[boy8cookie]

I'm looking for a way to change my desktop picture based on the local time of day. I know about the change picture feature in the system preferences, but it fails to meet my 'needs,' as it only allows me to use predetermined intervals, rather than certain times of the day. I only want to swap between two pictures, one for day & one for night. Any help is appreciated.

[boy8cookie]

I've got a temporary fix, a script that runs when I log in to check the time of day and set the desktop image accordingly, but it only runs at login, so if I remain logged in during the intended change time, it won't happen until I login in again.

[Rumor]

Have you tried using Automator?

[boy8cookie]

Originally Posted by Rumor 

Have you tried using Automator?

The act of changing the desktop image isn't the hard part (to script, or automate). What I can't find a way to do, easily and efficiently, is to schedule that change based on time of day.

[Hal Itosis]

Originally Posted by boy8cookie 

What I can't find a way to do, easily and efficiently, is to schedule that change based on time of day.

Look into launchd. It can run scripts, etc., at designated times.

For example, this plist (placed in my ~/Library/LaunchAgents folder) causes a voice to make an announcement at 2 minutes before *and* one minute before every hour:

Code:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
	<key>Label</key>
	<string>my.timer.job</string>
	<key>ProgramArguments</key>
	<array>
		<string>/usr/bin/say</string>
		<string>tempaes fugit</string>
	</array>
	<key>StartCalendarInterval</key>
	<array>
		<dict>
			<key>Minute</key>
			<integer>58</integer>
		</dict>
		<dict>
			<key>Minute</key>
			<integer>59</integer>
		</dict>
	</array>
</dict>
</plist>

I have another plist that plays a sound on the hour.
[the misspelling of 'tempus' is intentional, because the speech synthesis manager has a funny accent sometimes.]

More launchd info: System Startup Programming Topics
man launchd.plist