NAME
xsetroot - root window parameter setting utility for X
SYNOPSIS
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]
DESCRIPTION
The setroot 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.
OPTIONS
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
SEE ALSO
x(7), xset(1),
xrdb(1)
AUTHOR
Mark Lillibridge, MIT Project Athena