It is replaced by https://github.com/step-/desktop-wallpaper as of Fatdog64 Linux 812 RC 2021-10-16.
This repository includes a new-feature, bug-fix fork of "Nathan's Wallpaper Setter" for Fatdog64 Linux, and probably also for recent Puppy Linux variants.
But if you do, read at least sections 'Starting, Command Line, Slideshow', 'Warnings', and 'Compatibility' (Fatdog64-700 and beyond users can skip 'Compatibility').
In 2006 Puppy Linux forum user Nathan developed a shell-based wallpaper setter and ROX app for Grafpup. Development stopped at version 0.5.6 >forum thread. Then multiple forum users modified and maintained the app as version 0.6.x. Version 0.6 was distributed with Fatdog64-700, a 64-bit OS in the Puppy Linux family.
When I noticed that the Fatdog64-700 wallpaper setter distorted my wallpapers,
I researched the problem and found an old
post on Barry Kauler's blog that
outlines a solution, which Barry implemented as the pwallpaper setter for
Quirky, another Puppy kennel OS. However, his work wasn't integrated into
Nathan's Wallpaper Setter, so I set out to do the task. This is how this fork
was born for Fatdog64. Since then I have fixed other problems and creeping
incompatibilities, and added new functionality.
Since version 0.7.6 this fork is featured as the default wallpaper app for Fatdog64-710, and it can be started from the Control Panel.
This fork for Fatdog64 is tagged as version series 0.7.x. Woof-Ce, the Puppy Linux build system, includes yet another fork of Nathan's Wallpaper Setter, which is based on the 0.6.x series but isn't kept in sync with this fork, and isn't actively developed - I believe.
This Wallpaper Setter enhances usability and functionality with respect to the original Nathan's Wallpaper Setter:
- New live preview mode - The desktop wallpaper is updated immediately as the file list selection changes. Changes are temporary and automatically revert on exit, or they can be made permanent.
- Full SVG, BMP, GIF and TIFF support across all program functions.
- Preview icons for folder and non-image files.
- New application status bar displays image meta data.
- Tooltips added to mode and action buttons and to preferences dialog.
- Undistorted wallpaper stretching (constant aspect ratio).
- Slideshow: add playlist support, shuffle list, new image types, lower resource usage.
- Redesigned Preferences dialog with program chooser.
- Bug and compatibility fixes.
- Works for non-root users.
- Tested on Fatdog64 versions 700 thorough 720 with gtkdialog 0.8.4.
- See full set of changes in the Changelog file.
Normally you should start the Wallpaper setter GUI from Fatdog64's Control Panel, but a command line is also available:
/usr/bin/wallpaper [ARG] # where ARG can be:
"/path/to/wallpaper.jpg" # set background (JPEG, PNG, etc.)
-about # display version dialog and exit
-clear # clear desktop background
-h|-help # output help text and exit
-play[=MODE] # play images under slideshow directory
-play-dir=FOLDER-PATH # play image files found in and under FOLDER-PATH
-play-list=PLAYLIST-FILE # play paths in PLAYLIST-FILE
-prefs # display application preferences dialog
path1.ext path2.ext [path.ext...] # play path*.ext
-stop # stop slideshow
Note that 'Live mode' is only available when no ARG is specified. In this case you can play a slideshow by selecting "Play" from the application menu.
The slideshow directory can be set with -prefs or in the Preferences
dialog (application menu).
Each slide plays using the currently saved wallpaper mode: Centre,
Tile, Scale, Stretch, Distort. Wallpaper mode can be set with -prefs
or the Preferences dialog or by writing the mode value in file
$HOME/.config/wallpaper/backgroundmode. Bypass using the saved mode
with -play=MODE or by prefixing the MODE and a colon to the image path
argument, i.e.,
/usr/bin/wallpaper Stretch:/path/to/wallpaper.jpg
A PLAYLIST-FILE simply lists the set of image filepaths, one per line,
formatted as [MODE':']/path/to/image.ext like in the previous example.
Set slideshow delay and shuffle mode in the Preferences dialog or by
editing $HOME/.config/wallpaper/preferences.
The following environment variables affect the application:
SCALE_FILTER, DEBUG. Run wallpaper --help for more information.
Rather old advice: I found this warning in Nathan's original thread for version 0.5:
CAUTION! You must manually stop the slideshow before shutting down X or your ROX pinboard file will become corrupted. This is automatically taken care of in Grafpup but will have to be sorted out in Puppy if this is to be adopted.
I do not know if this old warning still applies to version 0.6.3, from
which this fork was derived. You have been warned; be sure to stop a running
slideshow before shutting down X, with this command line wallpaper -stop or
from the application menu.
If you play the slideshow with
wallpaper -play-list=playlist-file
you may inadvertently include a non-image file or a corrupted image file
inside playlist-file. Similarly, you could type something like
wallpaper my-precious-data.xls
by mistake, that is passing a data file when you mean to pass an image file.
CAUTION! If ROX-Filer is requested to set the pinboard equals to your data file or corrupted image file, there is a chance that ROX-Filer will mark your file as an "invalid pinboard" and delete your file.
I plugged all code paths that I could spot against this possibility, so the chance that your file be deleted is indeed very slim. But to be certain you can only make sure never to pass a data file or a corrupted image file to the above command lines. (This incident occurred to me only once, when I passed a corrupted BMP file. That code path has been plugged.)
I tried to implement my code in a way that is compatible with Quirky's
pwallpaper setter, and possibly with other recent Puppies that include
Nathan's Wallpaper Setter 0.6.x. However, I can make no promise about
out-of-the-box compatibility, as I develop and test on Fatdog64 only, and
there are just too many Puppy variants to follow.
For historical reasons, the scripts of this app invoke a mix of /bin/bash,
/bin/sh, /bin/ash and /bin/dash. While this works well for Fatdog64, it
can create an immediate incompatibility for some Puppy Linux versions. I think
you can fix this issue in two different ways, either by creating symbolic links
or by editing some scripts.
Creating Symbolic Links
Open a terminal window and enter
for x in sh ash dash; do ! [ -e /bin/$x ] && ln -s /bin/bash /bin/$x; done
ls -l /bin/sh /bin/ash /bin/bash /bin/dashThe ls command should confirm that all four files exist, either on their own
or as symbolic links to /bin/bash.
Editing Script Files
Open a terminal window and enter
cd /usr/local/apps/Wallpaper
for x in AppRun background_reshape set_bg slideshow thumbnail /usr/bin/wallpaper /usr/bin/wallslide; do
sed -e '1s@/[^/]*sh@/bash@' -i $x; echo -n $x' '; head -1 $x
doneOne more thing to say about compatibility concerns Fatdog64
only. As mentioned, Fatdog has (Nathan's) wallpaper setter 0.6.3,
which can run a slideshow. It also has another slideshow script,
/usr/bin/wallpaper-slideshow. I have not even checked whether
my fork of wallpaper setter 0.6.3 should be compatible with
wallpaper-slideshow.
Please file bugs in the Issues section of the github repository.
Left: Forked version - Right: original version 0.6.3 (Fatdog64-700).
Main window
Options dialog
Program chooser
(not available in version 0.6.3)
