Dev1 Galaxy Forum / [SOLVED] Cannot change background

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot change background

dummy@example.com (stargate-sg1-cheyenne-mtn) — Sat, 15 Nov 2025 16:03:34 +0000

regardless of what the developers claim/do/or/say we cannot know for certain that this isn't just another production of AI Slop(why would they admit to using the ai-slop, especially when it produces bad code and bad results and bad reviews?)

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot change background

dummy@example.com (Eeqmcsq) — Sat, 15 Nov 2025 07:17:37 +0000

I went through the xfdesktop code looking for any place that calls g_object_get_qdata(), and there's only one place where it gets called while changing the desktop background: xfdesktop-background-manager.c, get_or_create_monitor().

But when I debugged through this code logic, there are several error checks earlier that apparently passed. For example, the code asks the Xfce Window Manager for a list of monitors currently connected, and that must have succeeded, because you didn't see any errors related to this check in your output. Then the code checks if the first monitor really is a monitor object, and that check ALSO passes. So if these checks are passing, I have absolutely no clue what could be causing those assertion failures that you posted. And since I can't reproduce the problem on my end, I'm out of ideas for what to do next.

I tried to compare this file to Dadealus xfdesktop to see what changes have been made. But this file doesn't even exist. So this is all new code. I learned the hard way that Excalibur's Xfce 4.20 has a lot of changes from Daedalus Xfce 4.18 involving detecting monitors, because I ran into my own problems with Excalibur Xfce's desktop when no monitor is connected. I was using VNC to remotely access the PC. So it's very likely that this new monitor code is causing problems for you.

In case you're curious, these were the two bugs I filed at debian.org.

Debian 13 Trixie: When no monitor is connected, the Xfce desktop has no icons, background image, or context menu

When no monitor is connected, xfdesktop-settings shows two error messages

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot change background

dummy@example.com (brocashelm) — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 16:56:21 +0000

You could always just use an older version of Xfce that didn't have this problem. If you understand how to do Apt pinning, you can prevent Devuan from overwriting your preferred version of Xfce with a newer one that you don't like.

I haven't tested this on Excalibur, but Xfce 4.12 works flawlessly on Daedalus. It's basically the same version of Xfce that shipped with Ascii and Beowulf (slightly GTK3). Memory footprint is very low.

Try that before ditching Xfce for good.

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot change background

dummy@example.com (Gnostic) — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 16:55:46 +0000

SOLVED!

Installed LXDE.

sudo apt install lxde

At boot, when the Slim logon appears, press F1 to cycle through the DE options until LXDE appears. Log in with that instead of XFCE.

As if by magic, the background that appears is one of the Devuan images.

I can now right-click on that background, choose Desktop Preferences and change the background to any of the other Devuan images.

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot change background

dummy@example.com (Gnostic) — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 14:52:33 +0000

Not sure if this is progress or not.

After doing Ctrl-C on the terminal window and rebooting, I found I had a black background, The icons and wallpaper had disappeared.

When I open a new terminal and run

xfdesktop

(without any options), the icons and old wallpaper reappear.

Then when I run

Applications -> Settings -> Desktop

I get the following in the terminal window:

(xfdesktop-settings:3417): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:44:58.936: g_object_get_qdata: assertion 'G_IS_OBJECT (object)' failed
(xfdesktop-settings:3417): GLib-GIO-CRITICAL **: 14:44:58.936: g_file_get_path: assertion 'G_IS_FILE (file)' failed
(xfdesktop-settings:3417): GLib-GObject-CRITICAL **: 14:44:58.961: g_object_get_qdata: assertion 'G_IS_OBJECT (object)' failed
(xfdesktop-settings:3417): GLib-GIO-CRITICAL **: 14:44:58.962: g_file_get_path: assertion 'G_IS_FILE (file)' failed

Would any of the options help?

Usage:
xfdesktop [OPTION?]
Help Options:
-h, --help Show help options
--help-all Show all help options
--help-gapplication Show GApplication options
--help-gtk Show GTK+ Options
--help-sm-client Show session management options
Application Options:
-V, --version Display version information
-R, --reload Reload all settings
-N, --next Advance to the next wallpaper on the current workspace
-M, --menu Pop up the menu (at the current mouse position)
-W, --windowlist Pop up the window list (at the current mouse position)
-A, --arrange Automatically arrange all the icons on the desktop
-e, --enable-debug Enable debug messages
-d, --disable-debug Disable debug messages
-D, --disable-wm-check Do not wait for a window manager on startup
-Q, --quit Cause xfdesktop to quit
--display=DISPLAY X display to use

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot change background

dummy@example.com (greenjeans) — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 14:40:29 +0000

The new xfce4 will allow users to change the desktop background after install, but it won't let distro developers change it. We're supposed to fork xfce4-desktop if we want that.

That's bizarre and unacceptable. I agree with Altoid, it's time to ditch the rodent, but I think Mate would be a better fit for Devuan for the default desktop.

Not that it would be too hard to whip up a Crunchbang style simple Devuan iso, I think I still have a copy of Waldorf in my stash of old Linux CD's somewhere.

Funny how sometimes what's old becomes new again, Openbox is turning into the new hotness as more and more people get tired of the big DE shenanigans lately.

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot change background

dummy@example.com (Altoid) — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 13:20:05 +0000

Hello:

Gnostic wrote:

Is it possible ...

I think not.

I run XFCE and if I do that I get this:

$ xfdesktop -Q
(xfdesktop:25174): dbind-WARNING **: 10:14:44.059: AT-SPI: Error retrieving accessibility bus address: org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.ServiceUnknown: The name org.a11y.Bus was not provided by any .service files
~$

As a result I lose my desktop.
ie: all icons and wallpaper dissapear and the background is just the usual base grey.
The warning is because the at-spi packages have been purged.

Only open windows, XFCE4 panels and conky remain.

Best,

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot change background

dummy@example.com (Gnostic) — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 13:07:16 +0000

Did

xfdesktop -Q

and

xfdesktop -e

- got this:

DBG[xfdesktop-common.c:498] xfdesktop_debug_set(): debugging enabled
DBG[xfce-desktop.c:975] update_backdrop_workspace(): new_active_workspace -1, new_backdrop_workspace -1
DBG[xfce-desktop.c:1083] xfce_desktop_set_single_workspace_number(): single_workspace_num now 0
DBG[xfce-desktop.c:975] update_backdrop_workspace(): new_active_workspace -1, new_backdrop_workspace -1
DBG[xfdesktop-icon-view.c:2740] xfdesktop_icon_view_style_updated(): cell spacing is 2
DBG[xfdesktop-icon-view.c:2741] xfdesktop_icon_view_style_updated(): cell padding is 6
DBG[xfdesktop-icon-view.c:2742] xfdesktop_icon_view_style_updated(): cell text width proportion is 1.900000
DBG[xfdesktop-icon-view.c:2743] xfdesktop_icon_view_style_updated(): ellipsize icon label is true
DBG[xfdesktop-icon-view.c:2744] xfdesktop_icon_view_style_updated(): label radius is 4.000000
DBG[xfdesktop-file-icon-model.c:580] add_icon(): adding icon Home to icon view
DBG[xfdesktop-file-icon-model.c:580] add_icon(): adding icon File System to icon view
DBG[xfdesktop-file-icon-model.c:580] add_icon(): adding icon Trash to icon view
DBG[xfdesktop-file-icon-model.c:580] add_icon(): adding icon KINGSTON to icon view
DBG[xfdesktop-file-icon-model.c:580] add_icon(): adding icon rootfs to icon view
DBG[xfdesktop-file-icon-model.c:580] add_icon(): adding icon bootfs to icon view
DBG[xfdesktop-file-icon-model.c:580] add_icon(): adding icon Subscriptions | Substack to icon view
DBG[xfdesktop-thumbnailer.c:283] xfdesktop_thumbnailer_queue_thumbnail(): file: /home/keith/Desktop/Subscriptions | Substack.desktop not supported
DBG[xfdesktop-file-icon-model.c:580] add_icon(): adding icon Thunderbird to icon view
DBG[xfdesktop-thumbnailer.c:283] xfdesktop_thumbnailer_queue_thumbnail(): file: /home/keith/Desktop/Thunderbird.desktop not supported
DBG[xfdesktop-file-icon-model.c:580] add_icon(): adding icon Firefox ESR to icon view
DBG[xfdesktop-thumbnailer.c:283] xfdesktop_thumbnailer_queue_thumbnail(): file: /home/keith/Desktop/Firefox ESR.desktop not supported
DBG[xfdesktop-icon-view.c:2740] xfdesktop_icon_view_style_updated(): cell spacing is 2
DBG[xfdesktop-icon-view.c:2741] xfdesktop_icon_view_style_updated(): cell padding is 6
DBG[xfdesktop-icon-view.c:2742] xfdesktop_icon_view_style_updated(): cell text width proportion is 1.900000
DBG[xfdesktop-icon-view.c:2743] xfdesktop_icon_view_style_updated(): ellipsize icon label is true
DBG[xfdesktop-icon-view.c:2744] xfdesktop_icon_view_style_updated(): label radius is 4.000000
DBG[xfdesktop-icon-view.c:3788] xfdesktop_icon_view_size_grid(): created grid_layout with 180 positions
DBG[xfce-desktop.c:975] update_backdrop_workspace(): new_active_workspace -1, new_backdrop_workspace 0
DBG[xfdesktop-backdrop-renderer.c:644] xfdesktop_backdrop_render(): loading image /usr/share/backgrounds/xfce/xfce-x.svg
DBG[xfce-desktop.c:975] update_backdrop_workspace(): new_active_workspace 0, new_backdrop_workspace 0
DBG[xfdesktop-backdrop-renderer.c:644] xfdesktop_backdrop_render(): loading image /usr/share/backgrounds/xfce/xfce-x.svg
DBG[xfdesktop-file-icon-model.c:974] metadata_monitor_changed(): metadata file changed event
DBG[xfdesktop-file-icon-model.c:974] metadata_monitor_changed(): metadata file changed event

The strange thing is those results in the Terminal window didn't change or extend while I tried

Applications -> Settings -> Desktop,

to change the background.

Also, they didn't change while I went to

/usr/share/images/desktop-base/

and right-click on an image, and choose Set as wallpaper

Is it possible

xfdesktop

is not my active desktop?

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot change background

dummy@example.com (Eeqmcsq) — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 05:17:24 +0000

Another thought just hit me. The desktop settings app must be a different app from the app responsible for the desktop background. So it's possible that the problem isn't on the desktop settings app side, but on the desktop background app side. So give this a try:

- Open a terminal and run xfdesktop -Q. This should terminate the Xfce app responsible for the desktop background.
- Now run xfdesktop -e. This will start a new instance of the Xfce desktop background app, with debug messages enabled.
- Applications -> Settings -> Desktop, then change the background.
- Check the xfdesktop's console output for any clues.
- To stop the xfdesktop in the terminal, CTRL+C.
- To restore the Xfce desktop app to its running state, the easiest way is to log out, then log in again.

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot change background

dummy@example.com (Altoid) — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 01:57:00 +0000

Hello:

... won't let distro developers change it.
... supposed to fork xfce4-desktop if we want that.

Right ...
Cute little buggers, aren't they? 8^°

Yet one more reason to ditch XFCE as the Devuan default desktop and seriously consider an Openbox / #! type alternative.
Like #!++ or BunsenLabs but without the systemd ballast.

Just an idea.

Best,

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot change background

dummy@example.com (Eeqmcsq) — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 01:36:57 +0000

Well, I'm stumped. I got the exact same output you did, except for the difference in file names, and except that my background DID change. I have a fresh Excalibur install.

The only clue that I thought I had was the last line: "stop_image_loading(): xfdesktop_settings_stop_image_loading". But I see now that this line is printed when you close the dialog. So that's not a clue.

My next suggestions are wild and potentially risky, but I'll suggest them anyway in case you know how to recover from them. If you're not sure about the risk, don't try them.

* Try a different user

- Create a new user account.
- I forgot how to do this in Linux. I vaguely remember using the command "useradd", or was it "adduser"? I also forgot how to delete the user account after the test. You'll have to look these up.
- Log in with the new user account.
- Try changing the background.
- If this works, this suggests that there's a Xfce setting specific to your user account that's preventing the background from being changed.
- If this does NOT work, then I'm out of ideas.

* Try renaming your xfce4 directories

On my Excalibur PC, when I search for "xfce" in my home directory, I see two of them: one in ~/.cache/xfce4, the other in ~/.config/xfce4. The test is to rename them to something else, so you'll start fresh.

- Log out of Xfce, so there's no Xfce environment running.
- Switch to a TTY terminal. Log in. CTRL+ALT+F1.
- Rename each directory.

 mv ~/.cache/xfce4 ~/.cache/xfce4_orig
 mv ~/.config/xfce4 ~/.config/xfce4_orig

- Go back to the login GUI and log in: CTRL+ALT+F7
- Try changing the background.
- If this works, then something in your .cache/xfce4 or .config/xfce4 was causing the problem. You can narrow down the problem by renaming the directories back, then rename one subdirectory at a time until you find which file causes the problem.
- If this does NOT work, then I'm out of ideas.

Edit: One other clue I can give you is that when I change the background, the new background file path is stored in ~/.config/xfce4/xfconf/xfce-perchannel-xml/xfce4-desktop.xml. Maybe that's a clue to help you narrow down your problem.

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot change background

dummy@example.com (Gnostic) — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 00:56:28 +0000

Thanks!

After tail -f ~/.xsession-errors.

$ tail -f ~/.xsession-errors
[2905:2905:1113/002130.274806:ERROR:gpu/command_buffer/service/gles2_cmd_decoder_passthrough.cc:1091] [GroupMarkerNotSet(crbug.com/242999)!:A060580034000000]Automatic fallback to software WebGL has been deprecated. Please use the --enable-unsafe-swiftshader (about:flags#enable-unsafe-swiftshader) flag to opt in to lower security guarantees for trusted content.
Opening in existing browser session.
[2905:2905:1113/002920.123524:ERROR:gpu/command_buffer/service/gles2_cmd_decoder_passthrough.cc:1091] [GroupMarkerNotSet(crbug.com/242999)!:A060580034000000]Automatic fallback to software WebGL has been deprecated. Please use the --enable-unsafe-swiftshader (about:flags#enable-unsafe-swiftshader) flag to opt in to lower security guarantees for trusted content.
[2905:2905:1113/003220.166154:ERROR:gpu/command_buffer/service/gles2_cmd_decoder_passthrough.cc:1091] [GroupMarkerNotSet(crbug.com/242999)!:A060580034000000]Automatic fallback to software WebGL has been deprecated. Please use the --enable-unsafe-swiftshader (about:flags#enable-unsafe-swiftshader) flag to opt in to lower security guarantees for trusted content.
[2905:2905:1113/004411.084519:ERROR:gpu/command_buffer/service/gles2_cmd_decoder_passthrough.cc:1091] [GroupMarkerNotSet(crbug.com/242999)!:A060580034000000]Automatic fallback to software WebGL has been deprecated. Please use the --enable-unsafe-swiftshader (about:flags#enable-unsafe-swiftshader) flag to opt in to lower security guarantees for trusted content.
Opening in existing browser session.
[2905:2905:1113/004452.875371:ERROR:gpu/command_buffer/service/gles2_cmd_decoder_passthrough.cc:1091] [GroupMarkerNotSet(crbug.com/242999)!:A090580034000000]Automatic fallback to software WebGL has been deprecated. Please use the --enable-unsafe-swiftshader (about:flags#enable-unsafe-swiftshader) flag to opt in to lower security guarantees for trusted content.
[2760:2760:1113/004514.556395:ERROR:ui/gfx/x/atom_cache.cc:232] Add chromium/x-window-drag to kAtomsToCache
[2760:2760:1113/004543.596970:ERROR:chrome/browser/ui/views/user_education/impl/browser_user_education_interface_impl.cc:154] Attempting to show IPH IPH_DiscardRing before browser initialization complete; IPH will not be shown.
Opening in existing browser session.

After

xfdesktop-settings -e

and trying to choose a different background.

DBG[xfdesktop-background-settings.c:793] xfdesktop_settings_generate_per_workspace_binding_string(): name /backdrop/screen0/monitor0/workspace0/last-image
DBG[xfdesktop-background-settings.c:871] cb_image_selection_changed(): got /usr/share/backgrounds/xfce/xfce-light.svg, applying to screen 0 monitor 0 workspace 0
DBG[xfdesktop-background-settings.c:793] xfdesktop_settings_generate_per_workspace_binding_string(): name /backdrop/screen0/monitor0/workspace0/last-image
DBG[xfdesktop-background-settings.c:881] cb_image_selection_changed(): Saving to /backdrop/screen0/monitor0/workspace0/last-image//usr/share/backgrounds/xfce/xfce-light.svg
DBG[xfdesktop-background-settings.c:793] xfdesktop_settings_generate_per_workspace_binding_string(): name /backdrop/screen0/monitor0/workspace0/last-image
DBG[xfdesktop-background-settings.c:1129] xfdesktop_settings_update_iconview_folder(): current_folder /usr/share/backgrounds/xfce/xfce-light.svg, dirname /usr/share/backgrounds/xfce
DBG[xfdesktop-background-settings.c:793] xfdesktop_settings_generate_per_workspace_binding_string(): name /backdrop/screen0/monitor0/workspace0/last-image
DBG[xfdesktop-background-settings.c:1008] update_icon_view_model(): folder didn't change
DBG[xfdesktop-background-settings.c:958] stop_image_loading(): xfdesktop_settings_stop_image_loading

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot change background

dummy@example.com (Eeqmcsq) — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 00:45:51 +0000

Try looking for error messages for clues:
- Close any Desktop Settings app that's running.
- Open a terminal and run tail -f ~/.xsession-errors. This will monitor this errors file and print out any new messages as they're appended. To stop this at any time, CTRL+C.
- While that's running, open another terminal and run xfdesktop-settings -e. The -e enables the debug messages output.
- Try changing the background image.
- Check both terminals for any clues about what went wrong.

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot change background

dummy@example.com (Gnostic) — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 20:27:23 +0000

Desktop Settings, go to the Folder drop-down menu, choose the directory you want, then DO NOT select a file from the list. Just click on the Open button. It will open that directory and show you thumbnails that you can select.

Tried that, but sadly still no change to the background.

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot change background

dummy@example.com (fsmithred) — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 20:19:55 +0000

Correction: The new xfce4 will allow users to change the desktop background after install, but it won't let distro developers change it. We're supposed to fork xfce4-desktop if we want that.

Gnostic, in Desktop Settings, go to the Folder drop-down menu, choose the directory you want, then DO NOT select a file from the list. Just click on the Open button. It will open that directory and show you thumbnails that you can select.