Howto set the background
From Fluxbox-wiki
Setting the background so that transparency works
Contents |
What is fbsetbg and why do I need it
fbsetbg is a wrapper that tries to find a suitable background-setting app and then tries to set the wallpaper using that app. You don't have to configure fbsetbg, it just uses the first app it can find.
It aims to provide clear error messages in a window that make debugging problems easy.
Checking for the proper tools
First we need to make sure fbsetbg has a suitable app to use, to do this open up a terminal and run the following command as a user:
fbsetbg -i
If you have one of the supported apps installed you will get a message like this:
Esetroot is a nice wallpapersetter. You won't have any problems.
If you do not have a suitable app installed you will recieve an error message like this:
display doesn't set the wallpaper properly. Transparency for fluxbox and apps like aterm and xchat won't work right with it. Consider installing feh, wmsetbg (from windowmaker) or Esetroot (from Eterm) and I'll use them instead.
Setting the background in a style
In Fluxbox 0.9.15, rootCommand was removed from styles; however, it still functions properly in the init file. To set a background from a style, you should now use the following settings:
background: centered|aspect|tiled|fullscreen|random|solid|gradient <texture>|mod|none background.pixmap: <file or directory> background.color: <color> background.colorTo: <color> background.modX: <integer> background.modY: <integer>
When using centered, aspect, tiled, or fullscreen, `background.pixmap' should give the full path of an image to use. When using random, `background.pixmap' gives the location of a directory containing several images, one of which is chosen at random. To set a solid background, you should specify `background.color'. The gradient textures (described more fully in `man fbsetroot') require both `background.color' and `background.colorTo'. `background.modX' and `background.modY' are specific to the `mod' background type (described more fully in `man fbsetroot'), which also requires `background.color' and `background.colorTo'.
Transparency does not work. What do I do?
Fbsetbg can use following wallpapersetters of which ONLY feh, esetroot and wmsetbg support pseudo transparency:
Esetroot wmsetbg feh hsetroot chbg display qiv xv xsri xli xsetbg
The order is best first, worst last. So to make everything work fine, you should install something from the top of the list. Most people on #fluxbox would suggest you to install Feh as it is small and very efficient, but Esetroot (comes with Eterm) is also a good choice.
Useful Tips and Tricks
1. Setting the Wallpaper on Startup
Since fluxbox 0.9.15 a new feature was introduced: Overlay.
To use it you just need a file to which ~/.fluxbox/init points to. We use the standard file ~/.fluxbox/overlay for it. make sure the line
session.styleOverlay: ~/.fluxbox/overlay
is in your init-file.
The overlay file can be used to set any style attributes, such as the 'background' setting described above. Setting the background in this way will override any backgrounds in styles you use.
2. Setting the Wallpaper on Startup another way
As already mentioned the rootCommand in the init file is still capable. This will provide an initial background, but any styles with their own wallpapers will override it. To use it, simply complete the line to this:
session.screen0.rootCommand: fbsetbg -l
Then set the background one time manually with fbsetbg. This last used wallpaper will be saved in the file ~/.fluxbox/lastwallpaper. It is later used for the -l option which is in your init file now.
3. Tips on working with fbsetbg
fbsetbg -p
this will give you some very useful tips. read them slowly.
How to have nautilus set the background
Would you like to have nautilus set the background for you? Click here for details
Backgrounds on Multiple Displays
Using fluxbox with multiple displays is very easy yet for a noobie setting the backgrounds on them can cause alittle frustration.
You can achieve different backgrounds by using the ~/.fluxbox/lastwallpaper and setting them manually the first time.
Once you have the background set you then can add
session.screen0.rootCommand: fbsetbg -l session.screen1.rootCommand: fbsetbg -l
To your ~/.fluxbox/init file to load them on startup.
