NAME
xsetroot - root window parameter setting utility for X

SYNOPSIS
xsetroot [-help] [-def] [-display display] [-cursor cursor-
file maskfile] [-cursor_name cursorname] [-bitmap filename]
[-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 run-
ning 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 specified, 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) program. You prob-
ably 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 appen-
dix 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 combination
with -cursor, -bitmap, or -mod.

-bg color
Use "color" as the background color.

-rv This exchanges the foreground and background colors.
Normally the foreground color is black and the back-
ground 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 iconified. This
option is unused since you can’t iconify the back-
ground.

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