Background settings dialog for XSplash and the login screen (GDM), providing easy changing of the background image and an optional daemon, that keeps xsplash and gdm background consistent with the desktop wallpaper. Video demo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPlbE_sUyVg
Depends on: xsplash imagemagick python-gconf python-gtk2 python-gksu2 python-gobject
INSTALL:
[li]PPA repository (recommended): ppa:meerkat/stable -> Instructions: https://launchpad.net/~meerkat/+archive/stable[/li][li]DEB package: Download below, just double click[/li]
After successful installation you need to reboot once for the daemon to run. Open the configuration dialog through System -> Settings -> XSplash Wallpaper Settings or by running xsplash-wallpaper-settings --settings from terminal. Choose your custom background or activate "Use Desktop Background" to keep your XSplash background consistent with your desktop wallpaper.
Old versions (1.3 and earlier): http://www.google.com/#q="wallpaper_daemon.py"
CUSTOMIZE GDM:
You want to use your gtk and icon theme for the login screen? Run xsplash-background-settings --gdm (Note that this only works for system wide installed themes)
To restore the default ubuntu gdm themes run xsplash-background-settings --restore-gdm
UPGRADE:
[li]from version 1.6 and later: Just install new version.[/li][li]from version 1.3 and earlier: Please follow the uninstall instructions below and install the new version afterwards.[/li]
UNINSTALL / RESTORE DEFAULT XSPLASH:
Version 1.6 and later:
1. Go to System -> Settings -> XSplash Background Settings and choose "Use default background" to restore default XSplash.
2. Remove xsplash-background-settings through package manager.
Version 1.3 and earlier:
1. Remove wallpaper_daemon.py from the startup programs (gnome-session-properties).
2. Extract your backup file. If you used the install routine this file is called backup.TIMESTAMP (where TIMESTAMP is dynamically generated number) and located at /usr/share/images/xsplash. To get the extraction path right use the following command (you may use the TAB key to complete backup. with the right timestamp number):
tar -C / -xf /usr/share/images/xsplash/backup.TIMESTAMP
3. Version 1.0 only:
sudo -u gdm gconftool-2 -t string -s /desktop/gnome/background/picture_filename /usr/share/images/xsplash/bg_2560x1600.jpg
4. restart (dont change your desktop wallpaper before restarting!)
KNOWN ISSUES:
[li]I noticed that on some ubuntu derivatives (such as Linux Mint) the login screen uses a different background image than XSplash. To fix that simply run
sudo -u gdm gconftool-2 -t string -s /desktop/gnome/background/picture_filename /usr/share/images/xsplash/bg_2560x1600.jpg[/li][li]If you get the error message
Failed to backup default backgroundand/or the xsplash background is not successfully change by the settings dialog you may be affected by a known issue with gksu (see the discussion started by zetty on Feb 1 2010). A temporary workaround is to either manually permit permanent user write access to the xsplash image folder:
Change settings at your OWN RISK!
sudo chmod -R a+rw /usr/share/images/xsplashor start the settings dialog with sudo:
sudo xsplash-background-settings --settings[/li]
REPORT BUGS / ASK QUESTIONS:
Of course you may report a bug or ask any question by posting a comment here, but if you have a launchpad account (or dont bother creating one) please use the project page on launchpad (http://launchpad.net/xsplash-background-settings), as it is much clearer arranged and nothing gets lost between pages of comments.
Report a bug: http://bugs.launchpad.net/xsplash-background-settings/+filebug
Ask a question: https://answers.launchpad.net/xsplash-background-settings/+addquestion
TRANSLATIONS:
The following language files have already been submitted:
[li]german (part of 1.6)[/li][li]french by OxayotlTheGreat (part of 1.6.1)[/li][li]spanish by algalord (part of 1.6.1)[/li][li]russian by zetty (not released yet)[/li]Many thanks to the translators!
TESTING:
New versions are first released in a special testing ppa. If you want to help testing new releases, use the following repository:
deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/meerkat/testing/ubuntu karmic main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/meerkat/testing/ubuntu karmic main
dwsalo
9 years ago
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faelbluhm
9 years ago
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meerkat
9 years ago
link fixed, thanks for the hint
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zetty
9 years ago
I used the last version from PPA repository (1.6.1-1) with my Ubuntu 9.10 (kernel 2.6.31-17-generic-pae #54) and experienced some problems.
After install and reboot, when i run
zetty@nirvana:~$ xsplash-background-settings --settings
i get password prompt, and then error -
Failed to backup default background
Change settings at your OWN RISK!
Changing options in program did not affect anything, nothing outputted to terminal.
But, when executed with sudo:
zetty@nirvana:~$ sudo xsplash-background-settings --settings
/usr/share/backgrounds/GrassinA.jpg
Background is changing successfully.
After that i tried without sudo again:
zetty@nirvana:~$ xsplash-background-settings --settings
/usr/share/backgrounds/Bay.jpg
Password prompt, no errors, but... bg.jpg is still the same.
I think that something gone wrong with gksu2, but i don't know how to test it.
By the way, XSplash background is changed when i toggle radiobuttons, but not when i clicking the 'OK', it's making the 'Close' button a bit useless.
It would be nice if you can add 'Test' button, so user could see new xsplash without typing sudo xsplash in terminal :)
PS
If you are interested in translations, here's Russian .po: http://www.mediafire.com/?ymt2oynz02n
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meerkat
9 years ago
python -c "import gksu2;ctx = gksu2.Context();ctx.set_command('echo \$USER');gksu2.su_full(ctx)"
This should print "root" on the terminal output.
2. Actually the radiobuttons need confirmation with "OK", but the custom background selection dialog actively changes the XSplash background which really is a bit inconsistent. I will fix that.
3. Test button is on the list.
4. Thanks a lot for your translation, i will include that in the next release.
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zetty
9 years ago
zetty@nirvana:~$ whoami
zetty
zetty@nirvana:~$ python -c "import gksu2;gksu2.run('whoami')"
root
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meerkat
9 years ago
in the meantime there is always the workaround to manually permit permanent user write access to the xsplash image folder
Quote:sudo chmod -R a+rw /usr/share/images/xsplash or start the settings dialog from terminal with sudo
Quote:sudo xsplash-background-settings --settings
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monthscrapped
9 years ago
I'm afraid I'm not very good with the terminal at all, so if you could make the appropriate changes to the GUI, it would be much appreciated!
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bubi
9 years ago
Also, for some reason, the last option in the list, the "Use desktop background" one, doen't work for me. When I check that it just keeps the last background manually selected, or the default, if I was using the default one.
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bubi
9 years ago
BTW, were you thinking of adding a GUI way to change the GMD GTK theme? It would be also nice to add a way of choosing any system-wide installed GTK theme, and not just switching between the default one and the one used once logged in.
Another suggestion. It would be nice to have a fuctionality to change also the whole theme, not just the background, but also the logo and the throbber. At the moment, this script is useful for making it easier to change the background, but if i want to change the throbber, I still have to do it manually. What do you think?
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bubi
9 years ago
2. Not sure. I don't remember anymore...
3. In that case, it doesn't happen anything. Probably because I removed the daemon from my startup apps when I noticed this behaviour... And it seems like it doesn't go back there automatically by selecting "Use Desktop Background". If I turn on again the daemon manually, the background turns just plain and clear white.
4. and 5. Thank you for the info.
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meerkat
9 years ago
1. Can you confirm, that it is the same problem with python-gksu2 as discussed with zetty above, namely that Quote:python -c "import gksu2;gksu2.run('whoami')" prints "root" on the terminal output, while Quote:python -c "import gksu2;ctx=gksu2.Context();ctx.set_command('whoami');gksu2.su_full(ctx)" does not?
2. Do you mean xsplash-background-settings upgrade or xsplash upgrade (or rather a general update which might have covered both)?
3. If you select "Use Desktop Background", click "OK" and change you desktop wallpaper afterwards, does the xsplash background change or not or become completely white?
4. A nice gui to configure GDM already exists: Quote:gksudo -u gdm dbus-launch gnome-appearance-propertiesNote this bug though: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-control-center/+bug/459747
5. https://answers.launchpad.net/xsplash-background-settings/+question/99844
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zetty
9 years ago
zetty@nirvana:~$ sudo python -c "import gksu2;ctx = gksu2.Context();ctx.set_command('echo \$USER');gksu2.su_full(ctx)"
[sudo] password for zetty:
root
Don't know why, but seems like gksu2 is not working.
What else can i do to help you?
Maybe, something with versions?
python-gksu2 - 2.25.3-3ubuntu1
python-gtk2 - 2.16.0-0ubuntu1
python - 2.6.4-0ubuntu1
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MastroPino
9 years ago
A star on ur way.
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user333
9 years ago
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algalord
9 years ago
http://www.mediafire.com/?dlhyohzm2wd
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smirnoffjr
9 years ago
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meerkat
9 years ago
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OxayotlTheGreat
9 years ago
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meerkat
9 years ago
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OxayotlTheGreat
9 years ago
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algalord
9 years ago
<starttime>
<year>2009</year>
<month>08</month>
<day>04</day>
<hour>00</hour>
<minute>00</minute>
<second>00</second>
</starttime>
I don't know exactly how it's works, but I think that Start time indicate the time when the first background file is put as background.
A background have this structure:
<static>
<duration>300.0</duration>
<file>/home/USER/FOLDER/1.JPG</file>
</static>
<transition>
<duration>5.0</duration>
<from>/home/USER/FOLDER/1.JPG</from>
<to>/home/USER/FOLDER/2.JPG</to>
</transition>
So, this have a duration... I thin you can calculate which of the wallpapers must be show with an recursive function.
A way to do this is to create a function for xml files, then, if the background selected is an xml file, the function is called and change the background at same time that the xml file... you calculate the actual background only and change it every X seconds, indicated in the xml file.
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meerkat
9 years ago
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algalord
9 years ago
You can use gconftool, a bash example for streched background:
gconftool-2 --type=string --set \
/desktop/gnome/background/picture_options stretched
gconftool-2 --type=string --set \
/desktop/gnome/background/picture_filename /FOLDER/TO/IMAGE/IMAGE.JPG
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meerkat
9 years ago
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