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I have set the wallpaper to change every hour and have enabled it to cycle them in a random order. Sometimes the background image changes to an image that was set just few rounds ago and I'd like to rechange it to something else.

How to trigger the background change manually? So that next random image in the folder is chosen and the crossfade effect is played.

I'd love to hear a command line solution, and would rather not install third party software (although, if you have something to share, don't let me to hold you back — someone might find it useful).

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5

I have found this MacWorld post showing an AppleScript that you can execute to force that.

I have my desktop images set to change every 30 minutes in random order. Sometimes the desktop will display an image that displayed earlier in the day, and I wanted a way to 'advance' the image easily. The following AppleScript will cause the desktop image to change, in whatever order you have set, each time it is run:

And this is the script:

property theSwitch : 0
if theSwitch = 0 then
  tell application "System Events"
    tell current desktop
      set change interval to 1801.0
    end tell
  end tell
  set theSwitch to 1
else
  tell application "System Events"
    tell current desktop
      set change interval to 1800.0
    end tell
  end tell
  set theSwitch to 0
end if

Please check the link and the comments for more similar or complete alternatives.

Note: I have not tested this.

UPDATE I'm sorry to hear that it didn't work for you, yet it does for me on Snow Leopard with the following script:

tell application "System Events"
    tell current desktop
        set initInterval to get change interval -- get the currrent display interval
        set change interval to -1 -- force a change to happen right now
        set change interval to initInterval -- change it back to the original display interval
    end tell
end tell

WARNING

This assumes that you have

[X] "change picture ever x timesteps"

[X] Random Order

The above works for me. I ran it from the AppleScript Editor several times to make sure it was working and it indeed does change the Wallpaper.

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  • Interesting: if I run the first two tells and set change interval to 3600.0 background won't change, but the "change background image every…" setting from the prefpane gets deselected. If I reselect the delay, background changes. Now: if I run the same applescript commands again the background changes to the same image what was set at the first place. And if I rereselect the "change background image every…" setting again, background changes to the same image as in last reselect. So it goes back and forth between two pictures. – Jari Keinänen Apr 15 '11 at 20:22
  • … And if I run the whole applescript you provided, but just without any references to theSwitch the "random order" option in the prefpane gets deselected, but "change background every…" setting remains intact :-D I think I need to downvote this answer as that nor the comments in the link you provided won't work — sorry! If someone can confirm that this works for him/her, I'll happily retract my vote. – Jari Keinänen Apr 15 '11 at 20:37
  • I had to retest that script as you said it works. Now it did change the background and no settings were lost! Maybe a reboot or two between the tests had something to do with it… I'm certain I tested that as I even tried the Delay 3 trick mentioned in the same reply! Thanks a bunch :-) I hope the link above won't distract you too much. – Jari Keinänen Apr 17 '11 at 11:51
  • @koiyu Glad to hear you made it work :) I had seen the UK version of the IT Crowd, but good pointer nonetheless. ;) – Martin Marconcini Apr 18 '11 at 1:11
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@Martín's answer works flawlessly in Snow Leopard. However, in Lion, every change of the change interval results to a background change, ie. the background gets changed two times when the script is run.

Worry not, it is easily fixed: just set the change interval as whatever it is currently set to:

tell application "System Events"
    tell current desktop
        set initInterval to get change interval
        set change interval to initInterval
     end tell
end tell

It is a bit tautological, sure, but it works.

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2

Apoloiges for replying to an old question.

Thanks @koiyu for that code, it's confirmed working in Mountain Lion. However, if you're using multiple monitors, it only works on the first monitor. I slightly modified your code to make it work on all monitors.

tell application "System Events"
    repeat with thisDesktop in every desktop
        tell thisDesktop
            set initInterval to get change interval
            set change interval to initInterval
        end tell
    end repeat
end tell

Interestingly, if you are using multiple spaces with Mission Control, it will only change the wallpapers on all monitors of your currently focused space. You can switch to another space and run it again to change the wallpapers on that space. Hope this helps!

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  • @user48556 : Can we cross fade the changing of the wallpaper??? Thanks. – user76709 Apr 25 '14 at 20:20
  • For some reason this only works on my active screen's active workspace (as opposed to every screen) on Catalina. Has something changes in the syntax? – Kano Oct 29 '19 at 8:54

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