Table of Contents
xsetroot - root window parameter setting
utility for X
xsetroot [-help] [-def] [-display display] [-cursor cursorfile
maskfile] [-cursor_name cursorname] [-bitmap filename] [-mod x y] [-gray] [-grey]
[-fg color] [-bg color] [-rv] [-solid color] [-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. 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/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.
- -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
- 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 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).
- -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
- 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
- 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. 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.
- -display display
- Specifies the server to connect to; see X(7)
.
X(7)
, xset(1)
, xrdb(1)
Mark Lillibridge, MIT Project Athena
Table of Contents