...) and (b) as frame
backgrounds/foregrounds.

Learn about faces: (1) Emacs manual, node `Faces', (2)
http://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/Face

Command `list-faces-display' shows the existing faces.  You can use command
`customize-face' to modify any of them.

If you use Icicles then `customize-face' and other face-choosing commands show
you the candidate face names in their own faces (wysiwyg).  You can filter the
names using patterns.

Command `list-colors-display' shows the named colors you can use (e.g. for
changing face attributes).

Be aware that in addition to named colors in Emacs you can also use any RGB hex
code (as in HTML) instead of a color name - e.g. #C847D8FEFFFF (an unnamed light
blue).  The available colors go way beyond those that are named.

If you use Icicles then command `icicle-read-color' shows you colored color-name
candidates (wysiwyg) - like `list-colors-display' with filtering and completion.
You can sort the candidates in various ways, including by color component
strength (hue, saturation, brightness, R, G, B) and color distance (HSV, RGB).
http://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/Icicles_-_Screenshots#icicle-read-color

See also Facemenu+.
http://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/FaceMenuPlus

See also ColorPalette and Do Re Mi for choosing/defining colors.
http://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/ColorPalette
http://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/DoReMi

Do Re Mi has commands for incrementally modifying color components.

It has commands for doing this to the foreground/background of particular faces
or frames and commands for doing this to all faces or all frames together.
Incrementally modify color components individually (red, green, blue, hue,
saturation/purity, value/brightness).

Use the all-faces/frames modifying commands to, e.g., lighten, brighten, subdue,
contrast, make more blue, etc. all faces or frames at once.  Then make
individual face adjustments to finish off.

Icicles also has commands for incrementally modifying frame
foreground/background colors.

> What is the right way for creating theme for emacs?

Others have spoken about this.  Use any of the various tools mentioned above and
by others to change your Emacs appearance the way you want (tweak faces, frame
colors), then save that appearance as a new color theme.

You can start from an existing theme and modify that appearance (certain faces,
all faces together, etc.).

You can use Icicles command `icicle-color-theme' to browse among existing
themes, picking specific theme names using completion and pattern filtering or
cycling among some or all.  Return to the theme or setup you started with or
keep one that you liked.

You can also use command `doremi-color-themes+' to cycle among color themes.
C-g restores the theme/setup you started with.

For more info about color themes:
http://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/ColorTheme