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xsetroot - root window parameter setting utility for X
xsetroot [ -help ] [ -version ] [ -def ] [ -display display ] [ -cursor cursorfile
maskfile ] [ -cursor_name cursorfontname ] [ -xcf cursorfile cursorsize ] [ -bitmap filename | -mod x y | -gray | -grey | -solid colour ]
[ -bg colour ] [ -fg colour ] [ -rv ] [ -name string ] [ -d display ]
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. 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 colour/tiling 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
grey 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
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
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 grey (Easier on the eyes).
- -bg, -background colour
- Use colour as the background colour.
- -fg, -foreground colour
- Use colour as the foreground colour. Foreground and background colours are meaningful
only in combination with -cursor, -bitmap, or -mod.
- -rv, -reverse
- This exchanges the foreground and background colours.
Normally the foreground colour is black and the background colour is white.
- -solid colour
- This sets the background of the root window to the specified
colour. This option is only useful on colour servers.
- -name string
- Set the name of the root window to string. There is no default value. Usually a name
is assigned to a window so that the window manager can use a text representation
when the window is iconified. This option is unused since you can’t iconify
the background.
- -d, -display display
- Specifies the server to connect to.
xset,
xrdb
Mark Lillibridge, MIT Project Athena
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