icewmbg issue (possibly) with multiple displays.

[5x3]

try to switch from icewm-1.3.8 to 1.6.5 (2020-03-16). I build it in /opt/icewm-1.6.5 as I usually do.

I noticed that old 1.3.8 also displays my background set by DesktopBackgroundImage with both screens is use: xrandr --output HDMI1 --mode 1920x1080 --pos 0x0 --primary --rotate normal --output VGA1 --mode 1280x1024 --scale 1x1 --pos 1920x0 --rotate normal the new version 1.6.5 displays background image only in main display, the second one have blank background.

is this intentionally? Maybe there is some new directive that can enable background also on the second display (or directive winch enables it on both displays)? If no, possibly it will be nice to introduce. But for me even blank background on second monitor is - OK.

P.S. my DesktopBackgroundImage defined in ~/.icewm/preferences and redefined again in ~/.icewm/prefoverride (if it matters at all).

thanks again.

P.P.S. the best window manager for Linux is - IceWM.

[gijsbers]

No not intentionally. Could you test how icewm sees your second monitor? The output of icesh randr and icesh xinerama are interesting. icewmbg -? will give you options. You could try -m 1.

[5x3]

maybe background centered between two displays? is there any control I can set to draw background for each display separately? I can just set same image for all., or leave blank for second etc.

 /opt/icewm-1.6.5/bin/icesh randr
0: 1920x1080+0+0
1: 1280x1024+1920+0
2: 0x0+0+0
3: 0x0+0+0

/opt/icewm-1.6.5/bin/icesh xinerama
0: 1920x1080+0+0
1: 1280x1024+1920+0

 /opt/icewm-1.6.5/bin/icewmbg -?
Usage: icewmbg [OPTIONS]
Where multiple values can be given they are separated by commas.
When image is a directory then all images from that directory are used.

Options:
  -p, --replace        Replace an existing icewmbg.
  -q, --quit           Tell the running icewmbg to quit.
  -r, --restart        Tell the running icewmbg to restart itself.
  -u, --shuffle        Shuffle/reshuffle the list of background images.

  -c, --config=FILE    Load preferences from FILE.
  -t, --theme=NAME     Load the theme with name NAME.

  -i, --image=FILE(S)  Load background image(s) from FILE(S).
  -k, --color=NAME(S)  Use background color(s) from NAME(S).

  -s, --semis=FILE(S)  Load transparency image(s) from FILE(S).
  -x, --trans=NAME(S)  Use transparency color(s) from NAME(S).

  -e, --center=0/1     Disable/Enable centering background.
  -a, --scaled=0/1     Disable/Enable scaling background.
  -m, --multi=0/1      Disable/Enable multihead background.
  -y, --cycle=SECONDS  Cycle backgrounds every SECONDS.

  --display=NAME       Use NAME to connect to the X server.
  --sync               Synchronize communication with X11 server.

  -h, --help           Print this usage screen and exit.
  -V, --version        Prints version information and exits.

Loads desktop background according to preferences file:
 DesktopBackgroundCenter  - Display desktop background centered
 DesktopBackgroundScaled  - Display desktop background scaled
 DesktopBackgroundColor   - Desktop background color(s)
 DesktopBackgroundImage   - Desktop background image(s)
 ShuffleBackgroundImages  - Shuffle the list of background images
 SupportSemitransparency  - Support for semitransparent terminals
 DesktopTransparencyColor - Semitransparency background color(s)
 DesktopTransparencyImage - Semitransparency background image(s)
 DesktopBackgroundMultihead - One background over all monitors
 CycleBackgroundsPeriod   - Seconds between cycling over backgrounds

 center:0 scaled:0 = tiled
 center:1 scaled:0 = centered
 center:1 scaled:1 = fill one dimension and keep aspect ratio
 center:0 scaled:1 = fill both dimensions and keep aspect ratio

/opt/icewm-1.6.5/bin/icewmbg -m1
icewmbg: Warning: Cannot start, because another icewmbg is still running.

[gijsbers]

Does "because another icewmbg is still running" give you a hint?

Can you try icewmbg --verbose -p -m 1, and also icewmbg --verbose -p -m 0?

Did you read https://ice-wm.org/man/icewmbg ?