Desktop background won't set

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sgb77
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Joined: Thu Sep 05, 2013 9:44 am

Desktop background won't set

Post by sgb77 »

Hello,
I am having an issue setting desktop wallpaper, I've tried different ways, through the graphical interface and command line, but nothing works. The desktop just stays black, I have even tried changing the color to some other color, but nothing.
I have tried re-installing nemo, as it was suggesting in another thread, I've also deleted my ~/config/nemo folder, however I can't find my ~/.config/cinnamon folder so I can't deleted as suggested, but none of this has solved my issue.
I want to put this out there to see if anybody can help me out before I delete my profile and recreate a new one, I really don't want to do that, but that will be my last resource.
Using mint 15, cinnamon 64bit

Thanks all.
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.
sgb77
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Joined: Thu Sep 05, 2013 9:44 am

Re: Desktop background won't set

Post by sgb77 »

Anybody?

I still hope not to recreate my entire account because of a desktop wallpaper, however it is annoying looking at a black screen all the time when something is not open.


Thanks all.
sgb77
Level 1
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Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Sep 05, 2013 9:44 am

Re: Desktop background won't set

Post by sgb77 »

Created a new user, only to find that the same problem exists in the new account.. :?

Any help, or hint will be greatly appreciated.
Stewbond

Re: Desktop background won't set

Post by Stewbond »

I use this to set my desktop background automatically. It randomly selects a wallpaper in a specific folder and I call it in my ~/.profile

Code: Select all

#!/bin/bash

# randomly choose wallpaper
pic=(/home/stew/Pictures/Wallpapers/*)

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.background picture-uri \
        "file://${pic[RANDOM % ${#pic[@]}]}"
Note I've also had problems sometimes because my /home/stew/Pictures is mounted from a network drive, if it can't find the picture that I set I get a black screen. The same is also true if I select a file which is not an image. Try saving your image to another format?
eddy85br

Re: Desktop background won't set

Post by eddy85br »

I'm experiencing this "always black desktop screen" on cinnamon,
but I think it has started when I removed my standard Nemo package and installed a version from raring sources that does not consume ram memory like there is no tomorrow...

My RAM comsumption is OK now, Nemo doesn't run off the rails anymore but desktop background turned into black...
husfeldt

Re: Desktop background won't set

Post by husfeldt »

Yes exactly the same, background remains black, I cannot set picture or color or anything - it is just ignored..
And it started I think when I upgradede to raring sources in order to get rid of a huge memory leak problem with nemo (Often eating bewtween 1- and 4 GB RAM), that did not get solved for month (or rather it was solved but not released) and I got impatiant.
Hawkeye_52

Re: Desktop background won't set

Post by Hawkeye_52 »

Just a bump on this topic, because it doesn't seem to have been resolved.

Everytime I right-click on the desktop and select "Change Desktop Background", all my backgrounds come up to select from, but the actual desktop background will not change to my selection. Currently my background is frozen, and it has been this way since the last Cinnamon upgrade.

If anyone has a suggestion on how this can be corrected, I would love to hear about it.

Thanks,

Hawkeye52
SallyK
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Posts: 237
Joined: Fri Oct 02, 2009 5:22 pm

Re: Desktop background won't set

Post by SallyK »

Hawkeye_52

I had the same problem in the latest 2.0 version of Cinnamon, and I found that restarting Cinnamon, Alt+F2 then r, switched the system to the new wallpaper. It's not the ideal situation, and presumably it's a bug, but at least it is possible to change the wallpaper.
hasson

Re: Desktop background won't set

Post by hasson »

Hi,

I just have the same problem! And it after updating the nemo (to stop the memory leak) from raring sources.

Anyone can help please?
Hawkeye_52

Re: Desktop background won't set

Post by Hawkeye_52 »

SallyK wrote:Hawkeye_52

I had the same problem in the latest 2.0 version of Cinnamon, and I found that restarting Cinnamon, Alt+F2 then r, switched the system to the new wallpaper. It's not the ideal situation, and presumably it's a bug, but at least it is possible to change the wallpaper.
SallyK,

Thanks for the suggestion, but 'no love' for me. When I do the "Alt+F2 then r" command, the selected background flashes on screen then disappears, and I am left with my current background. I don't know whether my inability to use this work-around is hardware related or maybe related to some extra lib files that I have either installed for something else, or don't have installed and are now necessary to work the necessary magic.

Oh, to be 'linux literate'. After seven years of constant use, I am not much more than a rookie end user, and veteran enthusiast... :cry:

Hawkeye_52
Robynsveil
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Posts: 43
Joined: Fri Aug 03, 2012 6:28 pm

Re: Desktop background won't set

Post by Robynsveil »

Same problem here. The above suggestion [Alt] [F2] and then entering r in the dialogue displayed my wallpaper briefly, but then it went back to black.

Any gurus out there could tell us what's going on? This appears to be a new bug. And Hawkeye, I'm with you there, mate. Been using Linux since Edgy-Eft and whilst stuff like this aren't showstoppers, they're annoying. :shock:

Maya LTS 64-bit, Nemo File Mgr... what else can I add?
Robynsveil
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Posts: 43
Joined: Fri Aug 03, 2012 6:28 pm

Re: Desktop background won't set

Post by Robynsveil »

Further to this, it appears they've broken a few things with this recent update. I've been trying to get the screen lock from happening as well: setting it in the System Settings -> Brightness and Lock:
Turn screen off when inactive for: [Never]
Lock [Off]
Require my password: Unticked

does exactly the opposite. My question: can this be set somewhere in a text file (as opposed to using a GUI?)... IOW, where are these settings stored?
hasson

Re: Desktop background won't set

Post by hasson »

no solution by now.
marknquinn

Re: Desktop background won't set

Post by marknquinn »

Quick solution which worked for me: add nemo to your startup applications.
OnePablo

Re: Desktop background won't set

Post by OnePablo »

I have no idea, but here's a really simple trick that works for me:

- Minimise all windows (show desktop)
- Open a Nemo (file manager) window
- Win!
ack0329

Re: Desktop background won't set

Post by ack0329 »

same problem please help
ack0329

Re: Desktop background won't set

Post by ack0329 »

ack0329 wrote:same problem please help

Solved !!

I think it was changing my startup programs to use the /usr/bin/program_name instead of just the program_name as works with terminal
also specifically I created a startup program for /usr/bin/nemo

It also allowed me to manage my 2 displays better
ack0329

Solved Re: Desktop background won't set

Post by ack0329 »

Just fixed it - if only I can remember it the next time :D
I simply deleted /.config/monitors.xml

and restarted
bustershin

Re: Desktop background won't set

Post by bustershin »

@ ack0329
thanks that works! :lol:
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