How can I change the wallpaper using a Python script?
Solution 1
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
Solution 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")
Solution 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)
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guerda
Updated on September 18, 2022Comments
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guerda over 1 year
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
. Withpython-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")
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guerda over 12 yearsThank you for the hint. It seems correct, but unfortunately, the settings are not updated. If I set the new URI, the function returns true for success, but in dconf-editor or a get-string call, the old value is returned. Therefore, the wallpaper is not updated. Am I doing this wrong?
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red.clover over 12 yearsHmmm... The above code certainly updates the wallpaper. Maybe if you posted some of your code on a pastebin somewhere I'd have a better idea what's going on in your case.
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guerda over 12 yearsHi andrewsomething! Thanks for coming back to me! I updated my question with my code example. Would be great if you could help me.
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guerda over 12 yearsYour code works for me... Thank you for your help! I will post a minimal working example, too.
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Simon over 12 yearsThis is the terminal command only. Maybe you should include how to invoke it via Python to fully answer the question?
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dirkk0 over 7 yearsno, this is a python script that works exactly that way.
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dirkk0 over 7 yearsJust saw that 'commands' is deprecated.
w = "/usr/share/backgrounds/warty-final-ubuntu.png"; c = 'gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.background picture-uri "file://%s"' % w; import subprocess; subprocess.call(c.split())