Customizing Linux Terminal

[GenericAssassin]

I had the idea to make my terminal act as a semi transparent window to the desktop.  By that I mean that even if there were pages between the terminal and desktop it would still show the desktop through its area.  Is this at all possible, and if it is could someone point me in the right direction so that I might be able to do it?  I would appreciate any advice, as I am  still a novice when it comes to programming and using Linux.  I apologize if this is in the wrong category, I wasn't sure where it would belong.

[Electronics Wizardy]

What console emulator?

 

Most have a transparancy option. In the gnome console, open preferences and profiles, edit, and transparency.

[fjdhdhcyfhf]

1 hour ago, GenericAssassin said:

I had the idea to make my terminal act as a semi transparent window to the desktop.  By that I mean that even if there were pages between the terminal and desktop it would still show the desktop through its area.  Is this at all possible, and if it is could someone point me in the right direction so that I might be able to do it?  I would appreciate any advice, as I am  still a novice when it comes to programming and using Linux.  I apologize if this is in the wrong category, I wasn't sure where it would belong.

there are lightweight desktops that dont do transparency. When you set transparency in the terminal it just shows the desktop background picture. That is the closets iv seen to what you have described.

[EPENEX]

Some terminal emulators allow transparency so you can see the wallpaper behind it. The one I use is Terminator

[GenericAssassin]

To clarify I'm not talking about regular transparency.  I'd like to have it act as an "X-Ray" of sorts, allowing me to see the background through all other windows in additional to that of the terminal.

[inGameToasted]

8 hours ago, GenericAssassin said:

To clarify I'm not talking about regular transparency.  I'd like to have it act as an "X-Ray" of sorts, allowing me to see the background through all other windows in additional to that of the terminal.

Haven't found any solutions to this, but if you just wanna watch your wallpaper you could just set that as your terminal background. If you wanna use conky and stuff then I guess that is not a solution

[Wild Penquin]

I don't think there exist a thing you are suggesting, since I just find it quite awkward. I also struggle to see a real use case (beside some automatic changing information, such as conky).

 

It is possibly doable, but you really need to dwelwe into code and do it yourself. It's probable there is no existing feature in the WMs and Desktop Environments out there for this (some older window managers use a "root window", which could be almost what you need, if you can somehow program a viewport into this "root window" - but more modern DEs don't use it as such).

[Sauron]

It depends on your DE (more specifically on your window manager). xfce and mate show the desktop through transparency instead of other windows iirc.

[Wild Penquin]

1 hour ago, Sauron said:

It depends on your DE (more specifically on your window manager). xfce and mate show the desktop through transparency instead of other windows iirc.

I've seen this too on some older DEs. But IIRC more modern MATE do not use this "old" way of "faking transparency" anymore.

 

Moreover, it will lose all other features besides the root window - which usually only contains the desktop background. Even conky elements etc. are usually actually their own (immovable, locked just above root) windows.

 

Which means: (almost) the same effect can be achieved by setting a background for the terminal amulator with some % of transparency.