Animate GIF wallpapers in the shell

bin/blob-wallpaper-set

@@ -107,32 +107,9 @@ fi
 
 NEW_BACKGROUND="$THEME_DIR/backgrounds/$(basename "$IMAGE_PATH")"
 
-# Stop a gif daemon left over from a previous wallpaper. `awww kill` shuts the
-# daemon down via its own IPC so it cleans up its socket, unlike a raw `pkill`.
 awww kill --all >/dev/null 2>&1
 pkill -x awww-daemon 2>/dev/null
 
-# blob-bg-set updates ~/.local/state/blob/current/background and
-# tells the running Blob shell to repaint, which is what draws the desktop
-# background in Blob 4 (swaybg is no longer involved).
 blob-bg-set "$NEW_BACKGROUND"
 
-if [[ "${IMAGE_PATH,,}" == *.gif ]]; then
-    # The shell renders a still frame from the symlink above; awww layers the
-    # animation on top of it.
-    echo "GIF detected, using awww for animation..."
-    setsid uwsm-app -- awww-daemon >>"$HOME/.cache/awww-daemon.log" 2>&1 &
-
-    # Poll until the daemon's IPC socket is ready instead of guessing a fixed sleep
-    IMG_ERROR=""
-    for _ in {1..15}; do
-        IMG_ERROR=$(awww img "$NEW_BACKGROUND" 2>&1) && break
-        sleep 0.3
-    done
-    if [[ -n "$IMG_ERROR" ]]; then
-        echo "awww failed to set the wallpaper: $IMG_ERROR"
-        echo "See $HOME/.cache/awww-daemon.log for daemon output."
-    fi
-fi
-
 echo "Wallpaper and dynamic theme applied successfully: $IMAGE_PATH"

docs/packages.md

@@ -133,7 +133,6 @@ Omarchy's own package list, because they were installed by hand on this machine:
 | --- | --- |
 | `python-pywal16` | `blob-wallpaper-set`, palette extraction |
 | `python-terminaltexteffects` | `blob-screensaver`, the effects it draws |
-| `awww` | the wallpaper daemon `blob-wallpaper-set` and `blob-theme-menu` drive |
 | `playerctl` | the quick settings media row |
 
 `playerctl` is in official `extra`, so it sits in the repo list.

docs/shell.md

@@ -88,6 +88,16 @@ Keys in the clock popup:
 | Enter | back to today, or pick the highlighted month |
 | Esc | close the month picker, then the popup |
 
+## Animated wallpapers
+
+The background plugin draws a GIF wallpaper with `AnimatedImage`, so it moves
+however it was set: the wallpaper picker, `blob wallpaper set`, `blob bg set`,
+or a theme's own background. The transition into it shows the first frame, and
+the animation starts once the transition finishes. Per-monitor wallpapers from
+`blob bg monitor` animate the same way. `awww` is no longer needed;
+`blob-wallpaper-set` and `blob-theme-menu` still stop a leftover `awww-daemon`
+so it cannot paint over the shell.
+
 ## Differences from upstream
 
 This shell was forked from Omarchy 4.0.4 and is not tracked against it. The

packages/blob.packages

@@ -114,9 +114,6 @@ libvips
 webp-pixbuf-loader
 ffmpegthumbnailer
 
-# Theming
-awww
-
 # Capture
 grim
 slurp

shell/plugins/background/Background.qml

@@ -41,6 +41,10 @@ Item {
     return Util.fileUrl(path)
   }
 
+  function isAnimated(path) {
+    return /\.gif$/i.test(String(path || ""))
+  }
+
   function refreshBackground() {
     if (!readlinkProc.running) readlinkProc.running = true
     if (!monitorBackgroundProc.running) monitorBackgroundProc.running = true
@@ -274,6 +278,19 @@ Item {
         }
       }
 
+      AnimatedImage {
+        id: animatedBase
+        readonly property string path: panel.hasAssignment ? panel.assignedBackground : root.displayedBackground
+        readonly property bool wanted: root.isAnimated(path)
+        anchors.fill: parent
+        source: wanted ? root.imageUrl(path) : ""
+        fillMode: Image.PreserveAspectCrop
+        asynchronous: true
+        cache: false
+        visible: wanted && status === AnimatedImage.Ready
+        playing: visible
+      }
+
       Image {
         id: oldFrame
         anchors.fill: parent