background image changer - question

Micha-Btz · 2015-05-12 08:46:27

Hi there,

i am using debian unstable and have now upgraded to xfce 4.12. In xfce 4.10 i have used wally to chance periodical my background image.
i use this method to review my holiday pictures and so i have add an option to wally to delete pictures that are not nice or ugly. :-)

http://www.becrux.com/index.php?page=pr … name=wally

It is possibly to use wally again to get the delete feature back or it is possibly to add this feature to xfce4?
Wally doesn't work any more, because i can not add a picture list to the xfce settings.

Another Question is, is there a limitation to the file size of the pictures or can is use it directly from the cam (12MB).

thanks Micha

Edit: there are many many files in the directory , does it matter?
sysiphus:~/.config$ find /home/mdomann/Desktop/wally/ -type f | wc -l
28637

Edit2: seems that the pic changer only use pic in the choosen directory. that is not useful for me.

Last edited by Micha-Btz (2015-05-12 12:48:58)

ToZ · 2015-05-12 12:49:43

It is possibly to use wally again to get the delete feature back...

xfdesktop in Xfce 4.12 underwent a significant change with respect to wallpaper cycling - it no longer uses backdrop lists. I've never used wally, but if it relied on that functionality, then the wally developer will need to update the software to work with the new xfdesktop design.

... or it is possibly to add this feature to xfce4?

You are free to ask the xfdesktop developer to add the functionality to delete the current desktop wallpaper - you can do this by filing an enhancement request in the bug tracker. You might also be able to create a small one-liner to delete the image and attach it to a keyboard shortcut. See below for a suggestion.

Another Question is, is there a limitation to the file size of the pictures or can is use it directly from the cam (12MB).

Not that I am aware of.

Edit: there are many many files in the directory , does it matter?
sysiphus:~/.config$ find /home/mdomann/Desktop/wally/ -type f | wc -l
28637

There would be some performance issues with a lot of graphics files in directories. In fact, a very recent fix in the git tree addresses this specific issue. See bug 11817 for more information. Although the fix has been made in the git tree, it has not yet been officially released in an xfdesktop package.

Suggestion: Deleting the active background wallpaper (one-liner)
First, open a terminal window, and run the following command:

xfconf-query -c xfce4-desktop -lv

...and change the desktop wallpaper. You should see something like:

Start monitoring channel "xfce4-desktop":

set: /backdrop/screen0/monitor0/image-path
set: /backdrop/screen0/monitorVGA-0/workspace0/last-image

The line that you are interested in is the one that ends with "image-path". This is the xfconf property that stores the name and location of the current wallpaper on your desktop.

The next step is to test this out manually by running the following command in a terminal window:

gvfs-trash "$(xfconf-query -c xfce4-desktop -p /backdrop/screen0/monitor0/image-path)"

...ans this should move the current wallpaper image file to the trash bin. NOTE: You have to change the image-path location to the one specific for your system.

If everything works correctly, then the final step is to create a keyboard shortcut (Settings Manager >> Keyboard >> Application Shortcuts) that runs that command and assign it to a keyboard shortcut - which you can press whenever you want to delete (move to trash) the current background image that is being displayed.

Caveats:
1. The location of the xfconf-conf image-path key will differ from system-to-system. You need to make sure you get the correct location
2. This will only work for single wallpaper setups. If you have a multiple wallpaper setup, you'll need to adjust the command to suit.

Micha-Btz · 2015-09-01 18:48:58

thanks for the reply, i have created a enhancement bug report.

if i use your suggestion, there is something strange

/source$ xfconf-query -c xfce4-desktop -lv|grep last-image
/backdrop/screen0/monitor0/last-image /usr/share/images/desktop-base/default
/backdrop/screen0/monitorVGA-1/workspace0/last-image /home/mdomann/media/fotos/Urlaub/Spreeradweg_2013/DSCF9548.JPG
/backdrop/screen0/monitorVGA-1/workspace1/last-image /usr/share/images/desktop-base/default
/backdrop/screen0/monitorVGA-1/workspace2/last-image /usr/share/images/desktop-base/default
/backdrop/screen0/monitorVGA-1/workspace3/last-image /home/mdomann/media/fotos/Urlaub/Spreeradweg_2013/DSCF9544.JPG
/backdrop/screen0/monitorVGA-1/workspace4/last-image /usr/share/images/desktop-base/default
/backdrop/screen0/monitorVGA-1/workspace5/last-image /usr/share/images/desktop-base/default
/backdrop/screen0/monitorVGA-1/workspace6/last-image /usr/share/images/desktop-base/default
/backdrop/screen0/monitorVGA-1/workspace7/last-image /usr/share/images/desktop-base/default

i choose the pic folder an all workspaces (8) are covered with the picture. but if xfce starts, i see the /usr/share/images/desktop-base/default, my conky starts on /usr/share/images/desktop-base/default
and my pic from my choosen folder seems to be a layer about the default pic. so i have to start conky new, to display about my pic. strange i think.

your suggestion to delete the pic works well, thanks.

Micha

ToZ · 2015-09-01 18:55:52

Micha-Btz wrote:

and my pic from my choosen folder seems to be a layer about the default pic. so i have to start conky new, to display about my pic. strange i think.

Sounds like maybe conky is starting before the desktop is drawn. First, I'd try clearing out your saved sessions cache. If that doesn't solve the problem, then maybe adding a sleep delay to the start of conky would help.

your suggestion to delete the pic works well, thanks.

You're welcome.

Micha-Btz · 2015-09-13 11:23:17

cleaning the session cache and add a sleep to conky, nothing helps. any other suggestion?
can i see at some point, what program is used for the lock screen? if i choose lock screen nothing happends.

sixsixfive · 2015-09-13 11:40:04

hm did you try http://peterlevi.com/variety?

ToZ · 2015-09-13 14:27:17

Micha-Btz wrote:

cleaning the session cache and add a sleep to conky, nothing helps. any other suggestion?

Can you post your .conkyrc file? There are some "own_window*" parameters that can be set that will affect conky window placement.

can i see at some point, what program is used for the lock screen? if i choose lock screen nothing happends.

Xfce will run the /usr/bin/xflock4 program for screen locking. You can look at the contents of the file to see which locking programs are supported. On my Arch system, it looks in this order:
1. Program stored in "xfconf-query -c xfce4-session -p /general/LockCommand"
2. xscreensaver
3. gnome-screensaver
4. xlock
5. slock

You can also run that program in debug mode to see exactly what happens and which one (if any) is selected:

bash -x /usr/bin/xflock4

Micha-Btz · 2015-09-13 15:32:31

yes, the parameter exists.

cat .conkyrc
#==============================================================================
# conkyrc_orange
#
# author : SLK
# version : v2011011601
# license : Distributed under the terms of GNU GPL version 2 or later
#
#==============================================================================
background yes
update_interval 1
cpu_avg_samples 2
net_avg_samples 2
temperature_unit celsius
double_buffer yes
no_buffers yes
text_buffer_size 2048
gap_x 10
gap_y 30
minimum_size 190 450
maximum_width 190
own_window yes
own_window_type override
own_window_transparent yes
own_window_hints undecorate,sticky,skip_taskbar,skip_pager,below
border_inner_margin 0
border_outer_margin 0
alignment tr
draw_shades no
draw_outline no
draw_borders no
draw_graph_borders no
override_utf8_locale yes
use_xft yes
xftfont caviar dreams:size=12
xftalpha 0.5
uppercase no
default_color FFFFFF
color1 DDDDDD
color2 AAAAAA
color3 888888
color4 EF5A29
lua_load ~/.conky/conky_orange.lua
lua_draw_hook_post main
TEXT
${voffset 35}
${goto 95}${color4}${font ubuntu:size=22}${time %e}${color1}${offset -50}${font ubuntu:size=10}${time %A}
${goto 85}${color2}${voffset -2}${font ubuntu:size=9}${time %b}${voffset -2} ${color3}${font ubuntu:size=12}${time %Y}${font}
${voffset 80}
${goto 90}${font Ubuntu:size=10,weight:bold}${color}CPU
${goto 90}${font Ubuntu:size=10,weight:normal}${color1}${top name 1}${alignr}${top cpu 1}%
${goto 90}${font Ubuntu:size=10,weight:normal}${color2}${top name 2}${alignr}${top cpu 2}%
${goto 90}${font Ubuntu:size=10,weight:normal}${color3}${top name 3}${alignr}${top cpu 3}%
${goto 90}${cpugraph 10,100 666666 666666}
${goto 90}${voffset -10}${font Ubuntu:size=7,weight:normal}${color}${threads} process
${voffset 20}
${goto 90}${font Ubuntu:size=10,weight:bold}${color}MEM
${goto 90}${font Ubuntu:size=10,weight:normal}${color1}${top_mem name 1}${alignr}${top_mem mem 1}%
${goto 90}${font Ubuntu:size=10,weight:normal}${color2}${top_mem name 2}${alignr}${top_mem mem 2}%
${goto 90}${font Ubuntu:size=10,weight:normal}${color3}${top_mem name 3}${alignr}${top_mem mem 3}%
${voffset 15}
${goto 90}${font Ubuntu:size=10,weight:bold}${color}DISKS
${goto 50}${diskiograph 30,100 666666 666666}${voffset -30}
${goto 50}${font Ubuntu:size=10,weight:normal}${color}used: ${fs_used /home} /home
${goto 50}${font Ubuntu:size=10,weight:normal}${color}used: ${fs_used /} /
#temps
${goto 50}${font Ubuntu:size=10,weight:normal}GPU Temp ${hwmon 0 temp 1} °C
${goto 50}${font Ubuntu:size=10,weight:normal}CPU Temp ${hwmon 1 temp 1} °C
${goto 50}${font Ubuntu:size=10,weight:normal}hddtemp sda ${hddtemp /dev/sda} °C
${goto 50}${font Ubuntu:size=10,weight:normal}hddtemp sdb ${hddtemp /dev/sdb} °C

i will patch the xflock4 file, this is just a script, but

LC_ALL=C $1 xfconf-query -c xfce4-session -p /general/LockCommand
Property "/general/LockCommand" does not exist on channel "xfce4-session".

but i think it doesn't make a difference.

thanks for your suggestion

ToZ · 2015-09-13 16:24:28

Your conky file works fine on my system - it automatically changes to accommodate for the new background image. There must be something else going on in your system that is affecting this. Is it possible that you have two applications trying to manage the desktop (e.g. xfdesktop, nautilus, pcmanfm, nemo, etc)?

You don't need to patch the xflock4 file. Just run it by preceeding it with "bash -x" so that it prints out debug messages. For example:

$ bash -x /usr/bin/xflock4 
+ PATH=/bin:/usr/bin
+ export PATH
++ xfconf-query -c xfce4-session -p /general/LockCommand
+ LOCK_CMD=
+ for lock_cmd in '"$LOCK_CMD"' '"xscreensaver-command -lock"' '"gnome-screensaver-command --lock"'
+ '[' '!' -z '' ']'
+ for lock_cmd in '"$LOCK_CMD"' '"xscreensaver-command -lock"' '"gnome-screensaver-command --lock"'
+ '[' '!' -z 'xscreensaver-command -lock' ']'
+ xscreensaver-command -lock
+ exit

...I have xscreensaver installed and you can see from the debug statements that it found it and executed the lock.

Micha-Btz · 2015-09-14 15:59:49

ToZ wrote:

Can you post your .conkyrc file? There are some "own_window*" parameters that can be set that will affect conky window placement.

this was the right hint with

own_window yes
own_window_type desktop

it works.

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#1 2015-05-12 08:46:27

background image changer - question

#2 2015-05-12 12:49:43

Re: background image changer - question

#3 2015-09-01 18:48:58

Re: background image changer - question

#4 2015-09-01 18:55:52

Re: background image changer - question

#5 2015-09-13 11:23:17

Re: background image changer - question

#6 2015-09-13 11:40:04

Re: background image changer - question

#7 2015-09-13 14:27:17

Re: background image changer - question

#8 2015-09-13 15:32:31

Re: background image changer - question

#9 2015-09-13 16:24:28

Re: background image changer - question

#10 2015-09-14 15:59:49

Re: background image changer - question

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