XSETROOT(1)                                                                                                          XSETROOT(1)



NAME
       xsetroot - root window parameter setting utility for X

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

DESCRIPTION
       The xsetroot program allows you to tailor the appearance of the background ("root") window on a workstation display  run-
       ning  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 charac-
       teristics 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).

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

       -bitmap filename
              Use the bitmap specified in the file to set the window pattern.  You can make your own bitmap files  (little  pic-
              tures) 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).

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

AUTHOR
       Mark Lillibridge, MIT Project Athena



X Version 11                                             xsetroot 1.1.0                                              XSETROOT(1)