topic Re: Root Window - writing to in Operating System - Linux

Root Window - writing to

tony j. podrasky — Wed, 07 Apr 2004 12:53:27 GMT

O/S: RedHat 3.0 AS

Desktop: GNOME

Problem: Cannot write to the root window.

o does not work.

o when I run xearth, xfishtank, or any
other application that writes to the
root window, the image does not appear
UNTIL you logout. Then, as the session
shuts down you get a quick view of it.

regards,
tonyp

Re: Root Window - writing to

Martin P.J. Zinser — Wed, 07 Apr 2004 13:34:09 GMT

Hello Tony,

I can explain what your problem is, though I don't have an immediate solution for Gnome :-(

Modern desktops like CDE/KDE/Gnome to layer their own windowing system on top of X11. Especially they do create their own "root" window obscuring the X11 root window. So if an application write to the X11 root window you simply will not see it while that particular desktop is active.

Solution for CDE: Set the background window to "transparent"

Solution for KDE: In the KDE control center select Background, then Advanced. This allow s you to specify a program writing to the KDE root window.

Gnome: ?

Sorry,

Martin

Re: Root Window - writing to

tony j. podrasky — Wed, 07 Apr 2004 16:34:28 GMT

Tried that - and it sorta worked:

The root window displayed the images
from the application (xearth), but
if you opened up an X session, and then
closed it, it left a dead spot on the
desktop until the application refreshed
the image.

Solution:

o I played around and got up
and running - which is my favorite
X environment anyway.

Thanx for the feedback.

regards,
tonyp