NAME

       xsetroot - root window parameter setting utility for X

SYNOPSIS

       xsetroot  [-help]  [-version]  [-def]  [-display  display]  [-cursor  cursorfile maskfile]
       [-cursor_name cursorname] [-xcf cursorfile  cursorsize]  [-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 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.

OPTIONS

       The various options are as follows:

       -help  Print a usage message and exit.

       -verson
              Print a version 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 specified size.

       -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  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