Can't seem to theme KDE 3.5

[Sunwatcher]

I'm new to KDE. I usually use Gnome, but I'm trying to learn more. I've just installed Mandriva Free 2008 (Official). My problem is that I can't seem to theme KDE correctly. I've searched and read posts in these forums, but they have not helped. Here's the deal:

 

I've downloaded a couple of themes from kde-look, then I go to the Control Center > Appearance & Themes > Theme Manager, I get a window that has an 'install themes' button, but when I click on this and navigate to the correct folder, no theme file is detected. There is another button listed as 'Filters' which only shows 'Theme files' as a choice, nothing else is available. So the install themes function does not allow me to select tar.gz files for example. (Can you even do this?)

 

The various posts I've read tend to say, "just click on 'install theme'", but this doesn't seem to be working for me. Any thoughts?

[ffi]

Themes or styles? Usually styles (comparable with gtk themes) are installed by rpm (or make install) and selected in Control Center > Appearance & Themes >Styles

[Sunwatcher]

If I go to Style, I see 3 tabs with Style, Effects, Toolbar, but nothing that looks likes Themes. I tried another theme from kde-look (http://www.kde-look.org/content/show.php/Domino+for+Mandriva+2008?content=69996). The instructions seem so basic, 'install with urpmi'. I did this, but the Domino theme does not appear in Control Center>Appearance & Themes>Theme Manager. So I cannot apply it. I tried re-installing and got the message that the package was already installed. I also tried the 'Install New Theme' button in Theme Manager, but again the file is not recognized with the Theme Files filter option. Why is KDE so difficult to theme?

[Sunwatcher]

ffi,

 

Wait, a mini breakthrough, I do now see the new entry under Style. But now I am even more confused. What's a theme in KDE? Does style apply to buttons and such? That's what seems to have changed when I clicked on the new entry. I want to change my windows borders and colors, etc. Don't know how.

[Sunwatcher]

OK. I did figure out how to change colors and 'Window decorations', but only one of the theme/style files I downloaded shows up there.

 

Tried another (http://www.kde-look.org/content/show.php/Full-Black?content=66144). This one came as a Theme File (.kth at the end). It was detected by "Install New Theme" and appears in the theme box. BUT, when I click on it, nothing changes at all that I can see. Hmmm...