xsetroot - root window parameter setting utility for X
xsetroot -help | -version
xsetroot [-display display | -d display]
[-def | -default]
[-cursor cursorfile maskfile |
-cursor_name cursorfontname
-xcf cursorfile cursorsize]
[-bitmap filename
| -mod x y
| -gray
| -grey
| -solid color]
[-bg color]
[-fg color]
[-rv]
[-name string]
The xsetroot program allows you to tailor the appearance of
the background ("root") window on a workstation display running X.
Normally, you experiment with xsetroot until you find a personalized
look that you like, then put the xsetroot command that produces it
into your X startup file. Note that some desktop environments or window
managers display their own full screen background window that covers the
root window entirely, which may prevent you from seeing any changes made
with this utility.
If no options are specified, or if -def is specified, the
window is reset to its default state. The -def option can be
specified along with other options and only the non-specified
characteristics will be reset to the default state.
Only one of the background color/pattern changing options
(-solid, -gray, -grey, -bitmap, and -mod)
may be specified at a time.
The various options are as follows:
- -help
- Print a usage message and exit.
- -version
- Print a version message and exit.
- -def, -default
- Reset unspecified attributes to the default values. (Restores the
background to the familiar gray mesh and the cursor to the hollow x
shape.)
- -cursor
cursorfile maskfile
- This lets you change the pointer cursor to whatever you want when the
pointer cursor is outside of any window. Cursor and mask files are bitmaps
(little pictures), and can be made with the bitmap(1) program. You
probably want the mask file to be all black until you get used to the way
masks work.
- -cursor_name
cursorfontname
- This lets you change the pointer cursor to one of the standard cursors
from the cursor font. Refer to appendix B of the X protocol for the names
(except that the XC_ prefix is elided for this option).
- -xcf cursorfile
cursorsize
- This lets you change the pointer cursor to one loaded from an Xcursor file
as defined by libXcursor, at the specified size.
- -bitmap
filename
- Use the bitmap specified in the file to set the window pattern. You can
make your own bitmap files (little pictures) using the bitmap(1)
program. The entire background will be made up of repeated
"tiles" of the bitmap.
- -mod x
y
- This is used if you want a plaid-like grid pattern on your screen.
x and y are integers ranging from 1 to 16. Try the different
combinations. Zero and negative numbers are taken as 1.
- -gray, -grey
- Make the entire background gray (easier on the eyes).
- -bg, -background
color
- Use color as the background color.
- -fg, -foreground
color
- Use color as the foreground color. Foreground and background colors
are meaningful only in combination with -cursor, -bitmap, or
-mod.
- -rv, -reverse
- This exchanges the foreground and background colors. Normally the
foreground color is black and the background color is white.
- -solid
color
- This sets the background of the root window to the specified color. This
option is only useful on color servers.
- -name
string
- Set the name of the root window to string. There is no default
value.
- -d, -display
display
- Specifies the server to connect to; see X(7).
X(7), xset(1), xrdb(1), Xcursor(3)
Mark Lillibridge, MIT Project Athena