Wallpaper Questions for Enlightenment and IceWM

Scarletdown · 01-31-2010, 03:44 AM

I'm in the process of setting up a lightweight Debian box for a friend of mine, and have installed both IceWM and Enlightenment for now, since I am not sure which of the two he will prefer.

Anyway, this may seem like a petty and stupid issue, but I am having trouble with desktop wallpapers.

For Enlightenment, I can set a normal image as a wallpaper. But, since the images in question do not fill the screen (and don't look anywhere near right if they are stretched to fill), ll the area around them are a painful white.

So, is there any way to set both an image as wallpaper, and a background color (preferably a gradient), or am I stuck with a headache inducing white background if I want an image?

With IceWM, I can set an image as my wallpaper using gsetroot (IceWMCP just seems to be far too broken to be installable on a Debian system). However, when I log out of IceWM and then log back in, I find that my background was not saved, and I am back to the default plain blue background.

Is there another tool I can install via apt-get that will let me save my desktop settings, or am I SOL on this and have to keep resetting every single time I log in?

lugoteehalt · 02-01-2010, 09:04 PM

In enlightenment 16 it is simply a case of left, or middle, or right clicking on the desktop background to get the right menu. Then just fiddle about with the complex dialog box.

What you are after is certainly possible and quite easy in both 16 & 17. It is just a matter of finding the correct menu. Sorry if this a bit unspecific.

Congratulations on using Enlightenment, it is, I feel, or certainly used to be, the closest computers ever get to being tasteful.

gapan · 02-02-2010, 03:55 AM

For icewm, I just have included icewmbg in the xinitrc.icewm file, just before launching icewm-session, like this:

Code:

icewmbg &
exec /usr/bin/icewm-session

That is in /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.icewm in my system, but it may be somewhere else in yours. That's the systemwide xinitrc file, but if you have set icewm to start when you type startx for your user, it will will also be in ~/.xinitrc. Icewmbg is not good with scaling graphics to a different size, but I have all my wallpapers in the exact size my screen is, so it's not a problem for me.

linus72 · 02-02-2010, 06:30 AM

Note that there are many apps for changing backgrounds not limited to the Window Manager,etc

I personally favor Nitrogen and fbsetbg

With Nitrogen, while in your e17/icewm desktop
open a terminal and guide nitrogen to your wallpaper folder
mine is in /usr/share/wallpapers, so in term I would do

Code:

nitrogen /usr/share/wallpapers

then nitro will open on that folder, make sure when you pick wallpaper
the box that says "save" is checked

Now, as Gapan says, edit your icewm xinitrc.icewm or you may put one in
/home/username/
note that ~/ means /home/username

so, edit he xinitrc and put in there, before "exec /usr/bin/icewm-session"
put

Code:

nitrogen --restore

then the wallpaper you picked will be set each time icewm,etc starts

you can also use fbsetbg

fbsetbg can set random wallpapers too

Note heres my fluxbox ~/.fluxbox/startup

Code:

# fluxbox startup-script:
#
# Lines starting with a '#' are ignored.

# You can set your favourite wallpaper here if you don't want
# to do it from your style.
#
# fbsetbg -f /home/user/pictures/wallpaper.png
#
# This sets a black background

/usr/bin/fbsetroot -solid black

# This shows the fluxbox-splash-screen
# fbsetbg -C /usr/share/fluxbox/splash.jpg

# Other examples. Check man xset for details.
#
# Turn off beeps:
# xset -b
#
# Increase the keyboard repeat-rate:
# xset r rate 195 35
#
# Your own fonts-dir:
# xset +fp "/home/user/.fonts"
#
# Your favourite mouse cursor:
# xsetroot -cursor_name right_ptr
#
# Change your keymap:
# xmodmap "/home/user/.Xmodmap"

# if you want random background at startup use this
# fbsetbg -r /usr/share/wallpapers/

# if you want specific background at startup use this
 fbsetbg -l /usr/share/wallpapers/glass.jpg

# Applications you want to run with fluxbox.
# MAKE SURE THAT APPS THAT KEEP RUNNING HAVE AN ''&'' AT THE END.
#
# unclutter -idle 2 &
# wmnd &
# wmsmixer -w &
# idesk &

conky -d &
fbpanel &
lxpanel &
systray-volume-control &
#rotate.sh &
wmdrawer &

# And last but not least we start fluxbox.
# Because it is the last app you have to run it with ''exec'' before it.

exec /usr/bin/fluxbox
# or if you want to keep a log:
# exec /usr/bin/fluxbox -log "/home/user/.fluxbox/log"

its really easy

fbsetbg -h

Code:

Usage: fbsetbg [-u/-U [wallpapersetter]] [-fFcCtTaA] /path/to/wallpaper
       fbsetbg [-u/-U [wallpapersetter]] [-fFcCtTaA] -r/-R /path/to/wallpaperdirectory
       fbsetbg [-b/-B fbsetrootoptions]
       fbsetbg [-lhip]
Use ``fbsetbg -h'' for a complete help message.


Options:

    -f  Set fullscreen wallpaper (default).
    -c  Set centered wallpaper.
    -t  Set tiled wallpaper.
    -a  Set maximized wallpaper, preserving aspect.
        ( if your bgsetter doesn't support this
          we fall back to -f )
    -u  Use specified wallpapersetter, use no argument to forget.
    -b  Forward the options to fbsetroot.
    -r  set random wallpaper from a directory

    -F,-C,-T,-A,-U,-B,-R same as uncapsed but without remembering.

    -h  Display this help.

    -l  Set previous wallpaper.

    -i  Information about selected wallpaper command.
    -d  (deprecated, use -i) Debug info.
    -p  Tips.


Files:

    ~/.fluxbox/lastwallpaper     In this file the wallpaper you set
                                 will be stored, for the -l option:
Environment variables:
    wpsetters   Wallpapersetters to use.
                example:
                  wpsetters=feh fbsetbg wallpaper.jpg

    DISPLAY     The display you want to set the wallpaper on.
                example:
                  DISPLAY=:0.0 fbsetbg -l

if you want I can give you my fbsetbg, its just a script I think?

Scarletdown · 02-22-2010, 03:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lugoteehalt

In enlightenment 16 it is simply a case of left, or middle, or right clicking on the desktop background to get the right menu. Then just fiddle about with the complex dialog box.

What you are after is certainly possible and quite easy in both 16 & 17. It is just a matter of finding the correct menu. Sorry if this a bit unspecific.

Congratulations on using Enlightenment, it is, I feel, or certainly used to be, the closest computers ever get to being tasteful.

I finally got back to this project, and so far I am still having no luck with what I am after.

Right clicking on the desktop does nothing. Middle clicking brings up the Windows menu, and left clicking brings up the main menu, from which I found the desktop settings.

However, I am still not finding any way to have both a wallpaper image and a background color other than hard on the eyes white.

And for this project, manually editing various configuration files is not an acceptable option. My user needs to simply be able to point to and click on the colors he wants to set without having to edit anything. Is this really an unreasonable expectation here?

I am liking the look of Enlightenment so far, and am really hoping that this can become a WM that I can recommend to anyone, whether they are old timers or new to Linux.

lugoteehalt · 02-22-2010, 08:00 PM

From description of what happens when you click it sounds like you are using E17, the, still a bit experimental, new version. So just started it, normally use KDE, it seems like the easiest thing is just to use one of its proprietary, as twer, wallpaper backgrounds, which are often animated.

http://www1.get-e.org/Backgrounds/Animated/

You just put the file into ~/.e/e/backgrounds like it says.

Ditto download themes, which have their own built in backgrounds.

What you specifically asked for is presumably possible too, but recall it is still a bit experimental.

left click -> settings -> wallpaper.

Personally like: C3D2-23C3.

Scarletdown · 02-22-2010, 09:29 PM

Those backgrounds proved to be not what I needed either, since I had to choose between either the downloaded background or the picture I want to use.

I was hoping that switching to a different theme other than the default Black and White would do the job (y'know, offer a wider selection of colors for the area around the wallpaper image). But there still seems to be no setting specifically for that.

Even after loading the gorgeous Steampunk theme, I still have that headache inducing mass of white space around my background.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y12...17-Desktop.jpg

I could set the picture to fill the screen or stretch, but that loses image quality, especially on this wide screen monitor, and some pics are best suited for just being centered on the screen (much taller than they are wide).

Surely there is some way to have both a picture and a color background for pics that don't fill the screen? I really thought that was a pretty standard feature for a window manager. There must be a way. E otherwise seems like the perfect WM (lightweight, and most importantly, allows different wallpapers for each desktop, which was what I liked about KDE 3.) In fact, when the K team took out that feature for no obvious reason in KDE 4, that was what prompted me to look at alternative WMs.

lugoteehalt · 02-24-2010, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scarletdown

Those backgrounds proved to be not what I needed either, since I had to choose between either the downloaded background or the picture I want to use.

I was hoping that switching to a different theme other than the default Black and White would do the job (y'know, offer a wider selection of colors for the area around the wallpaper image). But there still seems to be no setting specifically for that.

Even after loading the gorgeous Steampunk theme, I still have that headache inducing mass of white space around my background.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y12...17-Desktop.jpg

I could set the picture to fill the screen or stretch, but that loses image quality, especially on this wide screen monitor, and some pics are best suited for just being centered on the screen (much taller than they are wide).

Surely there is some way to have both a picture and a color background for pics that don't fill the screen? I really thought that was a pretty standard feature for a window manager. There must be a way. E otherwise seems like the perfect WM (lightweight, and most importantly, allows different wallpapers for each desktop, which was what I liked about KDE 3.) In fact, when the K team took out that feature for no obvious reason in KDE 4, that was what prompted me to look at alternative WMs.

See what you mean. This is obviously a bit idiotic, but you could just use gimp to put colours on both sides of the image you want to use and then just use that new image as the wallpaper.

Also you've probably noticed there is a 'fill' option which will fill the screen but you may loose top or side of the image.

The 'on line' option also gives a lot of background stuff to download.

Scarletdown · 02-24-2010, 02:00 PM

Yeah. I briefly considered manually editing the image to fill in the space around it, but rejected the idea as an unacceptable workaround. Reason being is that I am also keeping in mind doing more of these systems for others who would like to get out of the Windwoes world but would balk at having to manually edit config files (don't let the tools get in the way).

Plus, I would then have to do that for every picture I might switch to when it is time to change wallpapers.

I'm not seeing either a fill or online option. You are referring to something in the Enlightenment controls and not GIMP, I presume?

lugoteehalt · 02-24-2010, 08:05 PM

settings wallpaper picture etc..

http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/5...xquestions.jpg

Enlightenment is very modular maybe you haven't the same bits as me?

Scarletdown · 02-24-2010, 08:27 PM

Ah. I see what you meant by Fill. Yeah, I tried that, and on the pic that I showed in my example, it lost a bit too much detail for my tastes. And on another one that I am using for one of the other desktops, way too much top and bottom got chopped off.

Also, the version of E that I am using does not have the Online option. This is the latest E17 from the Debian Unstable repository.

lugoteehalt · 02-24-2010, 08:46 PM

Clicked 'online' and got this: http://exchange.enlightenment.org/theme/show/2074A tutorial wallpaper on how to create scalable wallpapers that work on all resolutions.

It *sounds* the thing?? http://edjy.wordpress.com/2008/10/16/blast/

Scarletdown · 02-26-2010, 05:32 AM

I'll have to try that out sometime, since it does sound like something useful to learn.

However, I would still prefer just being able to simply select a color or gradient to fill in the white space. This is something that needs to be kept simple.

And now that I have found some semblance of an actual Enlightenment Forum, I will start asking around there. And if this gets solved, I will go ahead and post it here, since I couldn't possibly be the only one to ever have this question.

That's all for tonight though. Getting those microsleeps.

millebi · 01-25-2015, 12:23 PM

Since this was one of the few forums that contained the question I was looking for... and no answer, I thought I'd supply an answer for those still wondering:

The answer is as simple as adding a "paragraph" to the .edc file that contains the background colour that you want. Here's my example .edc file:
images {
image: "REPLACE_IMAGE" USER;
}

collections {
group { name: "e/desktop/background";
max: REPLACE_W REPLACE_H;
parts {
part {
name: "col"; type: RECT; mouse_events: 0;
description {
state: "default" 0.0;
color: 0 0 0 255;
}
}
part { name: "bg";
type: IMAGE;
mouse_events: 0;
description { state: "default" 0;
aspect: RATIO RATIO;
aspect_preference: BOTH;
image {
normal: "REPLACE_IMAGE";
scale_hint: STATIC;
}
}
}
}
}
}

The "REPLACE_IMAGE" is where the location of the background image goes (two places).
The "REPLACE_W" and "REPLACE_H" are where the image's actual width and height is inserted.
The "RATIO" is the aspect ratio of the original image: RATIO = REPLACE_W/REPLACE_H.
The first "part" that is named "col" is the background colour! The color entry inside that part is an RGBA number set: 0 0 0 255 = Black and fully filled (i.e. Opaque).

I'm sure there are more interesting things that can be done, but this is the basic information that is required for a properly display image (i.e. Not distorted) to show as a background and if the image doesn't match the aspect ratio of the screen the background colour will be displayed.

Nice to finally contribute some enlightenment to Englightenment!!!

Bill