XSETROOT(1) X Version 11 XSETROOT(1)
Release 5
NAME
faderoot - root window parameter setting utility for X
SYNOPSIS
faderoot [-help] [-display display] [-time seconds] [-bitmap filename]
[-mod x y] [-gray] [-grey] [-solid]
DESCRIPTION
The faderoot program allows you to tailor the appearance of the
background ("root") window on a workstation display running X. Unlike
xsetroot(1) , faderoot becomes a daemon that will continuously vary
the color of the root window. Normally, you experiment with faderoot
until you find a personalized look that you like, then put the
faderoot command that produces it into your X startup file.
Exactly one of the background color/tiling changing options (-solid,
-gray, -grey, -bitmap, and -mod) should be specified.
OPTIONS
The various options are as follows:
-help
Print a usage message and exit.
-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. Pixels that are black in
bitmap(1) will remain black; pixels that are white will be the
varying color.
-mod x y
This is used if you want a grid of black lines over the varying
color on your screen. x and y are integers ranging from 1 to 16.
Try different combinations. Zero and negative numbers are taken
as 1.
-gray
-grey
This reduces the intensity of the root window's colors by mixing
black with the varying color in a checkerboard-like way.
-solid
This sets the background of the root window to the varying color.
-display display
Specifies the server to connect to; see X(1).
- 1 - Formatted: December 20, 2025
XSETROOT(1) X Version 11 XSETROOT(1)
Release 5
-time seconds
Specifies how fast to change the colors. The default is once
every second, which is imperceptable. Zero disables the daemon-
ization of faderoot and varies the colors quickly enough to swamp
a network.
NOTES
This program is really only useful on systems with PseudoColor
displays.
Running xsetroot(1) to change the root window will kill any previous
version of faderoot that may be executing.
SEE ALSO
X(1), xsetroot(1), xkill(1)
COPYRIGHT
Copyright 1993, Samuel T. Denton, III
AUTHOR
Sam Denton, St. Louis, Missouri
- 2 - Formatted: December 20, 2025
