NAME    [Toc]    [Back]

       xsetroot - root window parameter setting utility for X

SYNOPSIS    [Toc]    [Back]

       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]

OPTIONS    [Toc]    [Back]

       The various options are as follows: Print a usage  message
       and  exit.   Reset  unspecified  attributes to the default
       values.  (Restores the background  to  the  familiar  gray
       mesh and the cursor to the hollow x shape.)  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(1X)  program.  You probably want the mask file
       to be all black until you get used to the way masks  work.
       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).  Use the bitmap  specified
  in the file to set the window pattern.  You can make
       your  own  bitmap  files  (little  pictures)   using   the
       bitmap(1X) program.  The entire background will be made up
       of repeated "tiles" of the bitmap.  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.  Make
       the entire background gray.  (Easier on the  eyes.)   Make
       the  entire  background grey.  Use color as the foreground
       color.  Foreground and background  colors  are  meaningful
       only  in  combination with -cursor, -bitmap, or -mod.  Use
       color as the background color.  This exchanges  the  foreground
  and  background  colors.   Normally the foreground
       color is black and the background color  is  white.   This
       sets  the  background  of the root window to the specified
       color.  This option is only useful on color servers.   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
       cannot  iconify  the  background.  Specifies the server to
       connect to; see X(1X).

DESCRIPTION    [Toc]    [Back]

       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.

SEE ALSO    [Toc]    [Back]

       X(1X), xset(1X), xrdb(1X)

AUTHOR    [Toc]    [Back]

       Mark Lillibridge, MIT Project Athena



                                                     xsetroot(1X)