Create desktop slideshow from scratch

[Mike R]

An overview on how to [specific instructions follow]:

Collect the images [minimum 2] you’d like to include into one directory.

Create xml file. using an editor of your choice create an xml file in the same directory as the images

Transfer the directory containing xml file and images to /use/share/backgrounds

Make your directory a slide show

Collect the images. I suggest creating a new directory for this purpose. I used both jpg and png images with varying degrees of resolution and size. To perfect your slide show I suggest using images of the same type and relatively the same size. To create a new directory from you home directory using a terminal which can be accessed by depressing Ctrl-Alt-t keys simultaneously and type

mkdir {your desired directory name}

Create xml file. using an editor of your choice create an xml file in the same directory as the images. The sections of the xml file are described here - my image names and durations were used. Note that every tag has both a beginning starttime and end /starttime
Opening identifies time Invalid date


** **
** 2009**
** 08**
** 04**
** 00**
** 00**
** 00**
** **
<!-- This animation will start at midnight. --> simple comment

Identify the first image and duration in seconds [static + transition = 10 minutes]

<static>
<duration>595.0</duration>
<file>/usr/share/backgrounds/abstract_ss/twirl_0849.jpg</file>
</static>
Identify the transition to and next image

<transition>
<duration>5.0</duration>
<from>/usr/share/backgrounds/abstract_ss/twirl_0849.jpg</from>
<to>/usr/share/backgrounds/abstract_ss/votive_holder.png</to>
</transition>
Continue until all your images have been identified. The last element [stanza] should be a transition to the first image.

Identify the transition to first image and end the sequence that started with background

<static>
<duration>595.0</duration>
<file>/usr/share/backgrounds/abstract_ss/calidescope3.jpg</file>
</static>
<transition>
<duration>5.0</duration>
<from>/usr/share/backgrounds/abstract_ss/calidescope3.jpg</from>
<to>/usr/share/backgrounds/abstract_ss/twirl_0849.jpg</to>
</transition>
</background>
Transfer the directory containing xml file and images to /use/share/backgrounds. Using a terminal which can be accessed by depressing Ctrl-Alt-t keys simultaneously execute

cd to the directory containing images and xml file
sudo mkdir /usr/share/backgrounds/{supply your desired directory name}
sudo cp * /usr/share/backgrounds/{supply your desired directory name}/

Make your directory a slide show
a) right click on your desktop and choose “Change Desktop Background”
b) click the “Add” button and navigate to your directory
c) lower right of the screen click on “Images” and change to “All files”
d) choose your xml file ignoring the question mark and click open

If you choose to experiment with abstract_ss.xml and the images on Cloudup start by creating a slide show directory in your download or pictures directory area and proceed using this directory in step 3.
The directory I used = /home/pfeiffep/Pictures/abstract_ss
The commands for step 3 b & c would be:

sudo mkdir /usr/share/backgrounds/abstract_ss
sudo cp * usr/share/backgrounds/abstract_ss
Proceed with step 4