Manual: xsetroot

XSETROOT(1)					   General Commands Manual					 XSETROOT(1)

NAME
       xsetroot - root window parameter setting utility for X

SYNOPSIS
       xsetroot	 [-help]  [-version]  [-def]  [-display display] [-cursor cursorfile maskfile] [-cursor_name cursorfontname]
       [-xcf cursorfile cursorsize] [-bitmap filename | -mod x y | -gray | -grey | -solid color]  [-bg	color]	[-fg  color]
       [-rv] [-name string] [-d display]

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  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.

       -version
	      Print a version message and exit.

       -def, -default
	      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 cursorfontname
	      This  lets you change the pointer cursor to one of the standard cursors from the cursor font.  Refer to appen‐
	      dix B of the X protocol for the names (except that the XC_ prefix is elided for this option).

       -xcf cursorfile cursorsize
	      This lets you change the pointer cursor to one loaded from an Xcursor file as defined by	libXcursor,  at	 the
	      specified size.

       -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, -grey
	      Make the entire background gray (Easier on the eyes).

       -bg, -background color
	      Use ``color'' as the background color.

       -fg, -foreground color
	      Use  ``color''  as  the foreground color.	 Foreground and background colors are meaningful only in combination
	      with -cursor, -bitmap, or -mod.

       -rv, -reverse
	      This exchanges the foreground and background colors.  Normally the foreground color is  black  and  the  back‐
	      ground 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.

       -d, -display display
	      Specifies the server to connect to; see X(7).

SEE ALSO
       X(7), xset(1), xrdb(1), Xcursor(3)

AUTHOR
       Mark Lillibridge, MIT Project Athena

X Version 11					       xsetroot 1.1.3						 XSETROOT(1)