LM18 / Cinnamon MDM - Changing Login Screen Background
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LM18 / Cinnamon MDM - Changing Login Screen Background
This is an odd one, - I'm wondering if it's an error or just oversight ;
In System Settings -> Administration -> Login Window, mdmsetup provides an option to change the login screen background for the theme you're using. This however, doesn't have any effect. Digging deeper, it seems to be hardcoded in mdm themes so any changes you make using the gui provided are pointless as they have no effect.
Am I missing something here or is there no way to change a login screen background (easily) in Cinnamon on LM18 Sarah?
In System Settings -> Administration -> Login Window, mdmsetup provides an option to change the login screen background for the theme you're using. This however, doesn't have any effect. Digging deeper, it seems to be hardcoded in mdm themes so any changes you make using the gui provided are pointless as they have no effect.
Am I missing something here or is there no way to change a login screen background (easily) in Cinnamon on LM18 Sarah?
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
Re: LM18 / Cinnamon MDM - Changing Login Screen Background
Changing the theme in the Login Window works fine on my system - GTK, HTML, GDM all display as expected.
Linux Mint 21.3 Cinnamon
Re: LM18 / Cinnamon MDM - Changing Login Screen Background
I just need to be clear that you're understanding the issue.
So to confirm, you can go into mdmsetup, browse for a new background image on any theme, apply it, and it shows? Without editing any configuration files? If that's the case, I'm genuinely surprised because I can't find anyone who can do this.
So to confirm, you can go into mdmsetup, browse for a new background image on any theme, apply it, and it shows? Without editing any configuration files? If that's the case, I'm genuinely surprised because I can't find anyone who can do this.
Re: LM18 / Cinnamon MDM - Changing Login Screen Background
System Settings -> Administration -> Login Window -> (Password). Select Theme (preview with a click on the gear icon. Close the screen and reboot.
Linux Mint 21.3 Cinnamon
Re: LM18 / Cinnamon MDM - Changing Login Screen Background
You misunderstood what Broken Canoe said. He wants to add his own custom background in a current theme. No it doesn't work unless you edit the theme yourself. I've made a few custom themes and it's pretty easy to do.kyphi wrote:System Settings -> Administration -> Login Window -> (Password). Select Theme (preview with a click on the gear icon. Close the screen and reboot.
Re: LM18 / Cinnamon MDM - Changing Login Screen Background
I cannot see that wish stated. However, if the issue is adding your own theme, then place it in /usr/share/mdm/themes and activate the "+" button in the Select Theme and add it to the selection window.racer-x wrote:He wants to add his own custom background in a current theme.
There are over 40 themes available - surely those are sufficient.
Linux Mint 21.3 Cinnamon
Re: LM18 / Cinnamon MDM - Changing Login Screen Background
That looks very nice, racer-x. Well done.
Linux Mint 21.3 Cinnamon
Re: LM18 / Cinnamon MDM - Changing Login Screen Background
Hey racer nice image, I love steampunk and motorcycles, nice mix.
I just wanted to clear up I did not make the synergy theme he just used one of mine and forgot to change my name on it.
no need to place it in that folder just grab the theme folder right click compress it with tar.gz then open the login screen in settings drag the tar file into the window it will install it for you then click the radial button beside it to activate it.I cannot see that wish stated. However, if the issue is adding your own theme, then place it in /usr/share/mdm/themes and activate the "+" button in the Select Theme and add it to the selection window.
If your talking about the default theme changing images, that reads the images inBroken Canoe wrote:I just need to be clear that you're understanding the issue.
So to confirm, you can go into mdmsetup, browse for a new background image on any theme, apply it, and it shows? Without editing any configuration files? If that's the case, I
Code: Select all
file:///usr/share/backgrounds/linuxmint-sarah/
Remember to change the theme name and folder to your own (change it in the theme.info file also in the folder and add your own small screenshot so you know it's yours by them image (screenshot.jpg) in the folder.
You can test it out by opening the terminal and put this in it and hit enter
Code: Select all
mdm-theme-emulator
Orrrr to make it easy for you
just use the Synergy theme racer was talking about, in the usr/share/mdm/html-themes/ folder
Just change my name in the theme info file
I don't want to take credit for everyone's themes when I did not make them, they just used my code which I also used from clem's code and changed it.
Open source is a good thing
just copy the folder and paste it somewhere else and make the changes then tar.gz it and drop it into the login window after your changes and your good to go if all your doing is changing the folder name and theme.info file and background image and screenshot image
Hope that explains it for you.
Sam
Re: LM18 / Cinnamon MDM - Changing Login Screen Background
Thanks, that's what I needed to confirm, that it doesn't work unless you manually edit the theme yourself. The change picture button is effectively useless as it's hard-coded by a configuration file.racer-x wrote:You misunderstood what Broken Canoe said. He wants to add his own custom background in a current theme. No it doesn't work unless you edit the theme yourself. I've made a few custom themes and it's pretty easy to do.kyphi wrote:System Settings -> Administration -> Login Window -> (Password). Select Theme (preview with a click on the gear icon. Close the screen and reboot.
Re: LM18 / Cinnamon MDM - Changing Login Screen Background
But you Guys Should mention that we have to make the Image resolution same as the copied theme's images..
Let you are going to customize the "Synergy" so if you want to change the pics, you have to maintain the resolution as the default pics.
like the (bg.jpg) is default pic and it has 1920*1200 resolution so u have to make your preferred pic in 1920*1200 resolution
Let you are going to customize the "Synergy" so if you want to change the pics, you have to maintain the resolution as the default pics.
like the (bg.jpg) is default pic and it has 1920*1200 resolution so u have to make your preferred pic in 1920*1200 resolution
Re: LM18 / Cinnamon MDM - Changing Login Screen Background
I have the same issue with Linux Mint 18.3 Cinnamon. Go to login window settings pick a different image from offered options = no change, still the original image.
Re: LM18 / Cinnamon MDM - Changing Login Screen Background
This thread is more than one year old. As you (hopefully) have read in the forum rules, you have to create an own thread. Besides that: In case, that your system is a fresh install of Mint 18.3 you do not even have mdm on your system, so totally unrelated. If this is an upgraded system you need to tell - in a new thread(!) - which version had been originally installed.
Re: LM18 / Cinnamon MDM - Changing Login Screen Background
Well, after trying almost everything, changing the file permissions of the image-file involved finally solved it!
viewtopic.php?t=245706#p1316766
viewtopic.php?t=245706#p1316766
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Re: LM18 / Cinnamon MDM - Changing Login Screen Background
I know I am a bit late to this particular party, but thought someone might find this useful.
I have successfully customised the Synergy theme, and it was quite easy.
Copy the original Synergy theme to your desktop. It's in usr/share/mdm/themes/html_themes.
Rename the folder on the desktop to something that suits your theme. new_theme (very imaginative) in this example.
Edit the theme.info file.
Change the name and the description to suit your theme, new_theme
Now open the image you wish to use for the theme, in something like Gimp.
In the new_theme folder on your desktop there are 3 image files, each is a specific image size, modify your own image to the size and overwrite the 3 files.
Compress the folder, new_theme to new_theme.tar.gz
Open the login window, System Settings -> Administration -> Login Window -> (Password).
Either drag and drop the tar file to the window, or click on the + button and add it.
Done.
Hope someone finds this of use.
I have successfully customised the Synergy theme, and it was quite easy.
Copy the original Synergy theme to your desktop. It's in usr/share/mdm/themes/html_themes.
Rename the folder on the desktop to something that suits your theme. new_theme (very imaginative) in this example.
Edit the theme.info file.
Change the name and the description to suit your theme, new_theme
Now open the image you wish to use for the theme, in something like Gimp.
In the new_theme folder on your desktop there are 3 image files, each is a specific image size, modify your own image to the size and overwrite the 3 files.
Compress the folder, new_theme to new_theme.tar.gz
Open the login window, System Settings -> Administration -> Login Window -> (Password).
Either drag and drop the tar file to the window, or click on the + button and add it.
Done.
Hope someone finds this of use.
Re: LM18 / Cinnamon MDM - Changing Login Screen Background
Have I misunderstood this, that even at login time after a fresh boot, before any login, there is actually a whole theme active?
On a single-user system, I can't understand why this would be, when the only interaction widget is the password field.
What I want to do is have a login wallpaper that is different to the logged-in theme wallpaper. It shouldn't be a requirement to specially edit a theme to do this, surely.
On a single-user system, I can't understand why this would be, when the only interaction widget is the password field.
What I want to do is have a login wallpaper that is different to the logged-in theme wallpaper. It shouldn't be a requirement to specially edit a theme to do this, surely.
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Re: LM18 / Cinnamon MDM - Changing Login Screen Background
Frisket - what version of Mint are you using? This old thread is in relation to the display manager MDM - it's deprecated and no longer in use for Mint 19.x and wasn't the default in fresh installs of 18.3 and IIRC 18.2.frisket wrote: ⤴Sat Mar 16, 2019 6:41 am Have I misunderstood this, that even at login time after a fresh boot, before any login, there is actually a whole theme active?
On a single-user system, I can't understand why this would be, when the only interaction widget is the password field.
What I want to do is have a login wallpaper that is different to the logged-in theme wallpaper. It shouldn't be a requirement to specially edit a theme to do this, surely.
Current Mint versions use LightDM/Slickgreeter and then it is just a case of un-checking 'Draw User Backgrounds' and picking a default login screen background in the Login Window settings GUI available via the menu. Some caveats - the file chosen can't sit in an encrypted home folder and must have permissions so that it is world readable.
For custom Nemo actions, useful scripts for the Cinnamon desktop, and Cinnamox themes visit my Github pages.