Change background color in Fluxbox WM

[root]

I am running Slack 14.2 and am experimenting with Fluxbox. I would
like to change the desktop color from gray to either a picture
or some color. Google searches suggest several ways, none of
which work. I would have thought this would be one of the simplest
requests for a window manager.

I would appreciate any suggestions. Thanks.

[Rich]

Post by root
I am running Slack 14.2 and am experimenting with Fluxbox. I would
like to change the desktop color from gray to either a picture
or some color. Google searches suggest several ways, none of
which work. I would have thought this would be one of the simplest
requests for a window manager.
I would appreciate any suggestions. Thanks.

For colors and or patterns look into the "xsetroot" command.

For images, most image viewers support adding an image to the root
background. I know that at least the "xv" command can add images to
the root background (boty by GUI or by straight CLI).

[root]

Post by Rich
For colors and or patterns look into the "xsetroot" command.
For images, most image viewers support adding an image to the root
background. I know that at least the "xv" command can add images to
the root background (boty by GUI or by straight CLI).

Thanks for responding Rich. I tried this command:
/usr/bin/fbsetroot -solid red

as a test. One of the sources suggested putting that in
a startup file which ended with the exec fluxbox command.
I tried the fbsetroot command both before and after the
exec fluxbox &
command. The only result is a momentary flash of red, then
the gray background pops up.

The documentation I have found suggested the fbsetroot command
to set the background black which did not work either. I
tried variations of the fbsetbg command with no greater
success.

Rather than screw around with a startup file I then tried
putting everything in my .xinitrc file which is organized like
this:

setup stuff

exec fluxbox &

additional stuff.


I want fluxbox to start with one or more xterms, so I put
an xterm command after the fluxbox:

fluxbox &
exec /usr/X11R6/bin/xterm -geometry 115x33+0+32 -sl 500 -rv -sb -fn -*-lucidatypewriter-bold-r-*-*-*-200-*-*-*-*-iso8859-* -ms yellow &

and that works. But putting the fbsetroot orfbsetbg commands after
the fluxbox command do not work.

[Paolo Vincenzo Olivo]

Post by root

I know that at least the "xv" command can add images to
the root background (boty by GUI or by straight CLI).

Yes, xv also provides the 'bggen' binary which can be used to dynamically
generate coloured background with a nice smooth gradient similar to that
of CDE's default 'sunset' backdrop. An example to out in a startup script
could be:

bggen darkcyan darkblue black | xv -8 -quic -root -quit -

Post by root
/usr/bin/fbsetroot -solid red
as a test. One of the sources suggested putting that in
a startup file which ended with the exec fluxbox command.
I tried the fbsetroot command both before and after the
exec fluxbox &
command. The only result is a momentary flash of red, then
the gray background pops up.
The documentation I have found suggested the fbsetroot command
to set the background black which did not work either. I
tried variations of the fbsetbg command with no greater
success.
Rather than screw around with a startup file I then tried
putting everything in my .xinitrc file which is organized like
setup stuff
exec fluxbox &
additional stuff.
I want fluxbox to start with one or more xterms, so I put
fluxbox &
exec /usr/X11R6/bin/xterm -geometry 115x33+0+32 -sl 500 -rv -sb -fn -*-lucidatypewriter-bold-r-*-*-*-200-*-*-*-*-iso8859-* -ms yellow &
and that works. But putting the fbsetroot orfbsetbg commands after
the fluxbox command do not work.

put both your background and your xterm command inside ~/.fluxbox/startup instead
of .xinitrc, and just invoke a fully-fledged fluxbox session with 'exec
startfluxbox' at the bottom of your .xinitrc

[root]

Post by Paolo Vincenzo Olivo
put both your background and your xterm command inside ~/.fluxbox/startup instead
of .xinitrc, and just invoke a fully-fledged fluxbox session with 'exec
startfluxbox' at the bottom of your .xinitrc

Thanks, I will try that.

[root]

Post by root

Post by Paolo Vincenzo Olivo
put both your background and your xterm command inside ~/.fluxbox/startup instead
of .xinitrc, and just invoke a fully-fledged fluxbox session with 'exec
startfluxbox' at the bottom of your .xinitrc

Thanks, I will try that.

I did try moving the stuff from .xinitrc to a file called startup in
my .fluxbox directory. I had to create the "startup" file and I
made chmod +x. After exec fluxbox in .xinitrc none of the lines
in startup were executed.

Following that I moved the lines from startup to the file init
in .fluxbox. Again, none of the lines were executed.

Clearly I don't understand what I should do.

[notbob]

Post by root
Clearly I don't understand what I should do.

Have you tried using "Fluxbox menu > System styles >"?

Unless you have a color that is weird (like inks, paints) "System styles"
has a buncha std colors (yel, blu, grn, backgrounds). ;)

nb

[root]

Post by notbob
Have you tried using "Fluxbox menu > System styles >"?
Unless you have a color that is weird (like inks, paints) "System styles"
has a buncha std colors (yel, blu, grn, backgrounds). ;)
nb

Thanks for the suggestion. On my system the menu selections are
difficult to use because they alter between visible and invisible
color combinations, such as blue on blue.

[notbob]

Post by root
Thanks for the suggestion. On my system the menu selections are
difficult to use because they alter between visible and invisible
color combinations, such as blue on blue.

I (on my 14.1 box) use the default "console" runlevel (3(?)) login
(startx). Going back to that runlevel ("Fluxbox menu > exit) and then
returning to fluxbox will give you full colors/print on yer styles.
;)

nb

[tom]

On 10 Apr 2020 16:05:24 GMT

Post by notbob

Post by root
Thanks for the suggestion. On my system the menu selections are
difficult to use because they alter between visible and invisible
color combinations, such as blue on blue.

I (on my 14.1 box) use the default "console" runlevel (3(?)) login
(startx). Going back to that runlevel ("Fluxbox menu > exit) and then
returning to fluxbox will give you full colors/print on yer styles.
;)
nb

on fluxbox there is a utility called fbset. Use this to set a
background color, gradient, or tile background. Alternatively just use
the standard X11 tooling, xsetroot.

[andrew]

Post by root
I am running Slack 14.2 and am experimenting with Fluxbox. I would
like to change the desktop color from gray to either a picture or
some color.

I use a fairly low-budget method by having the following in the file
$HOME/.fluxbox/overlay:

background: aspect # or centered|tile
background.pixmap: /home/youruser/wallpapers/my_image.jpg

And simply change the image manually from time to time...

Andrew

[root]

Post by andrew

Post by root
I am running Slack 14.2 and am experimenting with Fluxbox. I would
like to change the desktop color from gray to either a picture or
some color.

I use a fairly low-budget method by having the following in the file
background: aspect # or centered|tile
background.pixmap: /home/youruser/wallpapers/my_image.jpg
And simply change the image manually from time to time...
Andrew

That works, thanks.

[andrew]

Post by root
That works, thanks.

Always glad to help out a fellow Fluxbox user :)

Andrew