GNOME Bugzilla – Bug 606935
"Change desktop background" dialog shows up when using "Set as desktop wallpaper" option in image viewer
Last modified: 2010-02-05 15:41:06 UTC
originall reported at: https://bugs.launchpad.net/hundredpapercuts/+bug/503061 when i open an image with eog and click set as background it opens Appearance preferences which is a bit annoying. If someone wants to try several pictures as background, the system opens up multiple instances of "Appearance preferences" dialog
The call to the preferences window originates in eog-window.c, lines 2827ff: eog_window_set_wallpaper (EogWindow *window, const gchar *filename) { EogWindowPrivate *priv = EOG_WINDOW_GET_PRIVATE (window); GdkScreen *screen; gconf_client_set_string (priv->client, EOG_CONF_DESKTOP_WALLPAPER, filename, NULL); screen = gtk_widget_get_screen (GTK_WIDGET (window)); gdk_spawn_command_line_on_screen (screen, "gnome-appearance-properties" " --show-page=background", NULL); } Maybe this should be made a clickbox-option? Like: [X] Open Apperance Preferences Dialogue
I believe, the reason EOG devs have implemented the current behavior is , in case the user does not like the wallpaper and wants to revert the wallpaper back to the old one. So , instead of removing the behavior , we could move the function to the ribbon EOG uses. The ribbon can mention " 'Fav_pic.png' has been set as Desktop wallpaper. " [Revert] [OK] and the 'Revert' now opens the appearance prefs dialogue window.
Just to be clear , The revert button would bring up the gnome-appearance window and allows the user to select the wallpaper. We dont actually have to revert it to the old wallpaper. We could instead label the button 'Change' too.
Uh, just to get this right: Is the problem the dialog actually being opened after setting the picture or that it's opened multiple times? If it's the latter the solution would likely be to make the capplet a single instance app making this a gnome-control-center bug (or rather enhancement). If it's the former...well, I think the dialog is opened to allow fine tuning the background settings like scaling and bg color and not to select a different image. Actually we can't guarantee the possibility to revert, as eog uses a custom filename for its wallpaper overwriting the old one every time (if you dig for the old bug report you might also find the reasoning for that).
(In reply to comment #4) > Uh, just to get this right: Is the problem the dialog actually being opened > after setting the picture or that it's opened multiple times? > The problem is with the dialogue opening , it isnt really needed always. > > If it's the former...well, I think the dialog is opened to allow fine tuning > the background settings like scaling and bg color and not to select a different > image. Actually we can't guarantee the possibility to revert, as eog uses a > custom filename for its wallpaper overwriting the old one every time (if you > dig for the old bug report you might also find the reasoning for that). Good point. But , I'v not suggested removing the functionality. The user *might* need to adjust , but this would be a secondary thought. When a User selects a picture as wallpaper , - They expect to have the image as the wallpaper. And be done with it. - The user would only think of adjusting/fine tuning the settings *if* it doesnt look right. [This thought wouldnt even be in the user's mind when selecting the image as the wallpaper.] Whereas, the behavior of EOG , is making the assumption that the setting would _always_ not be right and would _always_ need to be fine tuned. For a user who is fine with the way the wallpaper is set , it would be an unnecessary step to close the dialogue and a surprise why this dialogue popped up , when all the user did was to set an image as wallpaper. What would be ideal is , - To display a ribbon when user sets wallpaper[similar to the ribbon EOG uses for unrecognized formats] mentioning that the image has been set as the wallpaper. - And The ribbon displays a button "Preferences..." . If user selects "Preferences..." , the Appearance dialogue window opens up. [earlier i had suggested the label "change"] Doing it so , just offers less surprise to the user and lets the user decide what's required to be done.
(In reply to comment #5) > > ... > > What would be ideal is , > - To display a ribbon when user sets wallpaper[similar to the ribbon EOG uses > for unrecognized formats] mentioning that the image has been set as the > wallpaper. > - And The ribbon displays a button "Preferences..." . If user selects > "Preferences..." , the Appearance dialogue window opens up. [earlier i had > suggested the label "change"] > > Doing it so , just offers less surprise to the user and lets the user decide > what's required to be done. Hmm, that indeed sounds like a nice idea. I think I'll give that a try. :)
Okay, I took your idea and implemented it. So, Thanks! :) commit f71a40269ae3b3ec3400e4d5352c064a6a7ffed5 Author: Felix Riemann <> Date: Fri Feb 5 15:29:17 2010 +0100 Ask before showing Appearance capplet after setting wallpaper This displays an info bar asking if the user actually wants to edit the style of his wallpaper. The info bar is hidden either by answering it or by selecting the next image. Confirming the question still opens the Appearance capplet as before. Fixes bug #606935. This problem has been fixed in the development version. The fix will be available in the next major software release. Thank you for your bug report.
Thanks :)