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guerda
Asked: 2011-12-05 12:50:34 +0800 CST

How can I change the wallpaper using a Python script?

  • 772

I want to change my wallpaper in Ubuntu 11.10 (with Unity) in a small Python script. I found the possibility to change it via the gconf-editor in /desktop/gnome/background/picture_filename. With python-gconf, I'm able to change the necessary values.

Apparently, the gconf string is not read out. If I change it (either via a script or via gconf-editor), the wallpaper remains and in the menu of "Change wallpaper", the old wallpaper is shown.

How am I able to change the wallpaper for Unity via a Python script?

The following code does work.

#!/usr/bin/python
# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
from gi.repository import Gio

class BackgroundChanger():
        SCHEMA = 'org.gnome.desktop.background'
        KEY = 'picture-uri'

        def change_background(self, filename):
                gsettings = Gio.Settings.new(self.SCHEMA)
                print(gsettings.get_string(self.KEY))
                print(gsettings.set_string(self.KEY, "file://" + filename))
                gsettings.apply()
                print(gsettings.get_string(self.KEY))

if __name__ == "__main__":
        BackgroundChanger().change_background("/home/user/existing.jpg")
unity

3 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    Unfortunately, gconf doesn't really clean up after itself very well. That's and old setting. With GNOME3 and Unity in 11.10, the desktop background setting is now stored in dconf. With dconf-editor you can find the setting at org.gnome.desktop.background.picture-uri

    Here's a quick example showing how to change the background with python, GTK, and GObject Introspection:

    #! /usr/bin/python

from gi.repository import Gtk, Gio

class BackgroundChanger(Gtk.Window):

    SCHEMA = 'org.gnome.desktop.background'
    KEY = 'picture-uri'

    def __init__(self):
        Gtk.Window.__init__(self, title="Background Changer")

        box = Gtk.Box(spacing=6)
        self.add(box)

        button1 = Gtk.Button("Set Background Image")
        button1.connect("clicked", self.on_file_clicked)
        box.add(button1)

    def on_file_clicked(self, widget):
        gsettings = Gio.Settings.new(self.SCHEMA)

        dialog = Gtk.FileChooserDialog("Please choose a file", self,
            Gtk.FileChooserAction.OPEN,
            (Gtk.STOCK_CANCEL, Gtk.ResponseType.CANCEL,
             Gtk.STOCK_OPEN, Gtk.ResponseType.OK))

        self.add_filters(dialog)

        response = dialog.run()
        if response == Gtk.ResponseType.OK:
            background = dialog.get_filename()
            gsettings.set_string(self.KEY, "file://" + background)
        elif response == Gtk.ResponseType.CANCEL:
            pass

        dialog.destroy()

    def add_filters(self, dialog):
        filter_image = Gtk.FileFilter()
        filter_image.set_name("Image files")
        filter_image.add_mime_type("image/*")
        dialog.add_filter(filter_image)

        filter_any = Gtk.FileFilter()
        filter_any.set_name("Any files")
        filter_any.add_pattern("*")
        dialog.add_filter(filter_any)

win = BackgroundChanger()
win.connect("delete-event", Gtk.main_quit)
win.show_all()
Gtk.main()

    Here are two helpful blog posts on GSettings and Python:

    http://www.micahcarrick.com/gsettings-python-gnome-3.html

    http://www.lucidelectricdreams.com/2011/06/reading-and-writing-gsettings-from.html

    • 12

  2. Here you go

    #! /usr/bin/python

import os

os.system("gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.background picture-uri file:///home/user/Pictures/wallpaper/Stairslwallpaper.png")
    • 9

  3. Maybe not the best but the easiest solution:

    import commands
command = 'gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.background picture-uri "file:///home/user/test.png"'
status, output = commands.getstatusoutput(command)
    • 2