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This is a simple program to change the background periodically.

It takes one or more directories with images as a parameter (no GUI) and sets a randomly chosen image as background. If there is a border remaining, its color is the average color of two corners of the image. This mostly fits the image very well.

It doesn't work if the root-window is hidden by another program, like in Gnome or KDE. However, it is possible to execute a command when the image changes and set the background this way (for example via gconftool). Of course this can also be used for other things, like calling a program that announces your new background-image on IRC. But please don't do that. See below for examples.

Usage

zufall /path/to/image-directory-or-file [/path/to/image-directory-or-file]

Parameter (same as --help):

  -d, --delay=DELAY          number of seconds an image is shown (default 900)
  -s  --maxsize=PERCENT      maximum size in percent (default 150)
  -b  --minborder=PIXEL      ignore --maxsize if the remaining border would be
                             smaller than --minborder (default 100)
  
  -l  --list=FILE            load list of images from file
                             - format is one directory or file per line
                               (absolute path!)
                             - can also be a collection from gqview
  -S  --sequential           don't randomize the imagelist (useful with -l)
  -c  --command=COMMAND      execute COMMAND on every picture change
                               %c gets replaced with the color
                               %i gets replaced with the image
                               %w gets replaced with the scaled width
                               %h gets replaced with the scaled height
                               %% gets replaced with %
  -n  --no-set               don't set the background
                             (but execute command if given)
  -p  --passes=PASSES        exit after given number of images

      --help                 display this help and exit
      --version              output version information and exit

SIGNALS

HUP change background USR1 info TERM exit

Note that the "USR1" memory-info only prints the memory used for the pathnames.

Bind "pkill -1 zufall" to a key or put it in a launcher to change the background with a keypress.

Examples

To try out what the -c option does:
zufall /path/to/images -n -c 'echo "picture: %i color: %c scaled res: %wx%h"'

To append the name of the current image to a file: zufall /path/to/images -c 'echo "%i" >> /tmp/imagehistory'

To view random images in gqview:
zufall /path/to/images -c 'gqview -r "%i"'

To set the background in gnome with the help of gconftool: zufall /path/to/images -n -c '
gconftool-2 -s /desktop/gnome/background/picture_filename -t string "%i";\ gconftool-2 -s /desktop/gnome/background/primary_color -t string "%c"'

• Unfortunately there seems to be no key for scaling the image.
• I'm sure there is something similar for KDE.
• Mind the quoting, the command is executed in a shell!

Send bugreports and comments to <zufall@apfelboymchen.homeunix.net>