Customizing GUI themes Citrix NetScaler 11

New in NetScaler v11 is the ability to easily customise a theme from within the NetScaler GUI. I will show you how simple the customisation process can be for you to bring in a more targeted theme for your business.

We are all aware of the default Green Bubbles theme and X1 theme new in NS11.

1-min

Let’s have a look at first customising the X1 theme to out liking. Navigate to NetScaler Gateway -> Portal Themes -> Add.2-min

Enter a name for your new theme and under Template Theme select X1. Click OK.3-min

The following page shows some of the attributes we can modify but we aren’t interested in these ones for now as they only relate to Clientless Access.4-min

If you click on the Help Legend link you are presented with a graphical page showing you which each section is named. This is to aid you when choosing what you want to edit.5-min

Under the Common Attributes section, this is where we want to focus our time on. The settings here below are all configurable and relate to the NetScaler Gateway logon page.6-min

Clicking Help Legend again gives insight to each component.7-min

So first I want to specify a Header Logo. This file is a .JPG from my local machine and will be uploaded to NetScaler. Click OK.8-min

Now click OK if your language is English.9-min

To the right of our screen we have a number of different sections of NetScaler Gateway that we can modify such as the EPA Page, Login Page, Home Page.10-min

If we click to select the Login Page there are additional parts we can edit such as the Page Title and Form Title.

11-min

I’ve gone and edited the Page Title and Password Field2 Title. The Password Field2 Title will be named Token Key as this is my 2-factor RADIUS token system. Click OK.12-min

Now click Click to bind and view configured theme. 13-min

Select a NetScaler Gateway (pre-production) and click Preview. The theme is bound to the NetScaler Gateway and a new browser popup appears showing the newly edited theme.14-min

The new theme appears with the small adjustments I have made. Good start, now we can continue.15-min

Go back to Portal Themes and edit the CustomTheme.16-min

Lets change the Form Background Color to white which can easily be done from the canvas.17-min

Change the Background Image.18-min

Select the desired background image.19-min

Now lets change the opacity of the Form Background Color. This is performed by using the slider to your right above fgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9). The 0.9 value is the opacity value. Opacity relates to how transparent we want the color to be. The value ranges from 0.0-1.0.20-min

We can also change the Form Font Color as the Form Background Color is white so we need something a little darker to display.21-min

The same goes for the Button Color, Hover Color and Form Title Font Color. I’ve changed these to black.22-min

Now our NetScaler Gateway logon page looks a little bit better. Not the perfect picture but better.23-min

Let’s have a look at customising the GreenBubble theme. Navigate to NetScaler Gateway -> Themes -> Add -> specify a name and choose GreenBubble as the theme -> OK.24-min

Now, notice the Common Attributes is a little bit different from what we had when customising the X1 theme. New configurable items appear such as Button Hover Image and Button Image.25-min

Clicking Help Legend shows the Green Bubbles theme and each labelled section.26-min

I’ve chosen the same customisations I’ve used on the X1 theme. Make your desired customisations and click OK.27-min

Bind the theme to a NetScaler Gateway vServer (pre-production) and click Preview.28-min

The theme displays, a little different from X1 with the layout and look. Notice the Log On button is different. 29-min

I’ve only gone and stolen the X1 logon button and uploaded it to my cusotmised NetScaler Green Bubbles theme.30-min

Now the Log On button looks a bit different, little bit of improvement needed but you get the idea.31-min

And that is that. Please note your custom theme files are stored on NetScaler /var/netscaler/logon/themes/.  You will find the custom CSS files, and any uploaded images used for background etc.

Good luck!

 

 


29 Comments

  • Kb

    April 4, 2017

    Thank you for the up

    Reply
  • aw

    August 14, 2017

    thanks for the info

    Reply
  • Mario Omar Loyo Garcia

    October 2, 2017

    It’s necesary reboot the appliance?

    Reply
    • George Spiers

      October 2, 2017

      No, just be sure to save any running configuration.

      Reply
      • Mario Omar Loyo Garcia

        October 4, 2017

        I have two Netscaler in HA, this change apply in netscaler secondary or this is replicate affter the save configuration

        Reply
        • George Spiers

          October 5, 2017

          If you perform the customisations on your primary HA node, it will replicate to the secondary appliance, even if you don’t save the running configuration at this point. Once you are done configuring, then save the running config so that your changes persist between reboots.

          Reply
  • Kipp Hollingsworth

    October 13, 2017

    I’m trying to replicate our current v10 page and not having much luck. Any tips on how to get that central image on just the login page? https://apps.thesolutions.com/vpn/index.html

    Reply
    • George Spiers

      October 13, 2017

      What are you hoping to see after logging on, just the default screen? Are you directing users to StoreFront or Clientless Access/Client Choices?

      Reply
      • Kipp Hollingsworth

        October 13, 2017

        I’m trying to replicate the look of the login screen with that background and a centered image, but I don’t see how you would do that given the current limitations.

        Reply
        • George Spiers

          October 13, 2017

          The centered image is “Center Logo”. Upload a picture under Center Logo and it will be centered.

          Reply
  • Greg

    October 19, 2017

    Is there a simple of way to eliminate the height pixel restriction of the “center logo”? 60 pixels is pretty short…

    Reply
  • Yusuf Karadag

    November 17, 2017

    Using the GUI, is there anyway of putting a identifier for the MPX on the login screen to show which Netscaler users are connecting too in a HA setup? This will be handy for Helpdesk during triage.

    Reply
    • George Spiers

      November 19, 2017

      I’m not sure since the themes are replicated between appliances so making a change on one would simply copy over to the other. NetScaler MAS can show you which appliance is active and much more, and it is possible to delegate web console access to MAS for the helpdesk staff. https://jgspiers.com/citrix-netscaler-management-analytics-system/

      Reply
  • tony

    December 12, 2017

    George,
    with file can i modify to add some warning info in the middle of login page? please advise. thanks

    Reply
    • George Spiers

      December 12, 2017

      You can add a EULA by navigating to NetScaler Gateway -> Resources -> EULA and users will need to check a box to accept the EULA.
      You can also add text under the logon button as described here: https://support.citrix.com/article/CTX202444
      This shows how to add a URL, but you should be able to adjust it to plain text. This won’t work on NS12.

      Reply
  • Viktor

    September 25, 2018

    Hi George, great article.
    I have one problem, though.
    After I import Background Image which basically is a paint file containing a logo with specific color, I then face a problem where after authentication, you hit the Smart Access page – to choose between VPN, Clientless access and Apps and Desktops, and the top of the this page gets overwritten with the background color and basically you cannot see all the 3 choices.
    Any ideas?

    THanks,
    Viktor

    Reply
    • George Spiers

      September 26, 2018

      The Form Background Color setting will allow you to change the tiles to a different colour from the background colour.

      Reply
  • Terry

    September 26, 2018

    Hello George!
    Thank you for the great article.
    We have n-Factored authentication on Netscaler and it need to set up different background images for each factor.
    Do you think that it is possible to do? Assume that it will need to add some Code to Log On button or smth like that

    Reply
  • tb

    September 26, 2018

    Great article

    Reply
  • Mars

    September 26, 2018

    Hello George,
    Thank you for a great article!
    We have N factor configured in our NS and it need to use different background images for each factor.
    Do you think that it is possible to do?

    Reply
    • George Spiers

      September 26, 2018

      No easy way that I can think. You should contact Citrix and log an enhancement request for NetScaler.

      Reply
      • Mars

        September 27, 2018

        Thank you for your reply! Seems only way is to overwrite Log On button Script so after pressing it it wil change image file.

        Reply
  • Pingback: Citrix Adc - Customizing The User Portal - Citrix Docs

  • Alexander Mata

    May 11, 2021

    Is there any way to add a return to a line? For example I would want the first line to say “Important Notice” Then on a separate line provide the text.

    Reply
  • Naveen Chopra

    May 12, 2021

    Is there any way to change the border line of user name and password in the white background. it is working fine with RfWebUI theme while making changes on themes.css but not working with X1?

    Reply
  • Pingback: Citrix Adc Portal - LoginWave

  • Buena

    May 23, 2022

    Has anyone ever been to Vapology Vapor Store located in 7406 Janes Ave?

    Reply
  • Pingback: Citrix Netscaler Default Instructions - logininfos.com

  • Pingback: Customize Netscaler Login Page Data - logininfos.com

Leave a Reply to George Spiers Cancel reply