4.2. Backdrop Style Manager

Part of the Style Managers which can be called from the main Style Manager (7th button on the Front Panel). This is the clone of the same-named CDE tool. It loads backdrops from the /usr/local/share/nscde/backdrops and $FVWM_USERDIR/backdrops (if any). From XPM backdrop templates with symbol names (with .pm extension) it will generate previews in user's $FVWM_USERDIR/tmp and if applied or OK'ed, will set permanent backdrop in $FVWM_USERDIR/backer. Backer is named after FvwmBacker(1) module which then loads this X Pixmap as numbered FVWM Colorset from the $FVWM_USERDIR/NsCDE-Backdrops.conf which will be written by Backdrop Style Manager (or by hand). Backdrops are generated in the colors of the current color theme from the active palette (Broica by default). It has different colors for a group of every four desktops in 8-colors mode and the same base color in 4-color mode. Generated backdrop in the $FVWM_USERDIR/backer are named DeskN-<name-of-the-backdrop>.pm where N is the workspace (desk) number from 1-8. In such a way it is possible to have the same backdrop pattern on more than one workspace in 8-colors mode.

In case of NsCDE setup with FVWM3 and per-monitor or shared X RandR monitor model (fvwm3 DesktopConfiguration), backdrops in $FVWM_USERDIR/backer will be used as a source for procedure which builds joined tiled backdrops for multiple monitors. Output of this backdrops, which is then loaded directly by FVWM function is placed in $FVWM_USERDIR/backer/bgcache subdirectory.

There is an option to use the same backdrop for all desks too. User can add and delete custom backdrops in $FVWM_USERDIR/backdrops. First action with Add button and file picker, and second action with Delete button when particular backdrop from the list on the right of the preview is selected. Delete action will fail for system-pathed backdrops with appropriate error message, while both actions will reload list of backdrops immediately. Apart from doing this, NsCDE Backdrop Style Manager has couple of features more than CDE original:

Key Bindings: