backdrop randomizer - rotate wallpaper without repeats!

graysky · 2012-11-12 00:09:35

What is it
Backdrop-randomizer is a companion for xfdesktop which randomly cycles through wallpapers without repeating them until all have been displayed once. I wrote it specifically for xfce4 users displaying desktop pics with xfdesktop. If this is you, read on.

Rationale and Gap
Xfdesktop has a gap currently: it does not keep track of which images in a list are displayed as "backdrops" to the DE. The result is that some images in a list get displayed frequently while others are rarely displayed. A more robust implementation of the random background feature should randomly display an image in the list and _not_ repeat it until all list members have been displayed at least once. This bothered me so much that I opened a bug/enhancement with upstream.

...backdrop-randomizer fills this gap

How it works
Each time you or cron calls the script, it will randomly select a picture from your list to display. It will then remove the selection from the list so as not to repeat the same pic twice per cycle. When backdrop-randomizer sees you have only one pic left in your list, it regenerates the list anew and continues to cycle. The net effect is an endless rotation of your pics without a repeat.

Links
AUR: https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/backdrop-randomizer
Github: https://github.com/graysky2/backdrop-randomizer

Feedback is welcomed!

Last edited by graysky (2012-12-01 23:48:16)

maggie · 2012-11-12 21:53:10

Thank you! I could never get xfdesktop to work properly with random pics!
Where is the manpage?

graysky · 2012-11-13 16:29:11

maggie wrote:

Thank you! I could never get xfdesktop to work properly with random pics!
Where is the manpage?

Glad you like it. Obvious question for you: are you running the latest version? I only yesterday wrote a man page which is included in the v2.10-1 release. Check the AUR and let me know (man page works for me).

Note that I try to always comment when I update one of my packages in the AUR so check there to see what is new. Example:

Bump to v2.10-1
Changelog: Total re-write of code and added manpage.

Last edited by graysky (2012-11-13 16:30:06)

maggie · 2012-11-18 19:11:00

Thank you. My version was old. I can't believe that other people have not posted here yet. This is a pretty significant program I think.

maggie · 2012-12-01 23:48:55

I see you added colors to this too. All of your scripts are colorful now!

farmerdave · 2013-03-14 06:49:13

Hi, I think this is a great little tool. Just a quick note, when I installed it there was an output in the terminal with a set of instructions. It gave the cronjob entry as

*/20 * * * *  /usr/bin/backdrop-randomizer

whereas the man page has the 'R' at the end. Might I suggest this gets added to the installation output.

0strodamus · 2015-03-09 22:06:07

Anyone else having issues using backdrop-randomizer after the xfdesktop-4.12.0-1 update?

graysky · 2015-03-09 22:08:16

https://bugzilla.xfce.org/show_bug.cgi?id=11620

0strodamus · 2015-03-10 21:46:02

Thanks. Good to know I'm not doing something stupid here.

graysky · 2015-03-10 21:52:58

Version 4.12 of xfdesktop has a randomize option built in but it doesn't account for repeats nor does it NOT rotate if the screensaver is active. Two of the key features I wrote into bdr.

progandy · 2015-03-10 22:39:12

I believe as a workaround you can use the xfce sequential rotation with the background and a symlink to the background. Then change the imagefile and force xfdesktop to cycle.

graysky · 2015-03-16 19:09:13

OK! Eric has fixed this upstream: https://bugzilla.xfce.org/show_bug.cgi?id=11620

Here is a PKGBUILD you may use that patches xfdesktop per his code. Use it and bdr will "magically" function again: https://gist.github.com/graysky2/d98933bbf3fb03e461da

0strodamus · 2015-03-17 00:26:38

Nice! I can confirm that bdr is working here now. Thanks for bdr and for the updated xfdesktop PKGBUILD!

Arch Linux

#1 2012-11-12 00:09:35

backdrop randomizer - rotate wallpaper without repeats!

#2 2012-11-12 21:53:10

Re: backdrop randomizer - rotate wallpaper without repeats!

#3 2012-11-13 16:29:11

Re: backdrop randomizer - rotate wallpaper without repeats!

#4 2012-11-18 19:11:00

Re: backdrop randomizer - rotate wallpaper without repeats!

#5 2012-12-01 23:48:55

Re: backdrop randomizer - rotate wallpaper without repeats!

#6 2013-03-14 06:49:13

Re: backdrop randomizer - rotate wallpaper without repeats!

#7 2015-03-09 22:06:07

Re: backdrop randomizer - rotate wallpaper without repeats!

#8 2015-03-09 22:08:16

Re: backdrop randomizer - rotate wallpaper without repeats!

#9 2015-03-10 21:46:02

Re: backdrop randomizer - rotate wallpaper without repeats!

#10 2015-03-10 21:52:58

Re: backdrop randomizer - rotate wallpaper without repeats!

#11 2015-03-10 22:39:12

Re: backdrop randomizer - rotate wallpaper without repeats!

#12 2015-03-16 19:09:13

Re: backdrop randomizer - rotate wallpaper without repeats!

#13 2015-03-17 00:26:38

Re: backdrop randomizer - rotate wallpaper without repeats!

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