How to use the command wal-telegram (with examples)
wal-telegram is a command-line tool that generates themes for the Telegram messaging app based on the colors generated by pywal/wal. It allows users to customize their Telegram app’s theme to match the colors of their current wallpaper or a specified background image.
Use case 1: Generate themes with wal’s palette and the current wallpaper
Code:
wal-telegram
Motivation: This use case is handy when you want to quickly generate a theme for Telegram using the colors from the current desktop wallpaper. It saves the hassle of manually extracting the colors and applying them to the Telegram app.
Explanation: The command wal-telegram without any arguments generates the theme using wal’s palette and the current wallpaper set by feh, a lightweight image viewer. It automatically extracts the colors and generates the theme for Telegram.
Example output: The command will generate a theme based on the colors from the current wallpaper and save it in the default destination folder, which is $XDG_CACHE_HOME/wal-telegram or ~/.cache/wal-telegram.
Use case 2: Generate themes with wal’s palette and a specified background image
Code:
wal-telegram --background=path/to/image
Motivation: This use case is useful when you have a specific image in mind that you want to use as the background for your Telegram theme. It allows you to customize the background while still using the colors generated by wal.
Explanation: The --background argument followed by the path to the desired image allows you to specify a background image for the Telegram theme. wal-telegram will then generate the theme using wal’s palette and the specified background image.
Example output: The command will generate a theme using the colors from the specified background image and save it in the default destination folder.
Use case 3: Generate themes with wal’s palette and a colored background based on the palette
Code:
wal-telegram --tiled
Motivation: This use case is suitable when you want to generate a theme with a colored background that matches the colors from the wallpaper or the palette generated by wal. It gives a cohesive and visually appealing look to the Telegram app.
Explanation: The --tiled argument tells wal-telegram to generate a colored background based on the colors from wal’s palette. The generated background is composed of a pattern of squares with each square corresponding to a color from the palette.
Example output: The command will generate a theme with a colored background composed of a pattern of squares in the colors from the wal’s palette and save it in the default destination folder.
Use case 4: Apply a gaussian blur on the background image
Code:
wal-telegram -g
Motivation: This use case is useful when you want to add a blur effect to the background image of your Telegram theme. It can help create a more visually pleasing and subtle backdrop for the Telegram app.
Explanation: The -g or --gaussian-blur argument instructs wal-telegram to apply a gaussian blur effect to the background image before generating the theme. It enhances the aesthetic appeal of the theme.
Example output: The command will apply a gaussian blur effect to the background image, generate the theme using the blurred image, and save it in the default destination folder.
Use case 5: Specify a location for the generated theme
Code:
wal-telegram --destination=path/to/destination
Motivation: This use case is helpful when you want to specify a custom location for saving the generated Telegram theme. It allows you to easily organize and access the themes according to your preference.
Explanation: The --destination argument followed by the desired path allows you to specify a custom location for saving the generated theme. It overrides the default destination folder, which is $XDG_CACHE_HOME/wal-telegram or ~/.cache/wal-telegram.
Example output: The command will generate the theme using the default settings but save it in the specified destination folder.
Use case 6: Restart the Telegram app after generation
Code:
wal-telegram --restart
Motivation: This use case is useful when you want the generated theme to be immediately applied to the running Telegram app. It eliminates the need to manually apply the theme or restart the app.
Explanation: The --restart argument instructs wal-telegram to automatically restart the Telegram app after generating the theme. This ensures that the new theme is instantly applied without any manual intervention.
Example output: The command will generate the theme using the default settings, save it in the default destination folder, and automatically restart the Telegram app.
Conclusion:
wal-telegram is a powerful tool for customizing the Telegram app’s theme using colors generated by pywal/wal. With various options such as specifying background images, applying gaussian blur, and setting custom destinations, users can create personalized themes that enhance the visual experience of using Telegram.
