xsetroot

NAME

xsetroot - root window parameter setting utility for X

SYNOPSIS

xsetroot [-bg color] [-bitmap filename]
			[-cursor cursorfile maskfile] [-cursor_name cursorname]
			[-def] [-display display] [-fg color]
			[-gray] [-grey] [-help] [-mod x y]
			[-name string] [-rv] [-solid color]

The xsetroot(1) program allows you to tailor the appearance of the background ("root") window on a workstation display running X. You can experiment with xsetroot(1) until you find an appearance you like, then put the xsetroot(1) 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 unspecified characteristics will be reset to the default state.

Only one of the background color/tiling changing options (-solid, -gray, -grey, -bitmap, or -mod) can be specified at a time.

OPTIONS

The options are as follows:

-bg color: Use color as the background color.
-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.
-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 accustomed to the way masks work.
-cursor_name cursorname: 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).
-def: Reset unspecified attributes to the default values. (Restores the background to the familiar gray mesh and the cursor to the hollow x shape.)
-display display: Specifies the server to connect to; see X(5).
-fg color: Use color as the foreground color. Foreground and background colors are meaningful only in combination with -cursor, -bitmap, and -mod.
-gray: Make the entire background gray. (Easier on the eyes.)
-grey: Make the entire background grey.
-help: Print a usage message and exit.
-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.
-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.
-rv: 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.

COPYRIGHT

AUTHOR

Mark Lillibridge, MIT Project Athena