As the title of the topic says, GTK+ apps look terrible under KDE and the System Preferences panel GTK appearance doesn't work.

A screenshot of Postler running under KDE


With a bit of googling, I found this: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Un ... _procedure

When I do that, GTK apps look native. Until I log out.
So, I discover that the 'Apply colors to non-KDE4 applications' checkbox should be unchecked. Did it, and the same thing happens again.

What happens is that KDE replaces the gtkrc file with this bit of code every time I log in:

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# created by KDE, pet lis 26 11:49:20 2012
#
# If you do not want KDE to override your GTK settings, select
# Appearance -> Colors in the System Settings and disable the checkbox
# "Apply colors to non-KDE4 applications"
#
#

gtk-alternative-button-order = 1

I don't care about button order, I just want the apps to look native.

I have oxygen-gtk install and I'm using KDE 4.8.4 on LMDE update pack 5 [Debian Wheezy + a bit of Mint stuff]

To the best of my knowledge, KDE should not be altering the gtkrc file.
Does this occur under a new user?

I logged in to my (other) account and apps look native without any tweaks. I'm really confused.

Have you tried this KCM module to set style (or simply control what is set):
http://packages.debian.org/sid/kde-config-gtk-style

I did try it, and it doesn't work.

impetiredome wrote:...and the System Preferences panel GTK appearance doesn't work...

Please check for scripts in the following locations:

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~/.kde4/env/
~/.kde4/Autostart/
~/.config/autostart

Nothing in the first two, but in ~/.config/autostart:

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027BF8713FF1D969AF9CAC6308A84BD85CC270F0.google-chrome-service.desktop
cairo-dock.desktop
Compiz.desktop
docky.desktop
dropbox.desktop
gnome-do.desktop
gnome-keyring-gpg.desktop
gnome-keyring-secrets.desktop
gnome-keyring-ssh.desktop
mintupload.desktop
mintwelcome.desktop
nautilus-autostart.desktop
postler.desktop
Screenlets Daemon.desktop
xfce4-clipman-plugin-autostart.desktop
xfce4-settings-helper-autostart.desktop


Also, I don't have ~/.kde4. Instead, there's ~/.kde

I see a "xfce4-settings-helper-autostart" in there - which means XFCE could be applying it's Gtk theme preferences...
Try eliminating those if possible and see if the issue with regards to overwriting of your Gtk settings persists.

Deleted it and the issue persists.

After login, can you have a look to see if any GNOME / Gtk / etc settings daemons appear to be running?
(For both users).

In my account, gconfd-2 and gnome-keyring-daemon.
Will check for the other user account later.

gconfd-2 could possibly be overriding the KDE settings... try looking for the gconfd storage (~/.gconf or similar) and moving it elsewhere with gconfd-2 not running.