Setting windows wallpaper with python not working

Question

The following bit of python code is supposed to download an BMP image from the web and save it to disk, then change the wallpaper to the downloaded image. The wallpaper change is supposed to be permanent ie not revert back after restart. This function is part of a larger script that I am compiling into a binary exe using pyinstaller. The problem is that when I run the program the bit that is supposed to change the wallpaper is not working and I am at wits end trying to figure out why. The funny thing is if I run this exact code in the python interpreter it works as expected. Also, in a previous version of the compiled script, the wallpaper change worked without a hitch. Any comments, help, insights would be greatly appreciated!

def wallpaper():
    try:
        os.chdir(launch_directory)
        urllib.urlretrieve('http://www.imagehost.com/image.bmp', 'image.bmp')
        ctypes.windll.user32.SystemParametersInfoA(20, 0, os.path.join(launch_directory, "image.bmp"), 1)
    except:
        pass

Are you getting an exception? you are passing it silently it might be worth outputting any exception information available. Check the return type of SystemParametersInfo. If it is having trouble finding the image, that will tell you. It should return TRUE. — Brad
– Brad, Commented Oct 4, 2014 at 19:11
Try to change the last parameter of SystemParametersInfoA to 2 (SPIF_SENDCHANGE) — MC ND
– MC ND, Commented Oct 5, 2014 at 10:19

Nathan Clement · Accepted Answer · 2016-10-19 04:34:37Z

2

Change the "SystemParametersInfoA" to "SystemParametersInfoW". This fixed the desktop background update for me.

answered Oct 19, 2016 at 4:34

Nathan Clement

1,2232 gold badges20 silver badges38 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

Comments

Hubert Weydmann · Accepted Answer · 2017-07-04 23:20:12Z

2

Yes, I am aware that I'm digging this thread from the 2014 (wow!), but having encountered the same problem, I've spent hours figuring out the solution and here it is: As .SystemParametersInfoW was leaving me with a black desktop, I've decided to stick with .SystemParametersInfoA but encode the path variable to us-ascii with a use of the cgi module. I wrote the following function which finally worked like a charm:

import ctypes as c
import cgi
def set_as_wallpaper(path): 
    SPI = 20
    SPIF = 2
    return c.windll.user32.SystemParametersInfoA(SPI, 0, path.encode("us-ascii"), SPIF)

Hope it helps!

answered Jul 4, 2017 at 23:20

Hubert Weydmann

211 bronze badge

Comments

Community · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-23 11:52:58Z

1

For Linux refer below:-

import commands
command = "gconftool-2 --set /desktop/gnome/background/picture_filename --type string '/path/to/file.jpg'"
status, output = commands.getstatusoutput(command)  # status=0 if success

For windows refer below:-

import ctypes
SPI_SETDESKWALLPAPER = 20 
ctypes.windll.user32.SystemParametersInfoA(SPI_SETDESKWALLPAPER, 0, "myimage.jpg" , 0)

edited May 23, 2017 at 11:52

CommunityBot

11 silver badge

answered Oct 4, 2014 at 19:00

Hussain Shabbir

15.1k5 gold badges45 silver badges60 bronze badges

4 Comments

Darth Coder Over a year ago

Thanks but I need this for windows only, not Linux.

Darth Coder Over a year ago

It's the same as the code I've tried (refer to question) and it is not working. That's why I posted the question, I know what the code should be but it isn't working and I need help figuring out why.

Darth Coder Over a year ago

The path is correct. os.path.join(launch_directory, "image.bmp") returns the absolute path to image.bmp which is residing in launch_directory. Even if I manually enter the absolute path still nothing. :(

Eryk Sun Over a year ago

@DarthCoder, if you're using Python 3, call windll.user32.SystemParametersInfoW instead. Make sure to use an an absolute path.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Setting windows wallpaper with python not working

3 Answers 3

Comments

Comments

4 Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

3 Answers 3

Comments

Comments

4 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related