[Simon]

I have a rev B 12" PowerBook hooked up via DVI (closed-lid operation) to either a Eizo 19" TFT at the office or a 20" Apple Cinema Display at home. The Eizo is 4:3 while the Apple display is a wide-screen (16:10).

Every time I switch from one screen to the other I get a simple blue desktop background and I have to go to the System Preferences to reset my desktop background to the 'Aqua Blue' setting I had before.

I guess Panther 'forgets' the desktop background setting when the aspect ratio of the screen changes.

Is there anyway to get around this annoying little bug? Or can anybody here give a little AppleScript example how to change back the setting automatically?

Thanks in advance for any help.

[DigitalEl]

Are you moving the file after you set your desktop picture?

Scenario:
You see a desktop pic you want online and download it. You drag it into the desktop picture well in System Preferences. Close System Preferences. Delete the picture from wherever you stashed it after downloading it. Use your computer for awhile. Logout, switch users or reboot... And the desktop picture you used is gone.

AFAIK, the OS looks for that file wherever it was when you made it your desktop pic. If it doesn't see it where expected, it defaults back to the plain blue background.

There has to be a better way to have explained that, but I hope I helped some... And maybe somebody else can weigh in with a better explanation.

[Simon]

DigitalEl, thanks for your reply. I think I understand what you are describing.

However, I don't believe it's a missing file problem, since I'm using the default built-in 'Aqua Blue' setting which resides in /Library/Desktop Pictures/Aqua Blue.jpg. It is always present and I can always select it again (so I guess System Preferences 'sees' the file), it's just that after a display switch it's not getting displayed. Instead I get a plain blue background.

Interestingly enough, when I get this blue background and open System Preferences, 'Aqua Blue' is still selected and shown in the preview, it's just not actually getting displayed as the desktop background.

I really think it's a bug.

Is there really no work-around? No AppleScript applet to set the correct background?

[pjmurphy]

I can confirm I have the same issue.. I am using a 17" PB 1.33G and a new 23" apple display.. I have to manually go in everytie and "reset" the bacjgorund even though it is highlighted..

[Freeflyer]

yep, same here. I plug my Tibook into my tv to play a few things, and when I unplug and detect displays to reset the format, it goes back to a blue screen.

Annoying.

J.

[MrForgetable]

Same here. I got a grey screen.

[Macola]

Ditto with a 12" Rev A PowerBook.

[ThisGuy]

Originally posted by Macola:
Ditto with a 12" Rev A PowerBook.

werd.

[OAW]

I experience the same problem. Something I just learned to live with a long time ago since it's fairly easy to fix.

OAW

[drive-thru]

The only thing I can think of is to repair your permissions (boot from OS X CD > Disk Utility etc.).
Failing that send feedback.

[TailsToo]

It happens with my 15" TI too!


I think it's just a limitation of OS X - annoying, but nothing to worry about!

[madmacgames]

Have a revB 12" and I don't get this. OS X 10.3.5 remembers each displays background for me.

[Simon]

I made a mistake in my original posting. The 19" Eizo is actually running 1280x1024 so it's not 4:3 but the weird 5:4 most 17" displays have.

I'm getting a new Samsung 21" 1600x1200 TFT at the office next week and I'm anxious to see if the problem remains with this 4:3 screen. I'm wondering if the problem just shows with this 'weird' 5:4 resolution only few TFT screens have.

Anyway, I sent Apple some feedback on the issue because I felt there are enough people here experiencing the same bug. I encourage others to do the same, since I guess Apple won't budge unless they really feel it's a widely experienced problem.

[TailsToo]

The background drops if you go from using the PowerBook in Clamshell mode to using the buillt in screen without restarting.

[Simon]

Originally posted by TailsToo:
The background drops if you go from using the PowerBook in Clamshell mode to using the buillt in screen without restarting.

This I can't confirm.

Whenever I go from closed-lid operation on any kind of screen to operating with the internal screen Panther retains the correct background image. It's only when I go from one type of external display to another that I lose the proper background image.

[Simon]

In the mean time I just wrote a tiny AppleScript to re-set my proper desktop picture. At least until Apple fixes the bug in OS X.

This little script did the trick for me. It's a little stand-alone application sitting in my dock and when my desktop background image disappears I just launch the app and it's fixed. :)

Code:
tell application "Finder"
	set desktop picture to "Library:Desktop Pictures:Aqua Blue.jpg"
end tell

So simple, it's almost embarrassing. ;)