XSETROOT(1) XSETROOT(1)
NAME
xsetroot - root window parameter setting utility for X
SYNOPSIS
xsetroot [-help] [-def] [-display display] [-cursor
cursorfile maskfile]
[-bitmap filename] [-mod x y] [-gray] [-grey] [-fg
color] [-bg color] [-rv]
[-solid color] [-name string]
DESCRIPTION
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; only the non-
specified characteristics are reset to the default
state.
Only one of the background color/tiling changing
options (-solid, -gray, -grey, -bitmap, and -mod) may
be specified at a time.
OPTIONS
The various options are:
-help
print a usage message and exit.
-def
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
allows you to change the pointer cursor to whatever
you want when the pointer cursor is outside of any
window. Cursor and mask files are bitmaps (small
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.
-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.
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XSETROOT(1) XSETROOT(1)
-mod x y
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
make the entire background gray. (Easier on the
eyes.)
-grey
make the entire background grey.
-fg color
use color as the foreground color. Foreground and
background colors are meaningful only in
combination with -cursor, -bitmap, or -mod.
-bg color
use color as the background color.
-rv
this exchanges the foreground and background
colors. Normally the foreground color is black and
the background color is white.
-solid color
set the window color to color.
-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 cannot iconify the
background.
-display display
specifies the server to which to connect.
SEE ALSO
xset(1), xrdb(1)
AUTHOR
Mark Lillibridge, MIT Project Athena
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