Customize face can use some theme faces, but not all

Question

This is my theme config.

I am trying to modify the face list-matching-lines-buffer-name-face, which is part of the result window of occur (see replace.el.gz).

Using customize-option on list-matching-lines-buffer-name-face, I am experimenting with what works and what doesn't.

In the customization buffer, I can use some other faces to assign to list-matching-lines-buffer-name-face. For example, reusing magit-bisect-bad works (sample shows that directly). Some others, which are in my theme linked above, do not work, for example linum.

Extract of the theme file:

`(linum ((t (:foreground ,bisque-green+2 :background ,bisque-bg))))
...
`(magit-bisect-bad  ((t (:foreground ,bisque-red))))

Why are only some of the faces available to assign to my option?

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How do I set the value of list-matching-lines-buffer-name-face in my theme file? I eventually don't want to set it with customize, I want it to be only for that theme, not in my init file.

I've tried to set faces in my theme file:

`(occur-buffer-name-face ((t (:foreground ,bisque-bg :background ,bisque-green  :weight bold))))
`(list-matching-lines-buffer-name-face ((t (:foreground ,bisque-bg :background ,bisque-green  :weight bold))))

with no success. The first of these two (occur-buffer-name-face) I've tried to use in the customize interface, with no luck either.

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As a summary, this is what I have:

• The result of occur has standard face for buffer names (it is as default, plus underline)
• M-x customize-face
• search for list-matching-lines-buffer-name-face
• check that the face description on the right of the sample text sample only says underline. The sample text shows underlined text with default foreground color.
• change underline to magit-bisect-bad. The sample text changes as soon as the face name is done (turns red in my case).
• change magit-bisect-bad to linum

Expected behavior: the sample text turns to green foreground, as set by my theme.

Actual behavior: the sample text stays as default foreground.

Answer 1

My current way to solve this is this, in my theme file:

;; In the big `let` statement of my theme.
(defface occur-buffer-name '((t (:background "#5c888b" :foreground "#45423f")))
  "Occur buffer name lineface"
  :group 'basic-faces)
(setq list-matching-lines-buffer-name-face 'occur-buffer-name)

Unfortunately, I cannot find the correct way not to use hard-coded values there. Since my theme defines a palette, I would like to use the palette colors.

Thanks @TianshuWang for guiding me to using setq.

(but I still don't understand why this face cannot be set like the other faces, in my theme's custom-theme-set-faces.)

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As reference, this is how my colors are defined in my theme file:

(deftheme bisque "The bisque color theme, based on zenburn")

;; Palette
(let ((class '((class color) (min-colors 89)))
      ;; Zenburn palette
      ;; colors with +x are lighter, colors with -x are darker
      ;; #ac9a85 = (bisque3 + bisque4) / 2
      (bisque-fg "#ac9a85")
      (bisque-fg-1 "bisque4")
      (bisque-fg-2 "#5f5549")
;; ...

then comes the definition of the faces, within the same let:

  (custom-theme-set-faces
   'bisque
   '(button ((t (:underline t))))
   `(link ((t (:foreground ,bisque-yellow :underline t :weight bold))))
   `(link-visited ((t (:foreground ,bisque-yellow-2 :underline t :weight normal))))

   ;;; basic coloring
   `(default ((t (:foreground ,bisque-fg :background ,bisque-bg))))
   `(cursor ((t (:foreground ,bisque-fg :background ,bisque-yellow+1))))
   `(escape-glyph ((t (:foreground ,bisque-yellow :bold t))))
   `(fringe ((t (:foreground ,bisque-yellow+1 :background ,bisque-bg))))
   `(header-line ((t (:foreground ,bisque-yellow
                                  :background ,bisque-bg-1))))
                                  ;;:box (:line-width -1 :style released-button)))))
   `(highlight ((t (:background ,bisque-bg-05))))

   ;;; compilation
   `(compilation-column-face ((t (:foreground ,bisque-yellow))))
   `(compilation-enter-directory-face ((t (:foreground ,bisque-green))))
;; ...