4 XScreenSaver(1) XScreenSaver(1)
8 xscreensaver-command - control a running xscreensaver pro-
11 S
\bSY
\bYN
\bNO
\bOP
\bPS
\bSI
\bIS
\bS
12 x
\bxs
\bsc
\bcr
\bre
\bee
\ben
\bns
\bsa
\bav
\bve
\ber
\br-
\b-c
\bco
\bom
\bmm
\bma
\ban
\bnd
\bd [-help] [-demo] [-prefs] [-activate]
13 [-deactivate] [-cycle] [-next] [-prev] [-select _
\bn] [-exit]
14 [-restart] [-lock] [-throttle] [-unthrottle] [-version]
17 D
\bDE
\bES
\bSC
\bCR
\bRI
\bIP
\bPT
\bTI
\bIO
\bON
\bN
18 The _
\bx_
\bs_
\bc_
\br_
\be_
\be_
\bn_
\bs_
\ba_
\bv_
\be_
\br_
\b-_
\bc_
\bo_
\bm_
\bm_
\ba_
\bn_
\bd program controls a running
19 _
\bx_
\bs_
\bc_
\br_
\be_
\be_
\bn_
\bs_
\ba_
\bv_
\be_
\br process by sending it client-messages.
21 x
\bxs
\bsc
\bcr
\bre
\bee
\ben
\bns
\bsa
\bav
\bve
\ber
\br(1) has a client-server model: the xscreen-
22 saver process is a daemon that runs in the background; it
23 is controlled by other foreground programs such as
24 _
\bx_
\bs_
\bc_
\br_
\be_
\be_
\bn_
\bs_
\ba_
\bv_
\be_
\br_
\b-_
\bc_
\bo_
\bm_
\bm_
\ba_
\bn_
\bd and x
\bxs
\bsc
\bcr
\bre
\bee
\ben
\bns
\bsa
\bav
\bve
\ber
\br-
\b-d
\bde
\bem
\bmo
\bo(1).
26 This program, _
\bx_
\bs_
\bc_
\br_
\be_
\be_
\bn_
\bs_
\ba_
\bv_
\be_
\br_
\b-_
\bc_
\bo_
\bm_
\bm_
\ba_
\bn_
\bd, is a command-line-ori-
27 ented tool; the x
\bxs
\bsc
\bcr
\bre
\bee
\ben
\bns
\bsa
\bav
\bve
\ber
\br-
\b-d
\bde
\bem
\bmo
\bo(1). program is a graph-
30 O
\bOP
\bPT
\bTI
\bIO
\bON
\bNS
\bS
31 _
\bx_
\bs_
\bc_
\br_
\be_
\be_
\bn_
\bs_
\ba_
\bv_
\be_
\br_
\b-_
\bc_
\bo_
\bm_
\bm_
\ba_
\bn_
\bd accepts the following command-line
34 -
\b-h
\bhe
\bel
\blp
\bp Prints a brief summary of command-line options.
36 -
\b-d
\bde
\bem
\bmo
\bo This just launches the x
\bxs
\bsc
\bcr
\bre
\bee
\ben
\bns
\bsa
\bav
\bve
\ber
\br-
\b-d
\bde
\bem
\bmo
\bo(1) pro-
37 gram, in which one can experiment with the various
38 graphics hacks available, and edit parameters.
40 -
\b-d
\bde
\bem
\bmo
\bo _
\bn_
\bu_
\bm_
\bb_
\be_
\br
41 When the _
\b-_
\bd_
\be_
\bm_
\bo option is followed by an integer,
42 it instructs the _
\bx_
\bs_
\bc_
\br_
\be_
\be_
\bn_
\bs_
\ba_
\bv_
\be_
\br daemon to run that
43 hack, and wait for the user to click the mouse
44 before deactivating (i.e., mouse motion does not
45 deactivate.) This is the mechanism by which
46 x
\bxs
\bsc
\bcr
\bre
\bee
\ben
\bns
\bsa
\bav
\bve
\ber
\br-
\b-d
\bde
\bem
\bmo
\bo(1) communicates with the
47 x
\bxs
\bsc
\bcr
\bre
\bee
\ben
\bns
\bsa
\bav
\bve
\ber
\br(1) daemon. (The first hack in the
48 list is numbered 1, not 0.)
50 -
\b-p
\bpr
\bre
\bef
\bfs
\bs Like the no-argument form of _
\b-_
\bd_
\be_
\bm_
\bo, but brings up
51 that program's Preferences panel by default.
53 -
\b-a
\bac
\bct
\bti
\biv
\bva
\bat
\bte
\be
54 Tell xscreensaver to turn on immediately (that is,
55 blank the screen, as if the user had been idle for
56 long enough.) The screensaver will deactivate as
57 soon as there is any user activity, as usual.
59 It is useful to run this from a menu; you may wish
64 X Version 11 20-Jun-99 (3.15) 1
70 XScreenSaver(1) XScreenSaver(1)
75 sleep 5 ; xscreensaver-command -activate
77 to be sure that you have time to take your hand
78 off the mouse before the screensaver comes on.
79 (Because if you jiggle the mouse, xscreensaver
80 will notice, and deactivate.)
82 -
\b-d
\bde
\bea
\bac
\bct
\bti
\biv
\bva
\bat
\bte
\be
83 If the screensaver is active (the screen is
84 blanked), this command will deactivate it just as
85 if there had been keyboard or mouse activity. If
86 locking is enabled, then the screensaver will
87 prompt for a password as usual.
89 -
\b-c
\bcy
\byc
\bcl
\ble
\be If the screensaver is active (the screen is
90 blanked), then stop the current graphics demo and
91 run a new one (chosen randomly.)
93 -
\b-n
\bne
\bex
\bxt
\bt This is like either _
\b-_
\ba_
\bc_
\bt_
\bi_
\bv_
\ba_
\bt_
\be or _
\b-_
\bc_
\by_
\bc_
\bl_
\be, depending
94 on which is more appropriate, except that the
95 graphics hack that will be run is the next one in
96 the list, instead of a randomly-chosen one. In
97 other words, repeatedly executing -next will cause
98 the xscreensaver process to invoke each graphics
99 demo sequentially. (Though using the _
\b-_
\bd_
\be_
\bm_
\bo option
100 is probably an easier way to accomplish that.)
102 -
\b-p
\bpr
\bre
\bev
\bv This is like _
\b-_
\bn_
\be_
\bx_
\bt, but cycles in the other direc-
105 -
\b-s
\bse
\bel
\ble
\bec
\bct
\bt _
\bn_
\bu_
\bm_
\bb_
\be_
\br
106 Like _
\b-_
\ba_
\bc_
\bt_
\bi_
\bv_
\ba_
\bt_
\be, but runs the _
\bNth element in the
107 list of hacks. By knowing what is in the _
\bp_
\br_
\bo_
\bg_
\br_
\ba_
\bm_
\bs
108 list, and in what order, you can use this to acti-
109 vate the screensaver with a particular graphics
110 demo. (The first element in the list is numbered
113 -
\b-e
\bex
\bxi
\bit
\bt Causes the xscreensaver process to exit grace-
114 fully. This is roughly the same as killing the
115 process with k
\bki
\bil
\bll
\bl(1), but it is easier, since you
116 don't need to first figure out the pid.
118 W
\bWa
\bar
\brn
\bni
\bin
\bng
\bg:
\b: never use _
\bk_
\bi_
\bl_
\bl _
\b-_
\b9 with _
\bx_
\bs_
\bc_
\br_
\be_
\be_
\bn_
\bs_
\ba_
\bv_
\be_
\br while
119 the screensaver is active. If you are using a
120 virtual root window manager, that can leave things
121 in an inconsistent state, and you may need to
122 restart your window manager to repair the damage.
124 -
\b-l
\blo
\boc
\bck
\bk Tells the running xscreensaver process to lock the
125 screen immediately. This is like _
\b-_
\ba_
\bc_
\bt_
\bi_
\bv_
\ba_
\bt_
\be, but
126 forces locking as well, even if locking is not the
130 X Version 11 20-Jun-99 (3.15) 2
136 XScreenSaver(1) XScreenSaver(1)
139 default (that is, even if xscreensaver's _
\bl_
\bo_
\bc_
\bk
140 resource is false, and even if the _
\bl_
\bo_
\bc_
\bk_
\bT_
\bi_
\bm_
\be_
\bo_
\bu_
\bt
141 resource is non-zero.)
143 Note that locking doesn't work unless the _
\bx_
\bs_
\bc_
\br_
\be_
\be_
\bn_
\b-
144 _
\bs_
\ba_
\bv_
\be_
\br process is running as you. See x
\bxs
\bsc
\bcr
\bre
\bee
\ben
\bn-
\b-
145 s
\bsa
\bav
\bve
\ber
\br(1) for details.
147 -
\b-t
\bth
\bhr
\bro
\bot
\btt
\btl
\ble
\be
148 Temporarily switch to ``blank screen'' mode, and
149 don't run any display modes at all, until the
150 screensaver is next de-activated. This is useful
151 if you're using a machine remotely, and you find
152 that some display modes are using too much CPU.
154 (If you want to do this _
\bp_
\be_
\br_
\bm_
\ba_
\bn_
\be_
\bn_
\bt_
\bl_
\by, that is, you
155 want the screen saver to only blank the screen and
156 not run demos at all, then set the _
\bp_
\br_
\bo_
\bg_
\br_
\ba_
\bm_
\bs
157 resource to an empty list: See x
\bxs
\bsc
\bcr
\bre
\bee
\ben
\bns
\bsa
\bav
\bve
\ber
\br(1)
160 -
\b-u
\bun
\bnt
\bth
\bhr
\bro
\bot
\btt
\btl
\ble
\be
161 Turn `-throttle' mode off and resume normal behav-
164 -
\b-v
\bve
\ber
\brs
\bsi
\bio
\bon
\bn
165 Prints the version of xscreensaver that is cur-
166 rently running on the display: that is, the actual
167 version number of the running xscreensaver back-
168 ground process, rather than the version number of
169 xscreensaver-command. (To see the version number
170 of _
\bx_
\bs_
\bc_
\br_
\be_
\be_
\bn_
\bs_
\ba_
\bv_
\be_
\br_
\b-_
\bc_
\bo_
\bm_
\bm_
\ba_
\bn_
\bd itself, use the _
\b-_
\bh_
\be_
\bl_
\bp
173 -
\b-t
\bti
\bim
\bme
\be Prints the time at which the screensaver last
174 activated or deactivated (roughly, how long the
175 user has been idle or non-idle: but not quite,
176 since it only tells you when the screen became
177 blanked or un-blanked.)
179 -
\b-r
\bre
\bes
\bst
\bta
\bar
\brt
\bt
180 Causes the screensaver process to exit and then
181 restart with the same command line arguments as
182 last time. Do this after you've changed the
183 resource database, to cause xscreensaver to notice
186 W
\bWa
\bar
\brn
\bni
\bin
\bng
\bg:
\b: if you have a _
\b._
\bx_
\bs_
\bc_
\br_
\be_
\be_
\bn_
\bs_
\ba_
\bv_
\be_
\br file, this
187 might not do what you expect. You're probably
188 better off killing the existing xscreensaver (with
189 _
\bx_
\bs_
\bc_
\br_
\be_
\be_
\bn_
\bs_
\ba_
\bv_
\be_
\br_
\b-_
\bc_
\bo_
\bm_
\bm_
\ba_
\bn_
\bd _
\b-_
\be_
\bx_
\bi_
\bt) and then launching it
192 The important point is, you need to make sure that
196 X Version 11 20-Jun-99 (3.15) 3
202 XScreenSaver(1) XScreenSaver(1)
205 the xscreensaver process is running as you. If
206 it's not, it won't be reading the right _
\b._
\bx_
\bs_
\bc_
\br_
\be_
\be_
\bn_
\b-
207 _
\bs_
\ba_
\bv_
\be_
\br file.
209 D
\bDI
\bIA
\bAG
\bGN
\bNO
\bOS
\bST
\bTI
\bIC
\bCS
\bS
210 If an error occurs while communicating with the _
\bx_
\bs_
\bc_
\br_
\be_
\be_
\bn_
\b-
211 _
\bs_
\ba_
\bv_
\be_
\br daemon, or if the daemon reports an error, a diag-
212 nostic message will be printed to stderr, and _
\bx_
\bs_
\bc_
\br_
\be_
\be_
\bn_
\b-
213 _
\bs_
\ba_
\bv_
\be_
\br_
\b-_
\bc_
\bo_
\bm_
\bm_
\ba_
\bn_
\bd will exit with a non-zero value. If the
214 command is accepted, an indication of this will be printed
215 to stdout, and the exit value will be zero.
217 E
\bEN
\bNV
\bVI
\bIR
\bRO
\bON
\bNM
\bME
\bEN
\bNT
\bT
218 D
\bDI
\bIS
\bSP
\bPL
\bLA
\bAY
\bY to get the host and display number of the screen
219 whose saver is to be manipulated.
221 P
\bPA
\bAT
\bTH
\bH to find the executable to restart (for the
222 _
\b-_
\br_
\be_
\bs_
\bt_
\ba_
\br_
\bt command). Note that this variable is
223 consulted in the environment of the _
\bx_
\bs_
\bc_
\br_
\be_
\be_
\bn_
\bs_
\ba_
\bv_
\be_
\br
224 process, not the _
\bx_
\bs_
\bc_
\br_
\be_
\be_
\bn_
\bs_
\ba_
\bv_
\be_
\br_
\b-_
\bc_
\bo_
\bm_
\bm_
\ba_
\bn_
\bd process.
226 U
\bUP
\bPG
\bGR
\bRA
\bAD
\bDE
\bES
\bS
227 The latest version of x
\bxs
\bsc
\bcr
\bre
\bee
\ben
\bns
\bsa
\bav
\bve
\ber
\br(1) and related tools
228 can always be found at http://www.jwz.org/xscreensaver/
230 S
\bSE
\bEE
\bE A
\bAL
\bLS
\bSO
\bO
231 X
\bX(1), x
\bxs
\bsc
\bcr
\bre
\bee
\ben
\bns
\bsa
\bav
\bve
\ber
\br(1) x
\bxs
\bsc
\bcr
\bre
\bee
\ben
\bns
\bsa
\bav
\bve
\ber
\br-
\b-d
\bde
\bem
\bmo
\bo(1)
233 C
\bCO
\bOP
\bPY
\bYR
\bRI
\bIG
\bGH
\bHT
\bT
234 Copyright (C) 1992, 1993, 1997, 1998, 1999 by Jamie Zawin-
235 ski. Permission to use, copy, modify, distribute, and
236 sell this software and its documentation for any purpose
237 is hereby granted without fee, provided that the above
238 copyright notice appear in all copies and that both that
239 copyright notice and this permission notice appear in sup-
240 porting documentation. No representations are made about
241 the suitability of this software for any purpose. It is
242 provided "as is" without express or implied warranty.
244 A
\bAU
\bUT
\bTH
\bHO
\bOR
\bR
245 Jamie Zawinski <jwz@jwz.org>, 13-aug-92.
247 Please let me know if you find any bugs or make any
262 X Version 11 20-Jun-99 (3.15) 4