There are several different types of "graphics" available on Athena,
including different backgrounds you can use:

1)  Solid colors: The background can be set to any color by using the
"xsetroot" command, like so:

	xsetroot -solid blue
   or	xsetroot -solid "medium sea green"

The quotes are necessary if the color name is more than one word.  To
get a list of available color names, you can just type:

	more /usr/lib/X11/rgb.txt

or on a Sun:

	more /usr/openwin/lib/rgb.txt

For more information on the xsetroot command, type:

	xsetroot -help

at the athena% prompt.


2)  Bitmaps: These are strictly two colors, black and white by default
unless you specify otherwise with the -foreground and -background options
to xsetroot.  To display a bitmap on your background type:

	xsetroot -bitmap bitmapfilename

For some sample bitmaps you can type:

  	add sipb
	ls /mit/sipb/share/X11/bitmaps


3)  Xpix: These are also in black and white, but are generally scanned 
in images as opposed to images created by someone on-line.  To access 
the xpix library, do the following:

	attach xpix
	cd /mit/xpix/pictures

This will place you in the directory containing the images.  To obtain a
list of the images available, type:

	ls -C | more

To view a picture, type:

	zcat /mit/xpix/pictures/picture.dmp.Z | xwud

The actual command to place a bitmap in your your root window is:

	add graphics
	xloadimage -onroot /mit/xpix/pictures/picture.dmp.Z 

where 'picture' is the name of the picture file.  The easist way to browse
is to define an alias, and use that:

	alias zroot  'xloadimage -onroot /mit/xpix/pictures/\!*.dmp.Z'
	zroot picture

If you would like to have the picture appear on your background
automatically every time that you log in, you will need to edit two files.
(If you don't have these files, you can just create them.)  Use "emacs" 
to edit or create them.

To the file ~/.environment add the lines:

	add graphics
	attach xpix

To the file ~/.startup.X add the line:

	xloadimage -onroot /mit/xpix/pictures/picture.dmp.Z 

The next time you log in the picture should appear in the background.


4)  Other images: (GIF, JPEG, raster, etc.)  Although there are no official
repositories for GIF and JPEG files on Athena, some are accessible in the
directories:

	/mit/pictures/display
and
	/mit/graphics/images/cmu-gif

Note that in both cases you will need to attach the locker before
accessing the files.  For example, type:

	add pictures
or
	add graphics

You might also run the "setup-images" script in the /mit/graphics/images
directory, and then look for GIF pictures in the "wu" directory, by typing:

	add graphics
	cd /mit/graphics/images
	setup-images

Note: "setup-images", "setup_images", and "setupimages" are all identical.
This last command gives you access to more directories with images on
them, not necessarily all at athena by typing:

	cd gate

or instead of gate any of the following:

	cmu-gif, nasa, west, west2, wu 

and typing ls in the particular directory or subdirectory thereof.

To view gif images, any of the following programs may be used (all in the
graphics locker):

	xloadimage file.gif
	xview file.gif
	xv file.gif &

You can get information for "xv" or "xloadimage" by typing:

	man xv
or
	man xloadimage

To display a picture in your background, you can use "xloadimage" or "xv".
To use xloadimage type: 

	xloadimage -onroot filename

and to use xv type:

	xv -root -maxpect -quit filename

Then when you find a picture you want to use on your background
automatically type:

	cp filename ~/

Then in emacs call up the file .startup.X and include the line you used to
view the picture.  If you used "xv" and not "xloadimage", you probably want 
to use xloadimage since it is a lot faster to start up.  Also, if you are
using either "xloadimage" or "xv" you will want to add the line:

	add graphics

to your .environment file (or in your .startup.X before the line to put 
the picture on your screen).


(Last updated: 11/3/1999)