applescriptcommand linedesktop
How can I set the positioning/filling of the desktop background image from the command line with one of the available options listed in the Desktop & Screen Saver preferences:
Crop, SizeToFit, FillScreen, Centered, Tiled
I can set the desired background image itself using:
osascript -e "tell application \"Finder\" to set desktop picture to POSIX file \"/Library/Desktop Pictures/Beach.jpg\""
However I'm not sure how to set the positioning/tiling.
Open ~/Library/Safari/.
It is there, called Safari Desktop Picture.jpg (or whatever the extension is).
If you're on Lion, to get to Library folder you may open Finder, select Go from the top menu and hold ⌥ Option. The normally hidden Library menu will reveal itself in the folder list. Open it, and proceed to Safari subfolder.
If you're not on Lion or just prefer the quick way, open Finder, press ⇧ Shift + ⌘ Cmd + G to open directory prompt and paste ~/Library/Safari/:
Quick Google search revealed the following code:
set tlst to {}
--set newtop to (path to home folder as string) & "Pictures:desktop pics folder:BigDipper 916.jpg" as alias -- sample line
set newtop to choose file
tell application "System Events"
set tlst to a reference to every desktop
--set picture of item 1 of tlst to newtop -- display 1
set picture of item 2 of tlst to newtop -- display 2
end tell
Taken from
http://macscripter.net/viewtopic.php?id=35840
I don't have a second monitor so I cannot test it.
Hope it helps.
Best Answer
According to
all you can do is set the picture.
There are references to messing about with the .plist file, but the internet (and Apple) are silent on an Applescript-approved route.
This plist is empty for me in Sierra: ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.desktop.plist so I imagine Apple have hidden what used to be there inside one of their even less well documented databases.