Right now on my bold, my theme is the precision silver, if I change the theme back to the att default, all the icons get messed up and I have to change everything back to the way I like it. Is there a way to change the theme without the everything messing up?

The icon placement (including position and hidden and in folders) is unique to each theme. However, once a theme is configured, you should be able to switch between themes without the icons resetting.

For example, you install theme 1 and configure the icons the way you want them. Then you install theme 2 and do like wise. Now when you switch back to theme 1, things should be as you left them. Switching back and forth should not affect icon placement once it has been set.

Its a shame that rim didn't allow configurations to be the same for both themes or atleast make it an option.

Whether an icon is shown or hidden, its placement on the screen and whether or not it is stored in a 'folder' are all theme functions. RIM designed it that way - giving the theme creator control initially. As the theme 'user' you can move things according to your preferences... IMO, that is as it should be. Each theme type (icon, zen, today, custom, etc) has its own requirements and limitations. There is no 'one size fits all'... and the tweaking is a one time thing for each theme.

When themes are made the initial icon placement is determined by the theme author, or by a standard default if they don't specify placements. There really is no way to make a theme and have it use the icon placements that you've made on a totally different theme.

I do understand and sympathize with you tho, that bothered me too when I first set up the default Precision theme and then switched to the Silver theme and everything was out of order. That's when I realized that I would have to customize every theme I tried or used, but at least it only had to be done once.