Problems with wallpapers in Cinnamon 3.0 with Ubuntu 16.04

[Nytehawq]

Description: Ubuntu 16.04 LTS
Release: 16.04

cinnamon:
  Installed: 3.0.1-1~xenial0
  Candidate: 3.0.1-1~xenial0
  Version table:
 *** 3.0.1-1~xenial0 500
        500 http://ppa.launchpad.net/embrosyn/cinnamon/ubuntu xenial/main amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     2.8.6-1ubuntu1 500
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial/universe amd64 Packages

The Cinnamon desktop works well for the most part but randomly the wallpaper/background reverts to the the default unity background that comes with Ubuntu 16.04 for apparently no reason. Even when using the Variety wallpaper changer app, it will work fine and then suddenly the wallpaper will revert to the back to the default Unity wallpaper. The workspace switcher will show what's supposed to be the wallpaper. If you lock your session the screen it displays the correct wallpaper. Rebooting seems to show the correct wallpaper but then it will turn into the default Unity wallpaper again.

** The problem seems to be caused by Cinnamon launching Nautilus. You can test this with "xdg-open $HOME" in terminal. I used the command "xdg-mime default nemo.desktop inode/directory application/x-gnome-saved-search" to switch the default file manager to Nemo and it seems to have stopped the problem from occurring. ~SuperMechaCow

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Kevin Moore (kevin-moore)]

There is a turquoise background that comes with the install of cinnamon 2.8.6. When the above bug happens, and I go to /usr/share/backgrounds, that turquoise image is not present. I have no idea where this image is located, so I cannot restore it.

[Christopher Smith (supermechacow)]

I went to ~/Pictures/Wallpapers and deleted the wallpapers used by Unity prior to Cinnamon installation. The wallpaper immediately switched back to the intended image. Still testing to see if the fix is permanent

[Christopher Smith (supermechacow)]

Scratch that. When I inserted a particular USB drive it reverted to the default wallpaper.

[Christophe RAZAFIMAHATRATRA (rhisty)]

Happens to me too.

It happens everytime I plug a USB drive in.
And happens randomly when I do something else.
Any idea ?

[Christopher Smith (supermechacow)]

TL;DR: Try deleting your ~/Pictures/Wallpapers and making sure your default file browser is Nemo and not Nautilus.

Ok, so far it has been staying the intended wallpaper. Here's some info I could find:
- I started with Unity and installed cinnamon via aptitude.
- When the wallpaper "switched" I was unable to set it back with the system settings menu in cinnamon.
- Rebooting seemed to be the only way to fix it for me.
- The switched wallpaper was the one I used for Unity before installing cinnamon. It also showed "phantom icons" where I had icons arranged on my Unity desktop.
- Not sure what triggered it, but it seemed to happen when I unlocked the screen or plugged in USB devices.
- I deleted all of the wallpapers I used in Unity at ~/Pictures/Wallpapers. That caused it to immediately switch to the Cinnamon wallpaper.
- After that it eventually switched to the *default* Unity wallpaper.
- I'm not sure what changed but eventually the wallpaper was totally removed and the background was black. After this I could set the wallpaper with the system settings in Cinnamon just fine.

- I also noted that during this time, I had changed the default file browser from Nautilus to Nemo. I think something about opening Nautilus triggered the background change. This would explain why plugging in a USB drive seemed to trigger it. As Nemo is the intended file browser for cinnamon, this bug might have been missed in testing.

[Christopher Smith (supermechacow)]

https://sites.google.com/site/installationubuntu/tweaking-ubuntu/change-default-filemanager

[Christopher Smith (supermechacow)]

I just set my default file manager back to Nautilus and confirmed that this is indeed the cause. I wish there was an edit button so I didn't have to triple post.

[Kevin Moore (kevin-moore)]

This is just an FYI question for my own curiosity. What is the name of the default cinnamon wallpaper file and where is it located. It is not located in /usr/share/backgrounds or /usr/share/backgrounds/gnome. My initial plan as a work-around was to copy the default cinnamon wallpaper file to /usr/share/backgrounds and set it as the current wallpaper.

[Christophe RAZAFIMAHATRATRA (rhisty)]

@Christopher I do not even have the ~/Pictures/Wallpapers

[Christopher Smith (supermechacow)]

@Christophe I believe the folder is created when you change to custom wallpaper in Unity. If you never set a custom wallpaper, or if you empty this folder, it will switch to the default Unity wallpaper.

TL;DR: If you don't have one that's ok. Just switch the default file manager to Nemo.

[Christophe RAZAFIMAHATRATRA (rhisty)]

@Christopher,
I see. I've never used a custom wallpaper with Unity. That's why I don't have this folder.

Anyway, I switched to Unity desktop manager and changed the wallpaper with the cinnamon wallpaper, and then, I switched back to Cinnamon Desktop. And everything is OK now.

[Dusan Stefanovic (shandoo)]

My Desktop even crashes when I try to open folder from it beside walpaper change.
Nautilus caused the problem.

Switched to Nemo as default file app and everything works like charm...