How to set different background color for different terminals

ratnendra · 2021-10-19 19:33:07

I am a multitasker and I have to work on several task concurrently. When I was working with gnome terminals, I was able to create different profiles to choose background color for my terminals.

How to do something similar for xcfe terminals. I am using version 0.4.7

When I change background color through Edit->Preference->colors->background color, background color of all terminals change. How can I do this to only change background color in terminal where I am changing preference?

Basically, I want to do something like this:

For work1 - all terminals in background color black
For work2 - all terminals in background color seagreen

But, I cannot have some terminals with one color while some with another. They all get one color.

ToZ · 2021-10-19 21:12:44

ratnendra wrote:

How to do something similar for xcfe terminals. I am using version 0.4.7

Which distro are you using? This version is like 11 years old.

On newer versions of xfce4-terminal, you can use the "--color-bg" parameter to set a new background colour for a terminal instance. For example:

xfce4-terminal --color-bg=red

Does this work for you? If not, what does

xfce4-terminal --version

...return?

ratnendra · 2021-10-19 21:33:43

Looks like the version of xcfe I have is a very old version.
I am working with IT to get access to recent release.

In the version I have, I cannot run the command xcfe4-terminal

xcfe4-terminal --version
bash: xcfe4-terminal: command not found

I will try the above command again after I have the newer xcfe.

ToZ · 2021-10-19 22:57:05

You mis-typed the command.

xfce4-terminal --version

...its "xfce" not "xcfe"

ratnendra · 2021-10-19 23:11:15

Sorry for the typo. Command with correct spelling also does not work.

xfce4-terminal --version
bash: xfce4-terminal: command not found

I am going to get an account on new server with newer xfce4. I will try it again.

ratnendra · 2021-10-20 18:11:59

I got access to a new server.

This has xfce4-terminal version 0.8.7.4

> xfce4-terminal --version
xfce4-terminal 0.8.7.4 (Xfce 4.12)

Written by Benedikt Meurer <benny@xfce.org>,
Nick Schermer <nick@xfce.org>
and Igor Zakharov <f2404@yandex.ru>.

Please report bugs to <https://bugzilla.xfce.org/>.

I open a new terminal window with this command:

xfce4-terminal --color-bg=black --color-text=white

Then I open a tab within new window created by above command.

The problem is that when the tab window still has the default color, not the color of the window in which it is created.

Is there a workaround to that?

ToZ · 2021-10-20 19:55:43

ratnendra wrote:

The problem is that when the tab window still has the default color, not the color of the window in which it is created.

That would be this bug report/enhancement request.

Is there a workaround to that?

Executing the following command:

printf '\033]11;red\007'

...will change the background to red on the fly. Maybe create a keyboard shortcut to echo/execute this command in the terminal window?

ratnendra · 2021-10-21 17:06:17

Can we file a new bug/enhancement request just to address the issue in this thread? The one in the link above has too many requests and may never get fulfilled. Simpler the request, easier to implement.

ToZ · 2021-10-21 18:15:19

ratnendra wrote:

Can we file a new bug/enhancement request just to address the issue in this thread? The one in the link above has too many requests and may never get fulfilled. Simpler the request, easier to implement.

Absolutely, you can try. Unfortunately, I don't think there currently is an active maintainer for this package, so I'm not sure when it will get addressed.

Edit: I'm mistaken, it looks like someone has just taken over maintenance of the package.

Last edited by ToZ (2021-10-21 18:51:17)

ratnendra · 2021-11-01 23:16:24

How would I open a ticket? Or can open one for me?

ToZ · 2021-11-01 23:27:08

Probably best if you create it so that you can be notified and participate in the testing. The ticket (issue) can be created here. Note, you'll need to create a gitlab account to do so.

dtd · 2023-01-01 04:08:48

I am running FreeBSD and xfce-4.16 as the native OS on an old iMac. All works except xterm and clipman. Like an earlier user I work on a lot of servers concurrently and use color as an aid to keep my place. xfce4-terminal has a number of options:
xfce4-terminal --color-bg=<bg> --color-text=<fg> --title='host-name' works for me. I found a post saying that presets could be defined in ~/.local/share/xfce4/terminal/colorschemes. This would save typing but as far as I can tell will not aid in windows having unique colors as there does not seem to be a --preset=<name> options. Is there a way to do this?

Last edited by dtd (2023-01-01 04:09:59)

KBar · 2023-01-01 04:31:49

Not sure about windows but you can set different colors for each tab. Preferences -> Colors -> Vary the background color for each tab.

dtd · 2023-01-01 16:15:46

Terminology. By windows I meant separate invocations of terminal. Tabs would actually be better than the way I am doing it using xterm. I will try it, thanks.

Ok this is going to be my second case of RTFM. The tab option is perfect, better than what I am doing using xterm. Don't know why I looked at it an it did not register, its just like the background option. The 2nd RTFM instance is how do I edit the subject? I do not see an option using firefox nor was google much help. I know this is another "how did I miss this". In my defense I learned to program in machine language/octal.

Last edited by dtd (2023-01-01 16:59:25)

KBar · 2023-01-01 18:02:24

dtd wrote:

The 2nd RTFM instance is how do I edit the subject?

You can't because you're not the OP.

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#1 2021-10-19 19:33:07

How to set different background color for different terminals

#2 2021-10-19 21:12:44

Re: How to set different background color for different terminals

#3 2021-10-19 21:33:43

Re: How to set different background color for different terminals

#4 2021-10-19 22:57:05

Re: How to set different background color for different terminals

#5 2021-10-19 23:11:15

Re: How to set different background color for different terminals

#6 2021-10-20 18:11:59

Re: How to set different background color for different terminals

#7 2021-10-20 19:55:43

Re: How to set different background color for different terminals

#8 2021-10-21 17:06:17

Re: How to set different background color for different terminals

#9 2021-10-21 18:15:19

Re: How to set different background color for different terminals

#10 2021-11-01 23:16:24

Re: How to set different background color for different terminals

#11 2021-11-01 23:27:08

Re: How to set different background color for different terminals

#12 2023-01-01 04:08:48

Re: How to set different background color for different terminals

#13 2023-01-01 04:31:49

Re: How to set different background color for different terminals

#14 2023-01-01 16:15:46

Re: How to set different background color for different terminals

#15 2023-01-01 18:02:24

Re: How to set different background color for different terminals

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