---
name: "root-tail"
section: "1x"
platform: "linux"
package: "root-tail"
version: "0.1.0-3"
release: "Debian 3.0 (Woody)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/root-tail/1x"
---

# root-tail(1x)

print text directly to X11 root window

## NAME

root-tail - print text directly to X11 root window

## SYNOPSIS

**root-tail** \[**-g**\|**-geometry** *GEOMETRY*\] \[**-fn**\|**-font** *FONTSPEC*\] \[**-color** *color*\] \[**-reload** *SEC* *COMMAND*\] \[**-reverse**\] \[**-shade**\] \[**-f**\|**-fork**\] \[**-noinitial**\] \[**-frame**\] \[**-i**\|**-interval** *SECONDS*\] \[**-V**\] file1\[,color\[,desc\]\] \[file2\[,color\[,desc\]\]\]

## DESCRIPTION

Displays a given file anywhere on your X11 root window with a transparent background. It was made because I'm very lazy and this was easier than making a new rxvt pixmap each time I changed my background to simulate that transparent effect.  A null desc (example: "/var/log/messages,red,") will prevent the printing of a description and the \[\]'s.

### General Options

- **-color** *COLOR*

  Use color $color as default.

- **-font \| -fn** *FONTSPEC*

  Use font FONTSPEC this can be either fixed withn fonts like -fn fixed or any font using -fn '-\*-\*-\*-\*-\*-\*-\*-\*-\*-\*-\*-\*-\*-\*' with the appropriate fields filled out (see xfontsel)

- **-f \| -fork**

  Forks to the background and gives the pid of itself (useful if rt is being called from a script or frontend)

-

  - **-reload** *SEC COMMAND*

  Run command & run command after $sec seconds.

- **-shade**

  Add shading to font.  **-reverse** Print new lines at the top.

- **-noinitial**

  Don't display the end of the file(s) initially.

- **-i \| -interval** *SECONDS*

  Use the specified sleeping interval between checks instead of the default 3 seconds. Fractional values are o.k.

- **-V**

  Print version information.

- **-frame**

  Surround the selected area with a frame. This is just a debugging tool and doesn't always work properly. Use it to find the perfect geometry.

-

  ## EXAMPLE

root-tail -g 80x25+100+50 \\\
 /var/log/messages,green /var/log/secure,red,'ALERT'

root-tail -shade -f -g 144x53+6+0 \\\
 \-fn -\*-lucidatypewriter-medium-r-normal-\*-12-\*-\*-\*-m-\*-\* \\\
 /var/log/kernel,red /var/log/daemon.log,green \\\
 /var/log/mail.log,yellow

## AUTHOR

**root-tail** was modified by Marc Lehmann \<pcg@goof.com\>, who couldn't reach the original author (Mike Baker).

Current maintainer is Marco d'Itri \<*md@linux.it*\>.

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright © ???? Mike Baker.\
 Copyright © 2000 Marc Lehmann.\
 Copyright © 2001 Marco d'Itri.

This is free software; see the source for copying conditions.  There is NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.