randPic 2.0.2

NOTICE: This script is no longer being maintained. I've re-implemented it in Python and can be found here: Random-Picture

Download a random pictures from wallhaven.cc.

I use this mainly to change my wallpaper every morning. I used to use it on wallbase.cc, but since that site went offline, I've reworked the script to work on this site instead. I'm using this on Linux Mint 17 but it should work on any other distro as well.

Its a shell script that utilizes curl along with other common unix/linux tools.

Version: 2.0.2 - Updated: 4th of January 2017

Noticed that I had neglected to change the last curl command to use https instead of http. The site switched to using secure connections, so this will get rid of any errors that move might have introduced.

Version: 2.0.1 - Released: 10th of September 2014

This version works just like the previous one. I just cleaned up the code a bit and used more variables instead of using string literals in the code to facilitate future modifications, if any.

Index

• Setup
• Saving
• Features
• Example
• Bugs
• License

Setup

• Create a ~/bin, mkdir ~/bin, directory in your home folder if you don't already have one.
• Place the scripts in there and chmod +x them to make them executable.
• Run the ./randPic.sh script. A wallpaper.jpg image will be saved in your ~/Pictures directory.
• Navigate to ~/Pictures with your file manager.
• If the image that was download, is a jpg image, you should be able to see a thumbnail of the image. If it is proceed; otherwise run the script once gain until you get a jpg.
• Double-click the image to open it with Image Viewer or whatever your default image viewer might be. A jpg image will open up without any problems. A PNG file that has been saved with the jpg extension will not.
• Select Image->Set as wallpaper or Ctrl+F8.
• Close the image.

The next time that you run the script, it will update your background image automatically, even if the image happens to be a png.

Saving Images

If you happen upon an awesome image that you want to keep, simply run the ./keepWall.sh script to save it. The image will be named wallpaper_TIMESTAMP.jpg or wallpaper_TIMESTAMP.png in the ~/Pictures/wallpapers directory.

NOTE

Each time you run the randPic script, your current ~/Pictures/wallpaper.jpg image will be overwritten. If you want to keep it, make sure to run keepWall first!

Features

The script is filled with detailed explanation of the different options that can be used to generate the random images with. Simply edit the field as instructed in the comments.

img

The img variable holds the default name of the image that you want to save in the designated directory. By default, that is set to ~/Pictures.

img="wallpaper.jpg"

imgFolder

The imgFolder variable holds the value for the location of where to save the image. As stated in the img variable description, the default is set to ~/Pictures. Your home directory is determined with the $HOME environment variable. If it's not set, simply provide the full path to the directory where you want your images to be saved.

imgFolder="$HOME/Pictures"

res

The res variable is not used by default, but is there in case you want to use it. It holds the value for the resolution that you want to retrieve. The many values that are available are documented in the comments of the code. Here's an example setting:

res=1366x768

purity

The purity variable holds the value for the "purity" of the images that are retrieved. It has options for Safe For Work (SWF), Skethcy, or a good mix of both. The comments explain the values a little better.

purity=100

categories

The categories variable as the name implies, holds the value for the categories from which you want the images to be pulled from. The options range between General, Manga/Anime, to People. As with the purity setting, the values can be combined.

categories=111

aspect

The aspect varialbe sets the preferred aspect ration of the images. I did not include this in the code to actually be used... I should add it or remove it completely. As with the previous two variables, the values can be combined. If left off, you get a mix of them all, which has worked for me.

aspect=4x3,48,9

site

The site variable holds the domain name for our generous host that is providing the images for us. Visit them please. Since the script is specifically coded to work with the html code of wallhaven changing this value will effectively break the script, so don't do it. The site is in alpha, so the code could change at any time. When it does, I'll make sure to update my script.

all others

The rest of the variables should be left as is. They are for the actual code to use, so editing them is not necessary. Doing so might actually break the script.

Example

Once you've installed the script as specified above in the Setup section, the script can be ran from anywhere because the ~/bin directory is in your path. The scripts are ran from the command shell or from any link that you might have created.

To get a new image: randPic To save the image: keepWall

Bugs

None.

License

The randPic.sh and keepWall.sh scripts are release under the GPLv3 License.