Man page 1 : gconftool-2

gconftool-2 - GNOME configuration tool

gconftool-2 [-?] [-?|--help] [--usage] [-s|--set] [-g|--get] [--set-schema] [-u|--unset] [--recursive-unset] [-a|--all-entries] [--all-dirs] [--dump] [--load=STRING] [-R|--recursive-list] [--dir-exists=STRING] [--shutdown] [-p|--ping] [--spawn] [-t|--type int|bool|float|string|list|pair] [-T|--get-type] [--get-list-size] [--get-list-element] [--list-type=int|bool|float|string] [--car-type=int|bool|float|string] [--cdr-type=int|bool|float|string] [--short-desc=DESCRIPTION] [--long-desc=DESCRIPTION] [--owner=OWNER] [--install-schema-file=FILENAME] [--config-source=SOURCE] [--direct] [--makefile-install-rule] [--makefile-uninstall-rule] [--break-key] [--break-directory] [--short-docs] [--long-docs] [--get-schema-name] [--apply-schema] [--unapply-schema] [--get-default-source] [-v|--version]

Each preference in the GConf repository is expressed as a key-value pair. A GConf preference key is an element in the GConf repository that corresponds to an application preference. Preference keys typically have simple values such as strings, integers, or lists of strings and integers. The default key-value pairs are installed on the system, and are known as schemas. gconftool-2 is the command-line interface tool that enables you to set the values of keys, display the values of keys, and install schemas from schema definition files when you install an application. The GConf preference keys are stored and managed by the GConf daemon (gconfd-2). These keys are cached in memory, and saved to disk in XML format when appropriate.

• -s, --set
      Set a key to a value and sync. Use with --type.
• -g, --get
      Print the value of a key to standard output.
• -u, --unset
      Unset the keys on the command line.
• --recursive-unset
      Recursively unset all keys at or below the key/directory names on the command line.
• -a, --all-entries
      Print all key/value pairs in a directory.
• --all-dirs
      Print all subdirectories in a directory.
• -R, --recursive-list
      Print all subdirectories and entries under a dir, recursively.
• --dir-exists=STRING
      Return 0 if the directory exists, 2 if it does not.
• -t, --type=int|bool|float|string|list|pair
      Specify the type of the value being set, or the type of the value a schema describes. Unique abbreviations are allowed.
• --list-type=int|bool|float|string
      Specify the type of the list value being set, or the type of the value a schema describes. Unique abbreviations are allowed.
• --car-type=int|bool|float|string
      Specify the type of the car pair value being set, or the type of the value a schema describes. Unique abbreviations are allowed.
• --cdr-type=int|bool|float|string
      Specify the type of the cdr pair value being set, or the type of the value a schema describes. Unique abbreviations are allowed.
• --short-desc=DESCRIPTION
      Specify a short half-line description to go in a schema.
• --long-desc=DESCRIPTION
      Specify a several-line description to go in a schema.
• --owner=OWNER
      Specify the owner of a schema.
• --install-schema-file=FILENAME
      Specify a schema file to be installed
• --config-source=SOURCE
      Specify a configuration source to use rather than the default path
• --direct
      Access the config database directly, bypassing server. Requires that gconfd is not running.
• --set-schema
      Set a schema and sync. Use with --short-desc, --long-desc, --owner, and --type.
• --makefile-install-rule
      Properly installs schema files on the command line into the database. GCONF_CONFIG_SOURCE environment variable should be set to a non-default config source or set to the empty string to use the default.
• --break-key
      Torture-test an application by setting and unsetting a bunch of values of different types for keys on the command line.
• --break-directory
      Torture-test an application by setting and unsetting a bunch of keys inside the directories on the command line.
• --short-docs
      Get the short doc string for a key
• --long-docs
      Get the long doc string for a key
• --get-schema-name
      Get the name of the schema applied to this key
• --apply-schema
      Specify the schema name followed by the key to apply the schema name to
• --unapply-schema
      Remove any schema name applied to the given keys
• --get-default-source
      Get the name of the default source.
• --shutdown
      Shut down gconfd. Don't use this option without good reason.
• -p, --ping
      Return 0 if gconfd is running, 2 if not.
• --spawn
      Launch the config server (gconfd). (Normally happens automatically when needed.)
• -v, --version
      Print version

Help options

• -?, --help
      Show the help message.
• --usage
      Display brief usage message.

Display the path to the current desktop wallpaper.

gconftool-2 --get /desktop/gnome/background/picture_filename

Change the widget font to "Serif 12"

gconftool-2 --type string --set /desktop/gnome/interface/font_name "Serif 12"

GConf was written by Havoc Pennington <>.

The GConf web site, \fIhttp://www.gnome.org/projects/gconf/\fI.