xscreensaver - graphics hack and screen locker, launched when the user is idle
.SH SYNOPSIS
.B xscreensaver
-[\-display \fIhost:display.screen\fP] [\-timeout \fIint\fP] [\-cycle \fIint\fP] [\-nice \fIint\fP] [\-verbose] [\-silent] [\-xidle] [\-no-xidle] [\-lock] [\-no-lock] [\-lock\-timeout \fIint\fP] [\-demo] [\-visual \fIvisual\fP] [\-install] [\-no-install] [\-xrm \fIresources\fP]
+[\-display \fIhost:display.screen\fP] [\-timeout \fIint\fP] [\-cycle \fIint\fP] [\-nice \fIint\fP] [\-verbose] [\-silent] [\-lock] [\-no\-lock] [\-lock\-timeout \fIint\fP] [\-demo] [\-visual \fIvisual\fP] [\-install] [\-no\-install] [\-xidle\-extension] [\-no\-xidle\-extension] [\-sgi\-extension] [\-no\-sgi\-extension] [\-mit\-extension] [\-no\-mit\-extension] [\-xrm \fIresources\fP]
.SH DESCRIPTION
The \fIxscreensaver\fP program waits until the keyboard and mouse have been
idle for a period, and then runs a graphics demo chosen at random. It
.B \-no\-xidle\-extension
Don't use the \fBXIDLE\fP server extension.
.TP 8
-.B \-ss\-extension
-Use the \fBMIT\-SCREEN\-SAVER\fP server extension to decide whether the user
+.B \-sgi\-extension
+Use the SGI \fBSCREEN_SAVER\fP server extension to decide whether the user
is idle. This is the default if \fIxscreensaver\fP has been compiled with
-support for this extension. On X11R6 systems, the \fBMIT\-SCREEN\-SAVER\fP
+support for this extension. On SGI systems, the \fBSCREEN_SAVER\fP
method is faster and more reliable than what will be done otherwise, so use
it if you can.
.TP 8
-.B \-no\-ss\-extension
+.B \-no\-sgi\-extension
+Don't use the SGI \fBSCREEN_SAVER\fP server extension.
+.TP 8
+.B \-mit\-extension
+Use the \fBMIT\-SCREEN\-SAVER\fP server extension to decide whether the user
+is idle. This is the default if \fIxscreensaver\fP has been compiled with
+support for this extension. This extension is flaky, so it's use is not
+really recommended.
+.TP 8
+.B \-no\-mit\-extension
Don't use the \fBMIT\-SCREEN\-SAVER\fP server extension.
.TP 8
.B \-lock
or \fBcaptureStderr\fP are true. Default: Black.
.TP 8
.B programs \fR(class \fBPrograms\fP)
-The graphics hacks which \fIxscreensaver\fP runs when the user is idle.
-The value of this resource is a string, one \fIsh\fP command per line.
-Each line must contain exactly one command -- no semicolons.
+The graphics hacks which \fIxscreensaver\fP runs when the user is idle,
+in addition to those specified in colorPrograms or monoPrograms (as
+appropriate.) The value of this resource is a string, one \fIsh\fP command
+per line. Each line must contain exactly one command -- no semicolons.
When the screensaver starts up, one of these is selected at random, and
run. After the \fIcycle\fP period expires, it is killed, and another
it must not be \fBcsh\fP.
.TP 8
.B windowCreationTimeout \fR(class \fBTime\fP)
-When \fIXIdle\fP is not in use, this controls the delay between when
+When server extensions are not in use, this controls the delay between when
windows are created and when \fIxscreensaver\fP selects events on them.
Default 30 seconds.
.TP 8
.B pointerPollTime \fR(class \fBTime\fP)
-When \fIXIdle\fP is not in use, this controls how frequently \fIxscreensaver\fP
-checks to see if the mouse position or buttons have changed. Default 5 seconds.
+When server extensions are not in use, this controls how
+frequently \fIxscreensaver\fP checks to see if the mouse position or buttons
+have changed. Default 5 seconds.
.TP 8
.B initialDelay \fR(class \fBTime\fP)
-When \fIXIdle\fP is not in use, \fIxscreensaver\fP will wait this many seconds
-before selecting events on existing windows, under the assumption that
+When server extensions are not in use, \fIxscreensaver\fP will wait this many
+seconds before selecting events on existing windows, under the assumption that
\fIxscreensaver\fP is started during your login procedure, and the window
state may be in flux. Default 30 seconds.
.SH "HOW IT WORKS"
file. Because \fIxdm\fP grabs the keyboard, keypresses will not make
the screensaver deactivate, but any mouse activity will.
.PP
+(If your system does not seem to be executing the \fIXsetup\fP file, you
+may need to configure it to do so -- the traditional way to do this is
+to make that file the value of the \fIDisplayManager*setup\fP resource
+in the \fIxdm-config\fP file. See the man page for
+.BR xdm (1)
+for more details.)
+.PP
Users may want to add \fB"xscreensaver-command -restart"\fP to their
startup scripts, so that the screensaver will be reinitialized with
their private resource settings when they log in.
.BR decayscreen (1),
.BR hypercube (1),
.BR flame (1),
+.BR bubbles (1),
.BR maze (1),
.BR ico (1),
.BR xdaliclock (1),
(This is not a bug, but I mention it here because people think that
it is with great regularity.)
.PP
-If you are not making use of one of the server extensions (\fBXIDLE\fP
-or \fBMIT-SCREEN-SAVER\fP), then it is possible, in rare situations,
-for \fIxscreensaver\fP to interfere with event propagation and make
+If you are not making use of one of the server extensions (\fBXIDLE\fP,
+\fBSCREEN_SAVER\fP, or \fBMIT-SCREEN-SAVER\fP), then it is possible, in rare
+situations, for \fIxscreensaver\fP to interfere with event propagation and make
another X program malfunction. For this to occur, that other application
would need to \fInot\fP select \fBKeyPress\fP events on its non-leaf windows
within the first 30 seconds of their existence, but then select for them later.
window manager and its descendants. There is a race condition between the
screensaver and this window manager, which can result in the screensaver's
colormap not getting installed properly, meaning the graphics hacks will
-appear in essentially random colors. The
+appear in essentially random colors. (If the screen goes white instead of
+black, this is probably why.) The
.BR mwm (1)
and
.BR olwm (1)
the fade begins. This is because the server maps a black window just before
it tells the \fIxscreensaver\fP process to activate. The \fIxscreensaver\fP
process immediately unmaps that window, but this results in a flicker. I
-haven't figured out how to get around this yet.
+haven't figured a way to get around this; it seems to be a fundamental
+property of the (mis-) design of this server extension.
.PP
There need to be a lot more graphics hacks. In particular, there should be
a simulation of a Lavalite (tm).
+.SH UPGRADES
+The latest version can always be found at http://www.netscape.com/people/jwz/.
+There is also usually an up-to-date copy at ftp://ftp.x.org/.
.SH COPYRIGHT
-Copyright \(co 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995 by Jamie Zawinski. Permission to use,
-copy, modify, distribute, and sell this software and its documentation for
-any purpose is hereby granted without fee, provided that the above copyright
-notice appear in all copies and that both that copyright notice and this
-permission notice appear in supporting documentation. No representations are
-made about the suitability of this software for any purpose. It is provided
-"as is" without express or implied warranty.
+Copyright \(co 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996 by Jamie Zawinski. Permission
+to use, copy, modify, distribute, and sell this software and its documentation
+for any purpose is hereby granted without fee, provided that the above
+copyright notice appear in all copies and that both that copyright notice
+and this permission notice appear in supporting documentation. No
+representations are made about the suitability of this software for any
+purpose. It is provided "as is" without express or implied warranty.
.SH AUTHOR
-Jamie Zawinski <jwz@mcom.com>, 13-aug-92.
+Jamie Zawinski <jwz@netscape.com>, 13-aug-92.
Please let me know if you find any bugs or make any improvements.
Thanks to David Wojtowicz for implementing \fIlockTimeout\fP.
projects / xscreensaver / blobdiff