I'm having trouble locating all the files to copy into a new theme folder so I can create my own...

It appears the theme folders in recent versions of Exchange 2013 should have moved to \V15\ClientAccess\Owa\prem\15.0.1044.25\resources\themes (For CU7) and I do indeed find subdirectories for each theme but they seem devoid of most of the content I would expect. None of them have .CSS files and only a couple of images. It looks like most stuff has been placed outside of individual theme directories and are now global in these directories:

\V15\ClientAccess\Owa\prem\15.0.1044.25\resources\images\0
and
V15\ClientAccess\Owa\prem\15.0.1044.25\resources\styles

Was there a big change recently to the theme architecture in the more recent Exchange 2013 builds? Non of it matches the technet documentation and I cant just copy a theme folder out \V15\ClientAccess\Owa\prem\15.0.1044.25\resources\themes because those seem to be missing almost all important support files.

Anyone else notice this or am I just missing something?

Hi,

Can you log in OWA as normal? If these files are missing, there will be some changes with OWA interface.

Based on my knowledge, there is no big change recently to the theme architecture in the recent Exchange 2013 builds.

By default, we can find the theme in the path \Client Access\OWA\version\Owa2\resources\themes. And I find these theme files under the default path on mailbox server.

Please also check if these files hidden by system with the following steps:

1. Click Organization button on menu and choose Folder and Search options.
2. Under View tab, Advanced settings -> Hidden files and folders, check Show hidden files, folders and drives.
3. Click OK to check the result.

Refer to this document to Create a theme for Outlook Web App

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb201700(v=exchg.150).aspx

Best Regards.

Well, I think that documentation is out of date. I don't see any "Owa2" directory under there. We are at CU7 which is (15.0.1044.21). If I go to \Client Access\OWA\15.0.1044.21, there is no "Owa2" subdirectory. There is a "themes" directory but that is for the basic theme, not the new premium (html5) themes. I found some theme files under \V15\ClientAccess\Owa\prem\15.0.1044.25\resources\themes but there are no .css files and very few image files in those theme folders. There is not a full set of files there to copy and create my own theme like the documentation says I should be able to do.

\Client Access\OWA\15.0.1044.21 [As you can see, there is no "Owa2" subfolder]

edit: Well, doesnt look like it would let me attach and image. Anyway, the point is there is no "Owa2" folder on my exchange server (client access and mailbox roles) under \Client Acces\OWA\15.0.1044.21\

• Edited by Talmen Monday, January 12, 2015 9:29 PM

Well, I think that documentation is out of date. I don't see any "Owa2" directory under there. We are at CU7 which is (15.0.1044.21). If I go to \Client Access\OWA\15.0.1044.21, there is no "Owa2" subdirectory. There is a "themes" directory but that is for the basic theme, not the new premium (html5) themes. I found some theme files under \V15\ClientAccess\Owa\prem\15.0.1044.25\resources\themes but there are no .css files and very few image files in those theme folders. There is not a full set of files there to copy and create my own theme like the documentation says I should be able to do.

\Client Access\OWA\15.0.1044.21 [As you can see, there is no "Owa2" subfolder]

edit: Well, doesnt look like it would let me attach and image. Anyway, the point is there is no "Owa2" folder on my exchange server (client access and mailbox roles) under \Client Acces\OWA\15.0.1044.21\

• Edited by Talmen Monday, January 12, 2015 9:29 PM

Hi,

Please start Exchange PowerShell and run C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\V15\Bin\UpdateCas.ps1, this script will handle OWA/ECP updates, copying the new items and updating the IIS metabase.

The build number of Exchange 2013 CU7 should be 15.0.1044.25, you can run Get-ExchangeServer cmdlet to check. So I believe that the right directory should be \V15\ClientAccess\Owa\prem\15.0.1044.25\resources\themes.

In addition, you can email any attachments or images to this address: ibsexc@microsoft.com, email subject should be thread link.

I appreciate for your cooperation.

Best Regards.

• Marked as answer by Simon_WuMicrosoft contingent staff, Moderator Monday, January 19, 2015 9:11 AM

Hi,

Please start Exchange PowerShell and run C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\V15\Bin\UpdateCas.ps1, this script will handle OWA/ECP updates, copying the new items and updating the IIS metabase.

The build number of Exchange 2013 CU7 should be 15.0.1044.25, you can run Get-ExchangeServer cmdlet to check. So I believe that the right directory should be \V15\ClientAccess\Owa\prem\15.0.1044.25\resources\themes.

In addition, you can email any attachments or images to this address: ibsexc@microsoft.com, email subject should be thread link.

I appreciate for your cooperation.

Best Regards.

• Marked as answer by Simon_WuMicrosoft contingent staff, Moderator Monday, January 19, 2015 9:11 AM

Hi,

I've the same problem as OP, I don't know if running UpdateCas.ps1 solved his problem, but all it does for me is copy changed files from:

\prem\15.0.1044.25\resources\themes.

To

\Current2\version\themes.

I found more files under older version in folder "prem", but if I copy one of them to the folders mentioned above I can no longer access OWA (I get Bad Request).

Can anyone upload a copy of "Minimal" theme folder?

Thanks.

Just thought I'd let you know that I was also banging my head over this one after installing CU#5 -> CU#7. They changed the way theme it work. Now the theme folder only contain the top layout of the page, the name and ordering of the theme. In order for the custom theme to work, you also have to create a CSS associated with it.

Let say you want a custom theme.

Step 1. Drop your theme top layout in ClientAccess\Owa\prem\15.0.1044.25\resources\themes on the backend server

At this point, if you try to iisreset and login, you WILL get 400 "Bad Request" on /owa but /ecp will work fine. You must also do step 2.

Step 2. Create the css associated with the new theme. The css is now located in ClientAccess\Owa\prem\15.0.1044.25\resources\styles\

You need to create a css associated with the name of your new theme by following the name standard

fabric.color.theme.<NAME OF YOUR THEME>.css

Example : I want a new theme called custom1.

ClientAccess\Owa\prem\15.0.1044.25\resources\themes\custom1

edit ClientAccess\Owa\prem\15.0.1044.25\resources\styles\custom1\themeinfo.xml appriopriatly

Create a css in ClientAccess\Owa\prem\15.0.1044.25\resources\styles\fabric.color.theme.custom1.css

Now if you do a iisreset, you will be able to login and no longer get the dreaded 400 Bad request message.

Hope this will help other as I spent a day figuring this one out.

Just thought I'd let you know that I was also banging my head over this one after installing CU#5 -> CU#7. They changed the way theme it work. Now the theme folder only contain the top layout of the page, the name and ordering of the theme. In order for the custom theme to work, you also have to create a CSS associated with it.

Let say you want a custom theme.

Step 1. Drop your theme top layout in ClientAccess\Owa\prem\15.0.1044.25\resources\themes on the backend server

At this point, if you try to iisreset and login, you WILL get 400 "Bad Request" on /owa but /ecp will work fine. You must also do step 2.

Step 2. Create the css associated with the new theme. The css is now located in ClientAccess\Owa\prem\15.0.1044.25\resources\styles\

You need to create a css associated with the name of your new theme by following the name standard

fabric.color.theme.<NAME OF YOUR THEME>.css

Example : I want a new theme called custom1.

ClientAccess\Owa\prem\15.0.1044.25\resources\themes\custom1

edit ClientAccess\Owa\prem\15.0.1044.25\resources\styles\custom1\themeinfo.xml appriopriatly

Create a css in ClientAccess\Owa\prem\15.0.1044.25\resources\styles\fabric.color.theme.custom1.css

Now if you do a iisreset, you will be able to login and no longer get the dreaded 400 Bad request message.

Hope this will help other as I spent a day figuring this one out.

• Proposed as answer by A A.J Wednesday, February 11, 2015 8:12 AM

Thank you INFSC for taking the time, much appreciated.

I just wonder why there are no documentation for these changes, then again it's ms ...

• Edited by A A.J Wednesday, February 11, 2015 8:35 AM

We had this same issue with a custom theme after our upgrade to CU7, and INFSC's response is definitely correct- thanks for posting this!