How can I change my desktop background with python?
How can I change my desktop background with python?
I want to do it in both Windows and Linux.
On Windows with python2.5 or higher, use ctypes to load user32.dll and call SystemParametersInfo() with SPI_SETDESKWALLPAPER action.
For example:
import ctypes
SPI_SETDESKWALLPAPER = 20
ctypes.windll.user32.SystemParametersInfoA(SPI_SETDESKWALLPAPER, 0, "image.jpg" , 0)
For Python3.5, SystemParametersInfoA doesn't work. Use SystemParametersInfoW.
import ctypes
ctypes.windll.user32.SystemParametersInfoW(20, 0, "absolute path" , 0)
I use the following method in one of my initial projects:
def set_wallpaper(self,file_loc, first_run):
# Note: There are two common Linux desktop environments where
# I have not been able to set the desktop background from
# command line: KDE, Enlightenment
desktop_env = self.get_desktop_environment()
try:
if desktop_env in ["gnome", "unity", "cinnamon"]:
uri = "'file://%s'" % file_loc
try:
SCHEMA = "org.gnome.desktop.background"
KEY = "picture-uri"
gsettings = Gio.Settings.new(SCHEMA)
gsettings.set_string(KEY, uri)
except:
args = ["gsettings", "set", "org.gnome.desktop.background", "picture-uri", uri]
subprocess.Popen(args)
elif desktop_env=="mate":
try: # MATE >= 1.6
# info from http://wiki.mate-desktop.org/docs:gsettings
args = ["gsettings", "set", "org.mate.background", "picture-filename", "'%s'" % file_loc]
subprocess.Popen(args)
except: # MATE < 1.6
# From https://bugs.launchpad.net/variety/+bug/1033918
args = ["mateconftool-2","-t","string","--set","/desktop/mate/background/picture_filename",'"%s"' %file_loc]
subprocess.Popen(args)
elif desktop_env=="gnome2": # Not tested
# From https://bugs.launchpad.net/variety/+bug/1033918
args = ["gconftool-2","-t","string","--set","/desktop/gnome/background/picture_filename", '"%s"' %file_loc]
subprocess.Popen(args)
## KDE4 is difficult
## see http://blog.zx2c4.com/699 for a solution that might work
elif desktop_env in ["kde3", "trinity"]:
# From http://ubuntuforums.org/archive/index.php/t-803417.html
args = 'dcop kdesktop KBackgroundIface setWallpaper 0 "%s" 6' % file_loc
subprocess.Popen(args,shell=True)
elif desktop_env=="xfce4":
#From http://www.commandlinefu.com/commands/view/2055/change-wallpaper-for-xfce4-4.6.0
if first_run:
args0 = ["xfconf-query", "-c", "xfce4-desktop", "-p", "/backdrop/screen0/monitor0/image-path", "-s", file_loc]
args1 = ["xfconf-query", "-c", "xfce4-desktop", "-p", "/backdrop/screen0/monitor0/image-style", "-s", "3"]
args2 = ["xfconf-query", "-c", "xfce4-desktop", "-p", "/backdrop/screen0/monitor0/image-show", "-s", "true"]
subprocess.Popen(args0)
subprocess.Popen(args1)
subprocess.Popen(args2)
args = ["xfdesktop","--reload"]
subprocess.Popen(args)
elif desktop_env=="razor-qt": #TODO: implement reload of desktop when possible
if first_run:
desktop_conf = configparser.ConfigParser()
# Development version
desktop_conf_file = os.path.join(self.get_config_dir("razor"),"desktop.conf")
if os.path.isfile(desktop_conf_file):
config_option = r"screens\1\desktops\1\wallpaper"
else:
desktop_conf_file = os.path.join(self.get_home_dir(),".razor/desktop.conf")
config_option = r"desktops\1\wallpaper"
desktop_conf.read(os.path.join(desktop_conf_file))
try:
if desktop_conf.has_option("razor",config_option): #only replacing a value
desktop_conf.set("razor",config_option,file_loc)
with codecs.open(desktop_conf_file, "w", encoding="utf-8", errors="replace") as f:
desktop_conf.write(f)
except:
pass
else:
#TODO: reload desktop when possible
pass
elif desktop_env in ["fluxbox","jwm","openbox","afterstep"]:
#http://fluxbox-wiki.org/index.php/Howto_set_the_background
# used fbsetbg on jwm too since I am too lazy to edit the XML configuration
# now where fbsetbg does the job excellent anyway.
# and I have not figured out how else it can be set on Openbox and AfterSTep
# but fbsetbg works excellent here too.
try:
args = ["fbsetbg", file_loc]
subprocess.Popen(args)
except:
sys.stderr.write("ERROR: Failed to set wallpaper with fbsetbg!\n")
sys.stderr.write("Please make sre that You have fbsetbg installed.\n")
elif desktop_env=="icewm":
# command found at http://urukrama.wordpress.com/2007/12/05/desktop-backgrounds-in-window-managers/
args = ["icewmbg", file_loc]
subprocess.Popen(args)
elif desktop_env=="blackbox":
# command found at http://blackboxwm.sourceforge.net/BlackboxDocumentation/BlackboxBackground
args = ["bsetbg", "-full", file_loc]
subprocess.Popen(args)
elif desktop_env=="lxde":
args = "pcmanfm --set-wallpaper %s --wallpaper-mode=scaled" % file_loc
subprocess.Popen(args,shell=True)
elif desktop_env=="windowmaker":
# From http://www.commandlinefu.com/commands/view/3857/set-wallpaper-on-windowmaker-in-one-line
args = "wmsetbg -s -u %s" % file_loc
subprocess.Popen(args,shell=True)
## NOT TESTED BELOW - don't want to mess things up ##
#elif desktop_env=="enlightenment": # I have not been able to make it work on e17. On e16 it would have been something in this direction
# args = "enlightenment_remote -desktop-bg-add 0 0 0 0 %s" % file_loc
# subprocess.Popen(args,shell=True)
#elif desktop_env=="windows": #Not tested since I do not run this on Windows
# #From https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1977694/change-desktop-background
# import ctypes
# SPI_SETDESKWALLPAPER = 20
# ctypes.windll.user32.SystemParametersInfoA(SPI_SETDESKWALLPAPER, 0, file_loc , 0)
#elif desktop_env=="mac": #Not tested since I do not have a mac
# #From https://stackoverflow.com/questions/431205/how-can-i-programatically-change-the-background-in-mac-os-x
# try:
# from appscript import app, mactypes
# app('Finder').desktop_picture.set(mactypes.File(file_loc))
# except ImportError:
# #import subprocess
# SCRIPT = """/usr/bin/osascript<<END
# tell application "Finder" to
# set desktop picture to POSIX file "%s"
# end tell
# END"""
# subprocess.Popen(SCRIPT%file_loc, shell=True)
else:
if first_run: #don't spam the user with the same message over and over again
sys.stderr.write("Warning: Failed to set wallpaper. Your desktop environment is not supported.")
sys.stderr.write("You can try manually to set Your wallpaper to %s" % file_loc)
return False
return True
except:
sys.stderr.write("ERROR: Failed to set wallpaper. There might be a bug.\n")
return False
def get_config_dir(self, app_name=APP_NAME):
if "XDG_CONFIG_HOME" in os.environ:
confighome = os.environ['XDG_CONFIG_HOME']
elif "APPDATA" in os.environ: # On Windows
confighome = os.environ['APPDATA']
else:
try:
from xdg import BaseDirectory
confighome = BaseDirectory.xdg_config_home
except ImportError: # Most likely a Linux/Unix system anyway
confighome = os.path.join(self.get_home_dir(),".config")
configdir = os.path.join(confighome,app_name)
return configdir
def get_home_dir(self):
if sys.platform == "cygwin":
home_dir = os.getenv('HOME')
else:
home_dir = os.getenv('USERPROFILE') or os.getenv('HOME')
if home_dir is not None:
return os.path.normpath(home_dir)
else:
raise KeyError("Neither USERPROFILE or HOME environment variables set.")
The get_desktop_environment method has been posted in another thread.
On a gnome desktop, you usually do this with gconf, either directly calling gconftool or using the gconf python module. The latter is in the link given by unutbu. The first method could be done like this.
import commands
command = "gconftool-2 --set /desktop/gnome/background/picture_filename --type string '/path/to/file.jpg'"
status, output = commands.getstatusoutput(command) # status=0 if success