XSETROOT(1)

NAME
       xsetroot - root window parameter setting utility for X

SYNOPSIS
       xsetroot  [-help]  [-def] [-display display] [-cursor cur-
       sorfile maskfile] [-cursor_name cursorname] [-bitmap file-
       name]  [-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  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 speci-
       fied, 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.

       -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)  pro-
              gram.   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 background colors are meaningful only in combi-
              nation with -cursor, -bitmap, or -mod.

       -bg color
              Use ``color'' as the background color.

       -rv    This exchanges the foreground and  background  col-
              ors.   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 iconi-
              fied.   This  option  is  unused  since  you  can't
              iconify the background.

       -display display
              Specifies the server to connect to; see X(1).

SEE ALSO
       X(1) xset(1) xrdb(1) 

AUTHOR
       Mark Lillibridge, MIT Project Athena