template confusion

Maybe I'm dumb but it doesn't seem to me that gj template matches bootstrap. I've got some really nice menu/buttons in bootstrap that I'd like gj to use also.
I'm having a heck of a time getting gj going and looking right
I'm using a modified version of protostar
alterego-of-pwi.info/component/comprofiler/pluginclass?plugin=cbgroupjive&action=groups&func=show&cat=4&grp=3&Itemid=777 ( public test group )
showing partial problems.. screencast.com/t/00zwlmVT
showing drop down menu .. screencast.com/t/1ff6a3lpd

GJ has specific selectors. Your Joomla template will not be able to override it unless it specifically targets GJs selectors. It's done this way to stop Joomla template from breaking GJ. GJ indeed does use Bootstrap CSS file entirely, which you can find below.

/components/com_comprofiler/plugin/user/plug_cbgroupjive/templates/default/template.css

There is a comment block at the bottom where GJs specific CSS will follow. The bootstrap CSS is untouched (except selectors).

ok great.. hopefully I can figure out which of my "button" statements fit where... still learning.......

If you've Chrome or Firebug for Firefox you should be able to right click and inspect element on the button. Then when the developer console opens you should see on the right site the CSS for the button. This can help you find what CSS is styling it.

right, I think a big part is my poor understand of bootstrap/less in general. Although I'm learning more daily... if you look @ the photo's I sent ( for example ) you'll see where I override the default J! bootstrap ( hopefully properly ) but then when I look in GJ the verbage(?) is not the same for the same area. So then I'm confused about what element statements should be combine with which already working element statements I have in my overrides.
I've obviously got more research to do. Is there perhaps a "native" gj/cb template that will work well with a "dark" J! template? I realize dark templates are often overlooked by extension developers...

right, I think a big part is my poor understand of bootstrap/less in general. Although I'm learning more daily... if you look @ the photo's I sent ( for example ) you'll see where I override the default J! bootstrap ( hopefully properly ) but then when I look in GJ the verbage(?) is not the same for the same area. So then I'm confused about what element statements should be combine with which already working element statements I have in my overrides.

GJ can have themes for its bootstrap template without changing the template.css file. All you'll need to do is generate a new bootstrap CSS file, use regex to add the namespace prefix to the selectors (see template.css in the header as regex needed is provided there), then add it to override.css and place it in your GJ template folder. The override.css file loads after template.css so it lets you override the styling entirely. Sites like the below can help in generating bootstrap themes.

stylebootstrap.info/

There is still of course a learning curve to all of this and basic understanding of CSS/REGEX will be of great help.

Also CB/GJ does not use LESS. It will in CB 2.0 though.

I've obviously got more research to do. Is there perhaps a "native" gj/cb template that will work well with a "dark" J! template?

CB includes a dark template, but it doesn't style plugins like GJ.

I realize dark templates are often overlooked by extension developers...

The issue is partially due to CBs out of date template usage. We're completely redoing it for CB 2.0 so having themes for a single template, etc.. will be much much easier.