xubuntu gthumb does not set desktop background

[bryncoles]

When browsing images in Xubuntu's default picture viewer, it cannot execute the option to set image as desktop background. After selecting this option, reporting success and not changing the background, I click 'preferences' and am told:

Could not show the desktop background properties

Failed to execute child process "gnome-appearance-properties" (No such file or directory)

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.10
Package: gthumb 3:2.13.1-1ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.0.0-12.20-generic 3.0.4
Uname: Linux 3.0.0-12-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 1.23-0ubuntu4
Architecture: amd64
Date: Fri Nov 4 23:31:44 2011
InstallationMedia: Xubuntu 11.10 "Oneiric Ocelot" - Release amd64 (20111012)
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_GB:en
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_GB.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: gthumb
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

WORKAROUND:

menu -> Settings -> Settings Manager -> Session and Startup, Advanced tab, check
Launch GNOME services on startup
to activate the ability to to change backgrounds using gthumb.

[madnick (dr-madnick)]

It is hardcoded in gThumb to use "gnome-appearance-properties", I can confirm this issue.

[holstein (mikeholstein)]

i have 'launch GNOME services at startup' selected from the 'settings' - 'settings manager' menu, and i am able to right-click on an image and set is as the wallpaper. see if enabling this 'fixes' it for you as well.

[bryncoles (brunomatti)]

Will try it and confirm.

Would it be possible (at least in theory) for someone to write a hack so that when gthumb doesn't find 'gnome-appearance-properties', it looks instead for whatever the xfce equivalent is?

[Charlie Kravetz (cjkgeek)]

Thanks for reporting this bug and any supporting documentation. Since this bug has enough information provided for a developer to begin work, I'm going to mark it as confirmed and let them handle it from here.

Perhaps we need to add documentation that explains to set "Launch GNOME services on startup" to change the backgrounds.

Thanks for taking the time to make Ubuntu better!

[Jay S (topdownjimmy)]

I'm seeing this in regular old Ubuntu 11.10, as well.

[G4JC (gaming4jc2)]

Didn't realize this bug had already been reported. Making my bug #1530570 a duplicate. Please feel free to close it. And also take a peak at the command I mentioned in the other report which may be used to set a background in Xfce4 desktop environment.

[G4JC (gaming4jc2)]

For developers, apparently the relevant source code is found in the extensions folder:
https://bazaar.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-branches/ubuntu/wily/gthumb/wily/files/head:/extensions/desktop_background/

[Yousuf 'Jay' Philips (philipz85)]

Submitted it upstream https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/gthumb/-/issues/158