XSETROOT(1)							  XSETROOT(1)



NAME
       xsetroot - root window parameter setting utility for X

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

DESCRIPTION
       The  setroot  program allows you to tailor the appearance of the back-
       ground ("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 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).

       -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  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	back-
	      ground  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 win-
	      dow is iconified.	  This	option	is  unused  since  you	can't
	      iconify the background.

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

SEE ALSO
       X(7x), xset(1), xrdb(1)

AUTHOR
       Mark Lillibridge, MIT Project Athena



								  XSETROOT(1)

UNIX/Linux commands referenced on this page:

1. display
2. find
3. look
4. reset
5. at
6. as
7. file
8. bitmap
9. make