Skip to content

Latest commit

 

History

History
378 lines (245 loc) · 11.3 KB

BIG-SUR.md

File metadata and controls

378 lines (245 loc) · 11.3 KB
Raw

macOS 11 Big Sur

The script set-desktop-big-sur.sh has been replaced by set-desktop.sh.

Purpose

Set a user's Desktop image in macOS 11 Big Sur from the command line. See Limitations

Minimum Requirements

  • macos 10.14 Mojave (macOS 11 Big Sur required for the examples below to work)
  • Bash 3.2 (Big Sur ships with 3.2.57)
  • Python 2.7 (Big Sur ships with 2.7.16)

Background

An explanation of how Desktop images appear to be managed by macOS since Mojave (10.14) can be found at Setting the Desktop Image in macOS Mojave From the Command Line. While this article was written before the release of Big Sur, the majority of the information is still relevant.

Instructions

  1. Download macos-desktop-main.zip

  2. Double-click ~/Downloads/macos-desktop-main.zip in the Finder to unzip it (Safari may do this automatically)

  3. Open the Terminal application in macOS

  4. At a Terminal prompt:

    • type cd ~/Downloads/macos-desktop-main and press enter

    • type chmod +x set-desktop.sh options.py Big\ Sur\ Tests/set-desktop-big-sur-tests.sh and press enter to make the scripts executable

  5. See the Examples section for using the set-desktop.sh script

  6. See the Valid Options section for using the options.py script

  7. See the Tests section for using the set-desktop-big-sur-tests.sh script

Usage

./set-desktop.sh IMAGE

IMAGE can be either

  • a pre-defined named option
  • the path to an image file

See the Valid Options and Examples sections for more information.

Examples

These examples use the Apple-supplied Deskop pictures that could otherwise be set via System Preferences. They are categorised and listed as they appear in the Desktop & Screensaver pane as of macOS 11.5.2 Big Sur.

See A Comparison of Apple-Supplied Desktop Images Since macOS 10.14 Mojave

Desktop Pictures

Dynamic Desktop

Setting the image to Dynamic (e.g. The Beach Dynamic) ensures it changes throughout the day, based on your location.

Big Sur Dynamic

./set-desktop.sh big-sur

Big Sur Light (Still)

./set-desktop.sh big-sur-light

Big Sur Dark (Still)

./set-desktop.sh big-sur-dark

Catalina Dynamic

./set-desktop.sh catalina

Catalina Light (Still)

./set-desktop.sh catalina-light

Catalina Dark (Still)

./set-desktop.sh catalina-dark

The Cliffs Dynamic

./set-desktop.sh cliffs

The Cliffs Light (Still)

./set-desktop.sh cliffs-light

The Cliffs Dark (Still)

./set-desktop.sh cliffs-dark

The Lake Dynamic

./set-desktop.sh lake

The Lake Light (Still)

./set-desktop.sh lake-light

The Lake Dark (Still)

./set-desktop.sh lake-dark

The Desert Dynamic

./set-desktop.sh desert

The Desert Light (Still)

./set-desktop.sh desert-light

The Desert Dark (Still)

./set-desktop.sh desert-dark

The Beach Dynamic

./set-desktop.sh beach

The Beach Light (Still)

./set-desktop.sh beach-light

The Beach Dark (Still)

./set-desktop.sh beach-dark

Solar Gradients

./set-desktop.sh solar

Light and Dark Desktop

Setting the image to Automatic (e.g. Peak Automatic) ensures it conforms to the Light, Dark or Auto setting in System Preferences > General > Appearance.

Big Sur Graphic Automatic

./set-desktop.sh graphic

Big Sur Graphic Light (Still)

./set-desktop.sh light

Big Sur Graphic Dark (Still)

./set-desktop.sh dark

Peak Automatic

./set-desktop.sh peak

Peak Light (Still)

./set-desktop.sh peak-light

Peak Dark (Still)

./set-desktop.sh peak-dark

Tree Automatic

./set-desktop.sh tree

Tree Light (Still)

./set-desktop.sh tree-light

Tree Dark (Still)

./set-desktop.sh tree-dark

Valley Automatic

./set-desktop.sh valley

Valley Light (Still)

./set-desktop.sh valley-light

Valley Dark (Still)

./set-desktop.sh valley-dark

Dome Automatic

./set-desktop.sh dome

Dome Light (Still)

./set-desktop.sh dome-light

Dome Dark (Still)

./set-desktop.sh dome-dark

Iridescence Automatic

./set-desktop.sh iridescence

Iridescence Light (Still)

./set-desktop.sh iridescence-light

Iridescence Dark (Still)

./set-desktop.sh iridescence-dark

Desktop Pictures
Big Sur Mountains

./set-desktop.sh mountains
./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Big Sur Mountains.heic"

Big Sur Aerial

./set-desktop.sh aerial
./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Big Sur Aerial.heic"

Big Sur Horizon

./set-desktop.sh horizon
./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Big Sur Horizon.heic"

Big Sur Coastline

./set-desktop.sh coastline
./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Big Sur Coastline.heic"

Big Sur Shore Rocks

./set-desktop.sh shore
./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Big Sur Shore Rocks.heic"

Big Sur Water's Edge

./set-desktop.sh edge
./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Big Sur Waters Edge.heic"

Big Sur Road

./set-desktop.sh road
./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Big Sur Road.heic"

Big Sur Night Succulents

./set-desktop.sh succulents
./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Big Sur Night Succulents.heic"

Big Sur Night Grasses

./set-desktop.sh grasses
./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Big Sur Night Grasses.heic"

Catalina Coast

./set-desktop.sh coast
./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Catalina Coast.heic"

Catalina Evening

./set-desktop.sh evening
./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Catalina Evening.heic"

Catalina Rock

./set-desktop.sh rock
./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Catalina Rock.heic"

Catalina Shoreline

./set-desktop.sh shoreline
./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Catalina Shoreline.heic"

Catalina Clouds

./set-desktop.sh clouds
./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Catalina Clouds.heic"

Catalina Silhouette

./set-desktop.sh silhouette
./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Catalina Silhouette.heic"

Catalina Sunset

./set-desktop.sh sunset
./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Catalina Sunset.heic"

Light Stream Red

./set-desktop.sh stream-red
./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Light Stream Red.heic"

Light Stream Blue

./set-desktop.sh stream-blue
./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Light Stream Blue.heic"

Light Stream Pink

./set-desktop.sh stream-pink
./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Light Stream Pink.heic"

Light Stream Green

./set-desktop.sh stream-green
./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Light Stream Green.heic"

Colours

Turquoise Green

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Turquoise Green.png"

Cyan

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Cyan.png"

Blue Violet

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Blue Violet.png"

Yellow

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Yellow.png"

Plum

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Plum.png"

Soft Pink

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Soft Pink.png"

Red Orange

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Red Orange.png"

Ocher

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Ocher.png"

Dusty Rose

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Dusty Rose.png"

Electric Blue

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Electric Blue.png"

Teal

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Teal.png"

Stone

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Stone.png"

Silver

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Silver.png"

Space Grey

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Space Gray.png"

Space Grey Pro

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Space Gray Pro.png"

Gold

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Gold.png"

Gold 2

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Gold 2.png"

Rose Gold

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Rose Gold.png"

Black

./set-desktop.sh "/System/Library/Desktop Pictures/Solid Colors/Black.png"

Other

Default

./set-desktop.sh default

General

./set-desktop.sh "/path/to/desktop/image.jpg"

Error Messages

Not running macOS 10.14 Mojave or later

ERROR: For use with macOS 10.14 Mojave or later.

The configuration file is missing

ERROR: Can't find configuration file 'options.json'.

No Desktop image passed on the command line

ERROR: No image was specified.

Supplied Desktop image is a file that doesn't exist

ERROR: </path/to/desktop/image.jpg> doesn't exist.

Invalid option passed on the command line

ERROR: <option> is not a valid option.

Attempt to reset a database other than desktoppicture.db to the default

ERROR: The 'default' option is only appropriate when the database is ~/Library/Application Support/Dock/desktoppicture.db

Possible dual-monitor environment detected

ERROR: This script should not be used in a dual-monitor environment.

Two or more Desktops (Spaces) detected

ERROR: This script should not be used when multiple Desktops (Spaces) are configured.

Limitations

Works only with a single Desktop (Space) in a single-display environment.

Not for use with multiple Desktops (Spaces) or in a dual-display environment.

Valid Options

All valid options and their corresponding data are stored in the file options.json. To list these options for Big Sur use the following:

  • unsorted in the order they appear in options.json use ./options.py --version big-sur

  • sorted by category use ./options.py --version big-sur --sort category

  • sorted by name use ./options.py --version big-sur --sort name

  • sorted by option use ./options.py --version big-sur --sort option

Tests

The set-desktop-big-sur-tests.sh script in the Big Sur Tests directory executes set-desktop.sh a given number of times (the default is 5 if omitted), each time passing it an option or filename randomly selected from desktop-images.txt.

The intention is to document the state of the data and preferences tables in the desktoppicture.db database after each iteration. Output is written to set-desktop-big-sur-tests.txt

To change the Desktop picture 100 times, cd into the Big Sur Tests directory and type ./set-desktop-big-sur-tests.sh 100

Back to TOC