9.2. Customizing the Desktop Background

9.2. Customizing the Desktop Background
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The desktop background is the part of the desktop where there are no interface graphical items, such as panels and windows. The desktop background is always beneath the other interface items.

You can customize the desktop background in the following ways:

Select an image to display on the desktop background. The image is superimposed on the desktop background color. The desktop background color is visible if you select a transparent image, or if the image does not cover the entire desktop background.
Select a color for the desktop background. You can select a solid color, or create a gradient effect with two colors. A gradient effect is a visual effect where one color blends gradually into another color.

You can also change the appearance of your desktop background from within the Nautilus file manager.

Figure 9.1. Desktop Background Preference Tool

Background preferences tool dialog. The context describes the graphic.

Table 9.1 lists the background settings that you can configure.

Table 9.1. Settings for Desktop Background

Element	Function
Select picture	Choose an image to display on the desktop background. To choose an image, click on the Select picture button. An image selector dialog is displayed. Use the dialog to choose an image. When you choose an image, click OK.
Picture Options	To specify how to display the image, select one of the following options: Wallpaper: Repeats the image to cover the desktop background. Centered: Displays the image in the middle of the desktop background. Scaled: Enlarges the image until the image meets the screen edges, and maintains the relative dimensions of the image. Stretched: Enlarges the image to cover the desktop background, and does not maintain the relative dimensions of the image. No Picture: Displays no image.
Background Style	To specify a color scheme, use the options in the Background Style drop-down list, and the color selector buttons. You can specify a color scheme in one of the following ways: Choose Solid color from the Background Style drop-down list to specify a single color for the desktop background. To choose the color that you require, click on the Color button. The Pick a Color dialog is displayed. Choose a color, then click OK. Choose Horizontal gradient from the Background Style drop-down list. This option creates a gradient effect from the left screen edge to the right screen edge. Click on the Left Color button to display the Pick a Color dialog. Choose the color that you want to appear at the left edge. Click on the Right Color button. Choose the color that you want to appear at the right edge. Choose Vertical gradient from the Background Style drop-down list. This creates a gradient effect from the top screen edge to the bottom screen edge. Click on the Top Color button to display the Pick a Color dialog. Choose the color that you want to appear at the top edge. Click on the Bottom Color button. Choose the color that you want to appear at the bottom edge.

Element

Function

Select picture

Choose an image to display on the desktop background. To choose an image, click on the Select picture button. An image selector dialog is displayed. Use the dialog to choose an image. When you choose an image, click OK.

Picture Options

To specify how to display the image, select one of the following options:

Wallpaper: Repeats the image to cover the desktop background.
Centered: Displays the image in the middle of the desktop background.
Scaled: Enlarges the image until the image meets the screen edges, and maintains the relative dimensions of the image.
Stretched: Enlarges the image to cover the desktop background, and does not maintain the relative dimensions of the image.
No Picture: Displays no image.

Background Style

To specify a color scheme, use the options in the Background Style drop-down list, and the color selector buttons.

You can specify a color scheme in one of the following ways:

Choose Solid color from the Background Style drop-down list to specify a single color for the desktop background.
To choose the color that you require, click on the Color button. The Pick a Color dialog is displayed. Choose a color, then click OK.
Choose Horizontal gradient from the Background Style drop-down list. This option creates a gradient effect from the left screen edge to the right screen edge.
Click on the Left Color button to display the Pick a Color dialog. Choose the color that you want to appear at the left edge.
Click on the Right Color button. Choose the color that you want to appear at the right edge.
Choose Vertical gradient from the Background Style drop-down list. This creates a gradient effect from the top screen edge to the bottom screen edge.
Click on the Top Color button to display the Pick a Color dialog. Choose the color that you want to appear at the top edge.
Click on the Bottom Color button. Choose the color that you want to appear at the bottom edge.

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