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This software is no longer under active development.

It is replaced by https://github.com/step-/desktop-wallpaper as of Fatdog64 Linux 812 RC 2021-10-16.

nathans-wallpaper

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.

TL;DR NOT!

But if you do, read at least sections 'Starting, Command Line, Slideshow', 'Warnings', and 'Compatibility' (Fatdog64-700 and beyond users can skip 'Compatibility').

History and Motivation

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 vs. Other Forks

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.

Features of This Fork

This Wallpaper Setter enhances usability and functionality with respect to the original Nathan's Wallpaper Setter:

Starting, Command Line, Slideshow

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.

Environment Variables

The following environment variables affect the application: SCALE_FILTER, DEBUG. Run wallpaper --help for more information.

Warnings

Warning: Stop the Slideshow

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.

Warning: Pass Valid Image Files to the Slideshow

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.)

Compatibility

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/dash

The 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
done

One 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.

Bugs

Please file bugs in the Issues section of the github repository.

Screenshots

Left: Forked version - Right: original version 0.6.3 (Fatdog64-700).

Main window

main window

Options dialog

options dialog

Program chooser

(not available in version 0.6.3)

program chooser