colormgr

colormgr [--version | --help]
colormgr COMMAND [ARGUMENTS]

--version
    Displays the version of colormgr and exits.

--help
    Shows a summary of available commands and global options.

calibrate-device device ID
    Initiates a calibration process for the specified device. This command often launches a graphical application for user interaction.

create-profile-from-device device ID
    Creates a new color profile based on readings or default settings from a connected device.

create-profile-from-target device ID target type
    Creates a profile for a device based on a specified target type (e.g., sRGB, AdobeRGB for displays).

delete-device device ID
    Deletes a color device from the colord daemon's management and unassociates its profiles.

delete-profile profile ID
    Removes a color profile from the system and unassociates it from devices.

device-add-profile device ID profile ID
    Associates an existing profile with a specific device.

device-get-profiles device ID
    Lists all color profiles currently associated with a given device.

device-set-default-profile device ID profile ID
    Sets a specific profile as the default for a device, which will be used unless overridden.

device-set-enabled device ID true|false
    Enables or disables a device's color management within colord.

device-set-mode device ID mode
    Sets the color mode for a device (e.g., 'display', 'printer', 'scanner').

device-set-preferred-profile device ID profile ID
    Sets a preferred profile for a device, which might be used when no default is explicitly specified.

device-set-profile-enabled device ID profile ID true|false
    Enables or disables the use of a specific profile for a device.

dump-all
    Dumps detailed information about all registered devices and profiles in XML format.

dump-device device ID
    Displays detailed information about a specific device in XML format.

dump-profile profile ID
    Displays detailed information about a specific profile in XML format.

find-profiles
    Finds profiles based on various criteria (e.g., tags, manufacturer, creation date).

get-default-device
    Retrieves the ID of the system's default color device.

get-default-profile
    Retrieves the ID of the system's default color profile.

get-devices
    Lists all color devices currently managed by colord.

get-icc-profiles
    Lists all installed ICC profiles, showing their file paths and associated profile IDs.

get-preferred-profiles
    Lists preferred profiles for all devices, indicating which profile colord would recommend.

get-profiles
    Lists all color profiles known to colord.

get-sensor-readings sensor ID
    Gets current readings from a color sensor (e.g., ambient light sensor data).

import-profile filename
    Imports an ICC profile file into the system. This command is often deprecated in favor of profile-install.

list-sensors
    Lists all available color sensors connected to the system.

monitor-all
    Monitors D-Bus signals for any changes in devices or profiles, providing real-time updates.

monitor-devices
    Monitors D-Bus signals for changes specifically in color devices (e.g., added, removed, status changes).

monitor-profiles
    Monitors D-Bus signals for changes specifically in color profiles (e.g., added, removed, updated).

profile-get-icc-file profile ID
    Retrieves the file path to the ICC profile associated with a given profile ID.

profile-install file
    Installs a new ICC profile from a specified file into the system.

profile-set-from-icc profile ID file
    Updates an existing profile's ICC data using a new ICC file, retaining its existing ID.

profile-uninstall profile ID
    Uninstalls a previously installed profile from the system.

sensor-calibrate sensor ID
    Initiates a calibration routine for a specified color sensor.

sensor-set-mode sensor ID mode
    Sets the operational mode for a color sensor (e.g., 'ambient', 'spot').

The colormgr command-line utility provides an interface to the colord system daemon, which manages color profiles for devices such as displays, printers, and scanners. It allows users and administrators to query, install, remove, and associate color profiles with hardware, ensuring accurate color reproduction across the system.

colormgr interacts with colord via D-Bus, enabling programmatic control over color management features. It is commonly used in desktop environments like GNOME to configure display calibration and printer profiles, offering both diagnostic capabilities and the means to apply color corrections without relying on a graphical user interface.

colormgr relies entirely on the colord system daemon being installed and running. Without colord, colormgr will not function and typically report D-Bus errors.

Some commands, like calibrate-device, may require a graphical environment and launch a separate application for user interaction.

Permissions are crucial; typical users might only be able to query information, while administrative tasks (e.g., installing profiles, deleting devices) require elevated privileges (e.g., using sudo).

Many colormgr commands require device IDs or profile IDs. These are unique string identifiers managed by the colord daemon.

They can typically be found by using commands like colormgr get-devices to list device IDs and colormgr get-profiles to list profile IDs. These IDs are often UUIDs (Universally Unique Identifiers) or derived from hardware identifiers.

The colormgr command and the underlying colord daemon were developed as part of the GNOME project to provide a standardized, system-wide color management solution for Linux. It emerged to centralize and simplify the handling of color profiles, replacing or augmenting older, more disparate methods.

Its development aimed to integrate seamlessly with desktop environments and allow hardware vendors to provide accurate color information for their devices. colormgr became a core component for color management in many Linux distributions, particularly those using GNOME, around the early 2010s, ensuring a consistent color experience.

colord(8), gnome-color-manager, xrandr(1)