Hi
I have to repeat my suggestion would be to NOT change core code like this especially for something simple like this which I'll explain further below. If you customise core code then you risk unforeseen consequences e.g. conflicts and knock on effects with other things. Also we won't be able to offer free support because you'll be using different code to us.
You asked "How / where can I permanently adjust the panels and the special container?" There is a big difference between these:
Special container
This is a default style of the CKEditor not something we've added as part of Xerte developments. It's also bad in my opinion because it adds a div without a class name or ID and with hard coded styles which is bad for accessibility and bad for when you change themes or an end user changes themes. In my opinion I wouldn't use or change special container. We leave it there because it's a default style of CKEditor and to maintain backwards compatibility. If all you want is a div where you can control how it looks just add a div with a class name and then control how it looks within your theme. So instead of
Code:
<div style="background:#eeeeee;border:1px solid #cccccc;color:#000000;padding:5px 10px;">special contaner text
</div>
Just use:
Code:
<div class="yourClassName">special contaner text
</div>
Panels
These are different and part of what I/we added to extend the functionality and styling available in the editor and via the themes. The same applies to the speech bubbles and highlights and also the additional blockquote styles. There is no need to customise core code to change any of these. You can add your own theme, style it as you wish and when you select that theme in your project these styles will show you the styling according to your theme in the editor as well as the project when you play it.
To create your own theme just use one of the existing themes as a starting point. But I would use one of the themes that contains an scss folder rather than one of the older themes. However there's no shortcut here. You will have to invest the time into setting yourself up to be able to use SASS/SCSS and then in addition learn how to use and then how to customise whatever you want in Xerte. Just search for SASS/SCSS there are loads of generic guides and videos online.
sass-lang.com/
and
www.w3schools.com/sass/sass_intro.asp
might be useful but you may also need to invest in a tool that works seamlessley with SASS/SCSS too. If that's all a step too far for you at the moment then just use one of the older themes and just CSS rather than SCSS. I should add that I have spent a lot of time adding many of the themes and styles that you currently get for free when you download Xerte and it does take time and effort to develop custom themes. I have developed custom themes for a number or organisations but obviously they have paid me to do so and sometimes those developments have also become part of later releases available to everyone. Bottom line is you will have to invest the time and effort yourself or pay someone to do it for you.
HTH
Ron