Unable to use custom wallpaper [$100]

[Ryan Felder]

I just got a new hard drive and installed elementary latest from the main download page.

Installation went fine, but I am unable to set any background that did not come with the iso.

When I try to select any background I download off the internet, I get a black background instead.

I have tried moving my jpgs to /usr/share/backgrounds, and have matched the root/root permissions, but they do not even appear in switchboard when 'backgrounds' is selected.

When I open switchboard in a command prompt, and select a custom wallpaper, I get the following output on the console:

[_LOG_LEVEL_WARN 20:58:09.821170] [Gtk] drawing failure for widget `WallpaperContainer': invalid value (typically too big) for the size of the input (surface, pattern, etc.)
[_LOG_LEVEL_WARN 20:58:09.821212] [Gtk] drawing failure for widget `GtkFlowBox': invalid value (typically too big) for the size of the input (surface, pattern, etc.)
[_LOG_LEVEL_WARN 20:58:09.821246] [Gtk] drawing failure for widget `GtkViewport': invalid value (typically too big) for the size of the input (surface, pattern, etc.)
[_LOG_LEVEL_WARN 20:58:09.821283] [Gtk] drawing failure for widget `GtkScrolledWindow': invalid value (typically too big) for the size of the input (surface, pattern, etc.)
[_LOG_LEVEL_WARN 20:58:09.821319] [Gtk] drawing failure for widget `GtkGrid': invalid value (typically too big) for the size of the input (surface, pattern, etc.)
[_LOG_LEVEL_WARN 20:58:09.821352] [Gtk] drawing failure for widget `Wallpaper': invalid value (typically too big) for the size of the input (surface, pattern, etc.)
[_LOG_LEVEL_WARN 20:58:09.821385] [Gtk] drawing failure for widget `GtkStack': invalid value (typically too big) for the size of the input (surface, pattern, etc.)
[_LOG_LEVEL_WARN 20:58:09.821419] [Gtk] drawing failure for widget `GtkGrid': invalid value (typically too big) for the size of the input (surface, pattern, etc.)
[_LOG_LEVEL_WARN 20:58:09.821451] [Gtk] drawing failure for widget `GtkStack': invalid value (typically too big) for the size of the input (surface, pattern, etc.)
[_LOG_LEVEL_WARN 20:58:09.821484] [Gtk] drawing failure for widget `GtkWindow': invalid value (typically too big) for the size of the input (surface, pattern, etc.)

[Markus Padourek (markus-padourek)]

I am getting the same bug whenever trying to select a 'Custom...' Wallpaper.

There is also a weird thing going on in the Desktop wallpaper previewer, where when I select a background image, the preview of other background images disappears (see attachment: It has all the previews missing after the selected image).

[Ryan Felder (ryancfelder)]

At the same time as this new install, I also upgraded to a 4k monitor.

How about you Markus?

[jegjessing (jarlgjessing)]

I get the same problem. Though copying the image to /usr/share... enables me to set the wallpaper.
So yes a solution where it copies it to the local and sets it would be great.

Funny thing though.. It works fine on the greeter, which were the one place I did NOT want to set it :-)

[Zisu Andrei (matzipan)]

Confirmed by a dupicate bug report.

[cybermedia (cybermedia)]

When I deleted the file appendix (.jpg) it worked using dconf-editor or gsettings

[Carlos Renê (slipttees)]

I selected file from imagens directory and see blackscreen without wallpaper!

[Santiago (santileortiz)]

As a workaround you can use Files, and Rright click on the picture, then choose "Set as Desktop Background"

[wolf (w+lf)]

Not sure if it's a related bug, but the right-click method doesn't even work for me after clicking around the plug (actually unable to change the wallpaper altogether, even to one of the standard ones). However, the greeter wallpaper does appear to change with the right-click method, but I only see when returning from suspend.

[Acchan (acchan)]

I just marked several duplicates and found two comments that may be useful:

DK (l3cc) wrote on 2016-09-17:
This is not a problem with pictures folder, it's a filename problem. Any image with spaces in the filename will show this issue (it should be something easy to fix).
https://bugs.launchpad.net/switchboard-plug-pantheon-shell/+bug/1624061

賴家亨 (laichiaheng) wrote on 2015-12-28:
I can set my wallpaper now, it doesn't create the "~/.local/share/backgrounds/" itself, after I create the folder and re-login, I can set .jpg and .png image as my wallpaper.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/switchboard-plug-pantheon-shell/+bug/1525489

[Cassidy James Blaede (cassidyjames)]

There is a $100 bounty on this at https://www.bountysource.com/issues/29371518-unable-to-use-custom-wallpaper

[Ian Santopietro (isantop)]

Happening here too with a fresh Loki install. After creating the ~/.local/share/backgrounds/ folder, it appears that I can set a custom background normally.

[David Hewitt (davidmhewitt)]

I believe I've already fixed the issue of the ~/.local/share/backgrounds/ directory not being created with the following GitHub merge:

https://github.com/elementary/switchboard-plug-pantheon-shell/pull/49

Is anyone able to test this on the daily PPA?