This how-to deals with both the simple and more challenging aspects of changing your e17 wallpaper.

A few points are worth understanding before we start:

• Enlightenment uses a special format for graphics used as desktop images - the .edj format.
• In OzOS, wallpaper images are kept in one of two folders - System backgrounds are in /opt/e17/share/enlightenment/data/backgrounds/ and images you create or import for wallpaper are in ~/.e/e/backgrounds/
• Unlike most other Linux Desktop Environments, Enlightenment lets you have a different wallpaper on each of your Virtual Desktops.

Let's get started!

In this How-to we'll stick with the graphical configuration tools that come with OzOS. (Enlightenment can also be configured from the command-line)

1. Change to an Existing System or Personal Wallpaper

Right-click the desktop to bring up the main menu. Select 1. "Configuration" and then 2. "Configuration Panel"

The Configuration Settings panel appears:

From the panel, select 1. "Appearance" and 2. "Wallpaper".

You will now have the Wallpaper Settings dialog:

You have LOTS of options - let's look at them one-by-one before we change anything.

1. The button in bottom-right corner toggles between "Advanced" and "Basic" modes - we'll cover the Advanced version here.

2. The big picture is a preview of the wallpaper currently selected as it will appear on your desktop.

3. The list of images shows the wallpapers already available in the selected location - "Personal" or "System"

4. With "Personal" selected, you will see background images available in your home folder for Enlightenment (~/.e/e/backgrounds/). Selecting "System" (as in our example) shows images available in /opt/e17/share/enlightenment/data/backgrounds/

5. If the Theme you are currently using has a background image associated with it, selecting the "Use Theme Wallpaper" checkbox will make it your background.

6. The "Picture" button opens a new dialog that let's you select any image you have on your computer and turn it into an .edj file for use as a background (See the next section of this "How-To" for more details)

7. You can use a two color gradient instead of a background image - the "Gradient" button opens a dialog where you can select the colors and the type of gradient.

8. The on-line "button" lets you browse for new wallpaper images at a few trusted web sites that specialize in Enlightenment "eye-candy".

9. This is where you select whether you want the new wallpaper you have chosen to be on all your Virtual Desktops or just on the current one.

10. When you have the new wallpaper you want selected and displaying in the preview widow, select "Apply" to change it and the "OK" to finish.

That's the basics of wallpaper selection. We'll now look at how you can select an existing digital image and use it as wallpaper.

2. Using Any Digital Image as Wallpaper

For the purpose of this part of the "how-to" we'll assume you have a picture in .jpg or .png format that you would like to use a wallpaper. Let's say it is in you home/pictures/ folder.

With the Wallpaper Settings dialog open, select the "Picture" button (label 6 on the image above). You will be presented with a new dialog called "Select a Picture":

There are really only three areas of this dialog that are important:

1. The scrolling location selector - use this to navigate to the folder and image you want (hint: if the image is in a hidden folder, use your right mouse button inside the selection window and select "View Hidden Files")

2. This area lets you choose how the image will displayed on the desktop and how much compression Enlightenment should apply when creating the .edj file - 90% is the default.

3. When the preview image is right for you, select "OK"

Enlightenment will create an .edj file of the image in your ~/.e/e/backgrounds/ folder.

3. That extra OzOS touch

The above methods should provide you with complete control over the background images displayed on your desktop. But we couldn't resist harnessing the power of Enlightenment to provide you with one additional tool.

The oz-extras package which comes with a default OzOS install (and which is available in the Oz repositories and via apt:foo if you went with a minimal install) gives you the additional ability to instantly change the backgrounds on every Virtual Desktop to one of our multi-image "Audrey" backgrounds. There are six different backgrounds in each set and a different one will be placed on each successive Virtual Desktop - the program is called "6dozd" (for Six Different OzOS Desktops) and is available on the Main>Applications>Accessories menu as "Change Enlightenment Backgrounds". Enjoy!

Related OzOS Topics and External Links

OzOS How-Tos: (to come!)

Finding, Installing and Changing Themes
Creating or Modifying Your Own Themes
Creating or Modifying .edj Image Files

Enlightenment User Manual - Configuration