.if n .sp 1
.if t .sp .5
..
-.TH XScreenSaver 1 "6-Jan-95" "X Version 11"
+.TH XScreenSaver 1 "16-Jan-98" "X Version 11"
.SH NAME
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] [\-lock] [\-no\-lock] [\-lock\-timeout \fIint\fP] [\-demo] [\-visual \fIvisual\fP] [\-install] [\-no\-install] [\-verbose] [\-silent] [\-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
programs is the ease with which new graphics hacks can be installed. You
don't need to recompile (or even re-run) this program to add a new display
mode.
+.SH GETTING STARTED
+For the impatient, try this:
+.EX
+ xscreensaver &
+ xscreensaver-command -demo
+.EE
+After a few seconds, the screen should go black, and a dialog box should
+appear in the upper right corner. This is \fIDemo Mode\fP.
+.SH DEMO MODE
+If \fIxscreensaver\fP receives the \fBDEMO\fP ClientMessage, which is done
+by running the
+.BR xscreensaver\-command (1)
+program with the \fB\-demo\fP option, the screensaver will black the screen
+and pop up a dialog box from which you can examine and experiment with the
+client programs.
+
+The dialog box contains a scrolling list, a text field, and a number of
+buttons.
+
+Double-clicking on one of the programs in the list will run it. The dialog
+box will disappear, allowing the program access to the full screen. Clicking
+the mouse again will bring the dialog box back.
+
+Single-clicking in the list will place the indicated program and its args
+in the text field to be edited. Edit the arguments and hit return to run
+the program with the parameters you have specified. (Note that these are
+one-time changes and won't be remembered; to make the changes permanent,
+you need to edit your X resource file.)
+
+The buttons are:
+.TP 8
+.B Run Next
+Clicking this button will run the next program in the list after the
+currently-selected one, and will scroll around to the top when it reaches
+the bottom.
+.TP 8
+.B Run Previous
+Opposite of Run Next; at the top, it scrolls around to the bottom.
+.TP 8
+.B Edit Parameters
+This pops up a second dialog box, in which you have the option to
+interactively change most of the screensaver's operational parameters,
+such as its timeouts, and whether it should lock the screen. Changing
+these parameters here will affect only the running \fIxscreensaver\fP
+process; to make the changes permanent, you need to edit your X resource
+file. (See below.)
+.TP 8
+.B Exit Demo Mode
+Returns to normal screensaver operation.
+.TP 8
+.B Reinitialize
+This causes the X resource database to be re-read, to pick up any changes
+you might have made. This works by causing the screensaver process to exit
+and then restart itself with the same command-line arguments. This is just
+like the \fI\-restart\fP argument to
+.BR xscreensaver\-command (1)
+except that when executed from this button, the screensaver will
+automatically return to demo mode after restarting.
.SH OPTIONS
.I xscreensaver
-accepts the following options:
+accepts the following command line options:
.TP 8
.B \-timeout \fIminutes\fP
The screensaver will activate after the keyboard and mouse have been idle
-for this many minutes.
+for this many minutes. Default 10.
.TP 8
.B \-cycle \fIminutes\fP
After the screensaver has been running for this many minutes, the currently
-running sub-process will be killed (with \fBSIGTERM\fP), and a new one
-started. If this is 0, then the sub-process will not be killed; only one
-demo will run until the screensaver is deactivated by user activity.
+running graphics hack sub-process will be killed (with \fBSIGTERM\fP), and a
+new one started. If this is 0, then the graphics hack will not be changed:
+only one demo will run until the screensaver is deactivated by user activity.
+Default 10.
.TP 8
.B \-nice \fIinteger\fP
The sub-processes created by \fIxscreensaver\fP will be ``niced'' to this
-level, so that they do not consume cycles that are needed elsewhere.
-.TP 8
-.B \-verbose
-Print diagnostics.
-.TP 8
-.B \-silent
+level, so that they are given lower priority than other processes on the
+system, and don't increase the load unnecessarily. The default is 20.
-.TP 8
-.B \-xidle\-extension
-Use the \fBXIDLE\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 X11R4 or X11R5 systems, the XIdle method is faster
-and more reliable than what will be done otherwise, so use it if you can.
-.TP 8
-.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
-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
-method is faster and more reliable than what will be done otherwise, so use
-it if you can.
-.TP 8
-.B \-no\-ss\-extension
-Don't use the \fBMIT\-SCREEN\-SAVER\fP server extension.
+(Higher numbers mean lower priority; see
+.BR nice (1)
+for details.)
.TP 8
.B \-lock
Enable locking: before the screensaver will turn off, it requires you to
.TP 8
.B \-lock\-timeout \fIminutes\fP
This is how long after the screensaver activates that locking is enabled.
-For example, if this is 5, then any user activity within five minutes of
-the time when the screensaver activated will cause the screen to unblank
-without requiring a password. After 5 minutes, a password will be
+For example, if this is 5, and \fI\-timeout\fP is 10, then after 10 minutes,
+the screen would blank. If there was user activity at 12 minutes, no password
+would be required. But, if there was user activity at 15 minutes or later
+(\fI\-lock\-timeout\fP minutes after activation) then a password would be
required. The default is 0, meaning that if locking is enabled, then
a password will be required as soon as the screensaver activates.
.TP 8
+.B \-demo
+Enter the interactive demo mode immediately after startup. Normally
+demo mode is invoked via the
+.BR xscreensaver\-command (1)
+program, but this is a shortcut for new users. See below for a description
+of how demo-mode works.
+.TP 8
.B \-visual \fIvisual\fP
-Specify which visual to use. Legal values are:
+Specify which X visual to use by default. Legal values are:
.RS 8
.TP 8
+.B default
+Use the screen's default visual (the visual of the root window.)
+This is the default.
+.TP 8
.B best
-Use the visual which supports the most writable color cells; this is
-the default.
+Use the visual which supports the most colors. Note, however, that the
+visual with the most colors might be a TrueColor visual, which does not
+support colormap animation. Some programs have more interesting behavior
+when run on PseudoColor visuals than on TrueColor.
.TP 8
-.B default
-Use the screen's default visual (the visual of the root window.) This is
-not necessarily the most colorful visual, which is why it is not the default.
+.B mono
+Use a monochrome visual, if there is one.
+.TP 8
+.B gray
+Use a grayscale or staticgray visual, if there is one and it has more than
+one plane (that is, it's not monochrome.)
+.TP 8
+.B color
+Use the best of the color visuals, if there are any.
.TP 8
.I class
-One of \fBStaticGray\fP, \fBStaticColor\fP, \fBTrueColor\fP, \fBGrayScale\fP,
-\fBPseudoColor\fP, or \fBDirectColor\fP. Selects the deepest visual of
-the given class.
+where \fIclass\fP is one of \fBStaticGray\fP, \fBStaticColor\fP,
+\fBTrueColor\fP, \fBGrayScale\fP, \fBPseudoColor\fP, or \fBDirectColor\fP.
+Selects the deepest visual of the given class.
.TP 8
.I number
-A number (decimal or hex) is interpreted as a visual id number, as reported
-by the
+where \fInumber\fP (decimal or hex) is interpreted as a visual id number,
+as reported by the
.BR xdpyinfo (1)
-program; in this way you can select a shallower visual if desired.
+program; in this way you can have finer control over exactly which visual
+gets used, for example, to select a shallower one than would otherwise
+have been chosen.
+
+.RE
+.RS 8
+Note that this option specifies only the \fIdefault\fP visual that will
+be used: the visual used may be overridden on a program-by-program basis.
+See the description of the \fBprograms\fP resource, below.
.RE
.TP 8
+.B \-install
+Install a private colormap while the screensaver is active, so that the
+graphics hacks can get as many colors as possible. This is the
+default. (This only applies when the screen's default visual is being
+used, since non-default visuals get their own colormaps automatically.)
+This can also be overridden on a per-hack basis: see the discussion of
+the \fBdefault\-n\fP name in the section about the \fBprograms\fP resource.
+.TP 8
.B \-no\-install
-Use the default colormap. This is the default.
+Use the default colormap.
.TP 8
-.B \-install
-Install a private colormap while the screensaver is on, so that the graphics
-hacks can get as many colors as possible.
+.B \-verbose
+Print diagnostics.
.TP 8
-.B \-demo
-Enter the interactive demo mode immediately after startup. Normally
-demo mode is invoked via the
-.BR xscreensaver\-command (1)
-program.
+.B \-silent
+
+.TP 8
+.B \-xidle\-extension
+Use the \fBXIDLE\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 X11R4 or X11R5 systems, the XIdle method is faster
+and more reliable than what will be done otherwise, so use it if you can.
+.TP 8
+.B \-no\-xidle\-extension
+Don't use the \fBXIDLE\fP server extension.
+.TP 8
+.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 (which is the default on SGI systems.). If it
+is available, 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\-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. However, this extension is flaky, so it's use
+is not really recommended. (It also makes the \fIfade\fP option not work
+properly.)
+.TP 8
+.B \-no\-mit\-extension
+Don't use the \fBMIT\-SCREEN\-SAVER\fP server extension.
.SH X RESOURCES
\fIxscreensaver\fP understands the following resources:
.PP
.TP 8
-.B timeout \fR(class \fBTime\fP)
+.B timeout\fP (class \fBTime\fP)
Same as the \fI\-timeout\fP command-line option. Default 10 minutes.
.TP 8
-.B cycle \fR(class \fBTime\fP)
+.B cycle\fP (class \fBTime\fP)
Same as the \fI\-cycle\fP command-line option. Default 10 minutes.
.TP 8
-.B nice \fR(class \fBNice\fP)
+.B nice\fP (class \fBNice\fP)
Same as the \fI\-nice\fP command-line option. Default 10.
.TP 8
-.B verbose \fR(class \fBBoolean\fP)
-Same as the \fI\-verbose\fP command-line option.
-.TP 8
-.B xidle \fR(class \fBBoolean\fP)
-Same as the \fI\-xidle\fP command-line option.
-.TP 8
-.B lock \fR(class \fBBoolean\fP)
+.B lock\fP (class \fBBoolean\fP)
Same as the \fI\-lock\fP command-line option.
.TP 8
-.B lockTimeout \fR(class \fBTime\fP)
+.B lockTimeout\fP (class \fBTime\fP)
Same as the \fI\-lock\-timeout\fP command-line option.
.TP 8
-.B fade \fR(class \fBBoolean\fP)
+.B passwdTimeout\fP (class \fBTime\fP)
+If the screen is locked, then this is how many seconds the password dialog box
+should be left on the screen before giving up (default 30.) This should not
+be too large: the X server is grabbed for the duration that the password
+dialog box is up (for security purposes) and leaving the server grabbed for
+too long can cause problems.
+.TP 8
+.B verbose\fP (class \fBBoolean\fP)
+Same as the \fI\-verbose\fP command-line option.
+.TP 8
+.B xidle\fP (class \fBBoolean\fP)
+Same as the \fI\-xidle\fP command-line option.
+.TP 8
+.B fade\fP (class \fBBoolean\fP)
If this is true, then when the screensaver activates, the current contents
of the screen will fade to black instead of simply winking out. This only
-works on displays with writable colormaps. Default true. A fade will also
-be done when switching graphics hacks (when the \fIcycle\fP timer expires.)
+works on displays with writable colormaps, that is, if the screen's default
+visual is a PseudoColor visual. Default true. A fade will also be done when
+switching graphics hacks (when the \fIcycle\fP timer expires.)
.TP 8
-.B unfade \fR(class \fBBoolean\fP)
+.B unfade\fP (class \fBBoolean\fP)
If this is true, then when the screensaver deactivates, the original contents
of the screen will fade in from black instead of appearing immediately. This
only works on displays with writable colormaps, and if \fIfade\fP is true
as well. Default false.
.TP 8
-.B fadeSeconds \fR(class \fBTime\fP)
+.B fadeSeconds\fP (class \fBTime\fP)
If \fIfade\fP is true, this is how long the fade will be in
-seconds (default 1.)
+seconds (default 3.)
.TP 8
-.B fadeTicks \fR(class \fBInteger\fP)
+.B fadeTicks\fP (class \fBInteger\fP)
If \fIfade\fP is true, this is how many times a second the colormap will
be changed to effect a fade. Higher numbers yield smoother fades, but
-may make the fades take longer if your server isn't fast enough to keep
-up. Default 75.
+may make the fades take longer than the specified \fIfadeSeconds\fP if
+your server isn't fast enough to keep up. Default 20.
.TP 8
-.B installColormap \fR(class \fBBoolean\fP)
-Same as the \fI\-install\fP command-line option. Default false.
-.TP 8
-.B passwdTimeout \fR(class \fBTime\fP)
-If \fIlock\fP is true, this is how many seconds the password dialog box
-should be left on the screen before giving up (default 30.) This should
-not be too large: the X server is grabbed for the duration that the password
-dialog box is up (for security purposes) and leaving the server grabbed for
-too long can cause problems.
+.B visualID\fP (class \fBVisualID\fP)
+Same as the \fI\-visual\fP command-line option. Default \fBdefault\fP.
.TP 8
-.B visualID \fR(class \fBVisualID\fP)
-Same as the \fI\-visual\fP command-line option. Default \fBbest\fP.
+.B installColormap\fP (class \fBBoolean\fP)
+Same as the \fI\-install\fP command-line option. Default true.
.TP 8
-.B captureStderr \fR(class \fBBoolean\fP)
+.B captureStderr\fP (class \fBBoolean\fP)
Whether \fIxscreensaver\fP should redirect its standard-error stream to the
window itself. Since its nature is to take over the screen, you would not
normally see error messages generated by the screensaver or the programs it
runs; this resource will cause the output of all relevant programs to be
drawn on the screensaver window itself instead of written to the controlling
-terminal of the screensaver driver process. Default: True.
+terminal of the screensaver driver process. Default true.
.TP 8
-.B captureStdout \fR(class \fBBoolean\fP)
-Like \fBcaptureStderr\fP but for the standard-output stream. Default: True.
+.B captureStdout\fP (class \fBBoolean\fP)
+Like \fBcaptureStderr\fP but for the standard-output stream. Default true.
.TP 8
-.B font \fR(class \fBFont\fP)
+.B font\fP (class \fBFont\fP)
The font used for the stdout/stderr text, if \fBcaptureStdout\fP or
\fBcaptureStderr\fP are true. Default \fB*\-medium\-r\-*\-140\-*\-m\-*\fP
(a 14 point fixed-width font.)
.TP 8
-.B textForeground \fR(class \fBForeground\fP)
+.B textForeground\fP (class \fBForeground\fP)
The foreground color used for the stdout/stderr text, if \fBcaptureStdout\fP
or \fBcaptureStderr\fP are true. Default: Yellow.
.TP 8
-.B textBackground \fR(class \fBBackground\fP)
+.B textBackground\fP (class \fBBackground\fP)
The background color used for the stdout/stderr text, if \fBcaptureStdout\fP
or \fBcaptureStderr\fP are true. Default: Black.
.TP 8
-.B programs \fR(class \fBPrograms\fP)
+.B programs\fP (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 value of this resource is a string, one \fIsh\fP-syntax command per line.
+Each line must contain exactly one command -- no semicolons, no ampersands.
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
is selected and run.
-If the value of this resource (and the applicable one of \fBcolorPrograms\fP
-or \fBmonoPrograms\fP) is empty, then no programs will be run; the screen
-will simply be made black.
+If the value of this resource is empty, then no programs will be run; the
+screen will simply be made black.
+
+If the display has multiple screens, then a different program will be run
+for each screen.
Note that you must escape the newlines; here is an example of how you
might set this in your \fI.Xdefaults\fP file:
+
+.RS 8
.EX
xscreensaver.programs: \\
- qix -root \\n\\
- ico -r -faces -sleep 1 -obj ico \\n\\
- xdaliclock -builtin2 -root \\n\\
- xwave -root
+ qix -root \\n\\
+ ico -r -faces -sleep 1 -obj ico \\n\\
+ xdaliclock -builtin2 -root \\n\\
+ xv -root -rmode 5 image.gif -quit \\n
.EE
+.RE
+.RS 8
+Make sure your \fB$PATH\fP environment variable is set up correctly
+\fIbefore\fP xscreensaver is launched, or it won't be able to find the
+programs listed in the \fIprograms\fP resource.
+
To use a program as a screensaver, two things are required: that that
program draw on the root window (or be able to be configured to draw on
the root window); and that that program understand ``virtual root''
-windows, as used by virtual window managers such as \fItvtwm\fP.
+windows, as used by virtual window managers such as \fItvtwm\fP. (Generally,
+this is accomplished by just including the \fI"vroot.h"\fP header file in
+the program's source.)
-It is quite easy to make programs understand virtual roots if they
-don't already: you merely need to include the file \fI"vroot.h"\fP in
-them after the standard X includes, and recompile. This file is distributed
-with X11r5, and is included with xscreensaver as well.
-.TP 8
-.B monoPrograms \fR(class \fBMonoPrograms\fP)
-This resource is appended to the value of the \fIprograms\fP resource if
-the display on which the screensaver is running is monochrome.
-.TP 8
-.B colorPrograms \fR(class \fBColorPrograms\fP)
-This resource is appended to the value of the \fIprograms\fP resource if
-the display on which the screensaver is running is not monochrome.
-.PP
-.RS 4
-\fBNOTE: this means that if you want to completely replace the list of
-programs which xscreensaver runs, you must set at least \fItwo\fP,
-possibly \fIthree\fP resources. It is not enough to just set
-the \fBprograms\fP resource -- you must also set \fBcolorPrograms\fP
-or \fBmonoPrograms\fP or both.\fP
+If there are some programs that you want to run only when using a color
+display, and others that you want to run only when using a monochrome
+display, you can specify that like this:
+
+.EX
+ mono: mono-program -root \\n\\
+ color: color-program -root \\n\\
+.EE
+.RE
+.RS 8
+More generally, you can specify the kind of visual that should be used for
+the window on which the program will be drawing. For example, if one
+program works best if it has a colormap, but another works best if it has
+a 24-bit visual, both can be accommodated:
+
+.EX
+ PseudoColor: cmap-program -root \\n\\
+ TrueColor: 24bit-program -root \\n\\
+.EE
+.RE
+.RS 8
+(This sort of thing used to be accomplished with the \fIcolorPrograms\fP
+and \fImonoPrograms\fP resources, but those resources have now been removed;
+a warning will be issued if they are used.)
+
+In addition to the symbolic visual names described above (in the section
+about the \fI\-visual\fP command-line option) one other visual name is
+supported in the \fIprograms\fP list:
+.RS 1
+.TP 4
+.B default-n
+This is like \fBdefault\fP, but also requests the use of the default colormap,
+instead of a private colormap. (That is, it behaves as if
+the \fI\-no\-install\fP command-line option was specified, but only for
+this particular hack.) This is provided because some third-party programs
+that draw on the root window make assumptions about the visual and colormap
+of that window: assumptions which xscreensaver can violate.
+
+.RE
+If you specify a particular visual for a program, and that visual does not
+exist on the screen, then that program will not be chosen to run. This
+means that on displays with multiple screens of different depths, you can
+arrange for appropriate hacks to be run on each. For example, if one screen
+is color and the other is monochrome, hacks that look good in mono can be
+run on one, and hacks that only look good in color will show up on the other.
.RE
.PP
+.PP
Normally you won't need to change the following resources:
+.PP
.TP 8
-.B bourneShell \fR(class \fBBourneShell\fP)
+.B bourneShell\fP (class \fBBourneShell\fP)
The pathname of the shell that \fIxscreensaver\fP uses to start subprocesses.
This must be whatever your local variant of \fB/bin/sh\fP is -- in particular,
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
+.B windowCreationTimeout\fP (class \fBTime\fP)
+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.
+.B pointerPollTime\fP (class \fBTime\fP)
+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
+.B initialDelay\fP (class \fBTime\fP)
+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"
+.TP 8
+.B overlayStderr\fP (class \fBBoolean\fP)
+If \fBcaptureStderr\fP or \fBcaptureStdout\fP are True, and your server
+supports ``overlay'' visuals, then the text will be written into one of
+the higher layers instead of into the same layer as the running screenhack.
+Set this to False to disable that (though you shouldn't need to.)
+.SH HOW IT WORKS
When it is time to activate the screensaver, a full-screen black window is
-created. This window is given the appropriate properties so that, to any
-subsequently-created programs, it will appear to be a ``virtual root''
-window. Because of this, any program which draws on the root window (and
-which understands virtual roots) can be used as a screensaver.
-.PP
-When the user becomes active again, the screensaver window is unmapped and
-the running subprocess is killed by sending it \fBSIGTERM\fP. This is also
-how the subprocesses are killed when the screensaver decides that it's time
-to run a different demo: the old one is killed and a new one is launched.
-.PP
+created on each screen of the display. The window or windows is given the
+appropriate properties so that, to any subsequently-created programs, it
+will appear to be a ``virtual root'' window. Because of this, any program
+which draws on the root window (and which understands virtual roots) can be
+used as a screensaver.
+
+When the user becomes active again, the screensaver windows are unmapped and
+the running subprocesses are killed by sending them \fBSIGTERM\fP. This is
+also how the subprocesses are killed when the screensaver decides that it's
+time to run a different demo: the old one is killed and a new one is launched.
+
Before launching a subprocess, \fIxscreensaver\fP stores an appropriate value
for \fB$DISPLAY\fP in the environment that the child will recieve. (This is
so that if you start \fIxscreensaver\fP with a \fI-display\fP argument, the
-programs which \fIxscreensaver\fP launches will draw on the same display.)
-.PP
+programs which \fIxscreensaver\fP launches will draw on the same display;
+and so that the child will end up drawing on the appropriate screen of a
+multi-headed display.)
+
When the screensaver turns off, or is killed, care is taken to restore
the ``real'' virtual root window if there is one. Because of this, it is
important that you not kill the screensaver process with \fIkill -9\fP if
you are running a virtual-root window manager. If you kill it with \-9,
you may need to restart your window manager to repair the damage. This
isn't an issue if you aren't running a virtual-root window manager.
-.PP
+
For all the gory details, see the commentary at the top of xscreensaver.c.
-.PP
+
You can control a running screensaver process by using the
.BR xscreensaver\-command (1)
program (which see.)
-.SH ENVIRONMENT
-.PP
-.TP 8
-.B DISPLAY
-to get the default host and display number.
-.TP 8
-.B XENVIRONMENT
-to get the name of a resource file that overrides the global resources
-stored in the RESOURCE_MANAGER property.
.SH USING XDM(1)
You can run \fIxscreensaver\fP from your xdm session, so that the
screensaver will run even when nobody is logged in on the console.
Simply add \fB"xscreensaver &"\fP to your \fI/usr/lib/X11/xdm/Xsetup\fP
file. Because \fIxdm\fP grabs the keyboard, keypresses will not make
the screensaver deactivate, but any mouse activity will.
-.PP
+
+Make sure you have \fB$PATH\fP set up correctly in the Xsetup script, or
+\fIxdm\fP won't be able to find \fIxscreensaver\fP, and/or \fIxscreensaver\fP
+won't be able to find its graphics hacks.
+
+(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.)
+
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.
-.PP
+
It is safe to run this program as root (as \fIxdm\fP is likely to do.) If
run as root, \fIxscreensaver\fP changes its effective user and group ids to
something safe (like \fI"nobody"\fP) before connecting to the X server
or launching user-specified programs.
-.PP
+
Locking doesn't work if the screensaver is launched by \fIxdm\fP. To get
around this, you can run the screensaver from \fIxdm\fP without locking,
and kill and restart it from your personal X startup script to enable
-locking.
-.SH DEMO MODE
-If \fIxscreensaver\fP receives the \fBDEMO\fP ClientMessage, it pops up
-a dialog box from which you can examine and experiment with the screensaver's
-client programs.
-.PP
-Clicking left on an element in the scrolling list will place the indicated
-program and its args in the text field to be edited. Edit the arguments and
-hit return to run the program with the parameters you have specified.
-.PP
-Double-clicking on an element in the scrolling list will run the indicated
-program immediately.
-.PP
-When a client program is launched, the dialog box is hidden. Clicking
-any mouse button will re-expose the dialog box (but will not kill the
-client program.)
-.TP 8
-.B Run Next
-Clicking this button will run the next program in the list after the
-currently-selected one, and will scroll around to the top when it reaches
-the bottom.
-.TP 8
-.B Run Previous
-Opposite of Run Next; at the top, it scrolls around to the bottom.
-.TP 8
-.B Edit Parameters
-This pops up a second dialog box, in which you have the option to
-interactively change most of the screensaver's operational parameters,
-such as its timeouts, and whether it should hack colormaps. Changing
-these parameters here will affect only the running \fIxscreensaver\fP
-process; to make the changes permanent, you need to edit your X resource
-file.
-.TP 8
-.B Exit Demo Mode
-Returns to normal screensaver operation.
-.TP 8
-.B Reinitialize
-Causes the screensaver process to exit and then restart with the same
-command-line arguments. This causes the X resource database to be
-re-read. This is just like the \fI\-restart\fP argument to
+locking; for example, by using this pair of commands:
+
+.EX
+ xscreensaver-command -exit ; xscreensaver
+.EE
+.SH USING CDE (COMMON DESKTOP ENVIRONMENT)
+The easiest way to use \fIxscreensaver\fP on a system with CDE is to simply
+switch off the built-in CDE screensaver, and use \fIxscreensaver\fP instead;
+and second, to tell the front panel to run
.BR xscreensaver\-command (1)
-except that when executed from this button, the screensaver will
-automatically return to demo mode after restarting.
-.SH SEE ALSO
-.BR X (1),
-.BR xscreensaver\-command (1),
-.BR xlock (1),
-.BR xnlock (1),
-.BR xautolock (1),
-.BR xdm (1),
-.BR qix (1),
-.BR pyro (1),
-.BR helix (1),
-.BR rorschach (1),
-.BR hopalong (1),
-.BR attraction (1),
-.BR greynetic (1),
-.BR rocks (1),
-.BR noseguy (1),
-.BR blitspin (1),
-.BR imsmap (1),
-.BR slidescreen (1),
-.BR decayscreen (1),
-.BR hypercube (1),
-.BR flame (1),
-.BR maze (1),
-.BR ico (1),
-.BR xdaliclock (1),
-.BR xbouncebits (1),
-.BR xswarm (1),
-.BR xwave (1),
-.BR xfishtank (1)
-.SH BUGS
-If you think you have changed the \fBprograms\fP resource but the
-screensaver is ignoring it, you are confused -- you need to set
-the \fBcolorPrograms\fP and/or \fBmonoPrograms\fP resources as well.
-(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
-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.
-In this case, that client \fImight\fP fail to receive those events.
-This isn't very likely, since programs generally select a constant set
-of events immediately after creating their windows and then don't change
-them, but this is the reason that it's a good idea to install and use one
-of the server extensions instead, to work around this shortcoming in the
-X protocol.
+with the \fI\-lock\fP option when the \fILock\fP icon is clicked.
+
+To accomplish this involves five steps:
+.RS 4
+.TP 3
+\fB1: Switch off CDE's locker\fP
+Do this by turning off ``\fIScreen Saver and Screen Lock\fP'' in the
+Screen section of the Style Manager.
+.TP 3
+\fB2: Edit sessionetc\fP
+Edit the file \fI~/.dt/sessions/sessionetc\fP and add to it the line
+
+.EX
+ xscreensaver &
+.EE
+This will cause \fIxscreensaver\fP to be launched when you log in.
+(As always, make sure that xscreensaver and the graphics demos are on
+your \fB$PATH\fP; the path needs to be set in \fI.cshrc\fP
+and/or \fI.dtprofile\fP, not \fI.login\fP.)
+.TP 3
+\fB3: Create XScreenSaver.dt\fP
+Create a file called \fI~/.dt/types/XScreenSaver.dt\fP with the following
+contents:
+
+.EX
+ACTION XScreenSaver
+{
+ LABEL XScreenSaver
+ TYPE COMMAND
+ EXEC_STRING xscreensaver-command -lock
+ ICON Dtkey
+ WINDOW_TYPE NO_STDIO
+}
+.EE
+This defines a ``lock'' command for the CDE front panel, that knows how
+to talk to \fIxscreensaver\fP.
+.TP 3
+\fB4: Create Lock.fp\fP
+Create a file called \fI~/.dt/types/Lock.fp\fP with the following
+contents:
+
+.EX
+CONTROL Lock
+{
+ TYPE icon
+ CONTAINER_NAME Switch
+ CONTAINER_TYPE SWITCH
+ POSITION_HINTS 1
+ ICON Fplock
+ LABEL Lock
+ PUSH_ACTION XScreenSaver
+ HELP_TOPIC FPOnItemLock
+ HELP_VOLUME FPanel
+}
+.EE
+This associates the CDE front panel ``Lock'' icon with the lock command
+we just defined in step 3.
+.TP 3
+\fB5: Restart\fP
+Select ``\fIRestart Workspace Manager\fP'' from the popup menu to make
+your changes take effect. If things seem not to be working, check the
+file \fI~/.dt/errorlog\fP for error messages.
+.RE
+.SH USING HP VUE (VISUAL USER ENVIRONMENT)
+Since CDE is a descendant of VUE, the instructions for using xscreensaver
+under VUE are similar to the above:
+
+.RS 4
+.TP 3
+\fB1: Switch off VUE's locker\fP
+Do this by turning off ``\fIScreen Saver and Screen Lock\fP'' in the
+Screen section of the Style Manager.
+.TP 3
+\fB2: Edit vue.session\fP
+Edit the file \fI~/.vue/sessions/home/vue.session\fP and add to it
+the line
+.EX
+ vuesmcmd -screen 0 -cmd "xscreensaver"
+.EE
+This will cause \fIxscreensaver\fP to be launched when you log in.
+(As always, make sure that xscreensaver and the graphics demos are on
+your \fB$PATH\fP; the path needs to be set in \fI.cshrc\fP
+and/or \fI.profile\fP, not \fI.login\fP.)
+.TP 3
+\fB3: Edit vuewmrc\fP
+Edit the file \fI~/.vue/vuewmrc\fP and add (or change) the Lock control:
+.EX
+CONTROL Lock
+{
+ TYPE button
+ IMAGE lock
+ PUSH_ACTION f.exec "xscreensaver-command -lock"
+ HELP_TOPIC FPLock
+}
+.EE
+This associates the VUE front panel ``Lock'' icon with the xscreensaver
+lock command.
+.RE
.PP
+.SH BUGS
+(This is not a bug, but) note that as of release 1.32, the \fBcolorPrograms\fP
+and \fBmonoPrograms\fP resources are no longer used: they have been
+supplanted by the extended syntax of the \fBprograms\fP resource (which is
+described above, in the \fIX Resources\fP section.)
+.TP 8
+.B Extensions
+If you are not making use of one of the server extensions (\fBXIDLE\fP,
+\fBSGI SCREEN_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. In this case, that client \fImight\fP fail to receive
+those events. This isn't very likely, since programs generally select a
+constant set of events immediately after creating their windows and then
+don't change them, but this is the reason that it's a good idea to install
+and use one of the server extensions instead, to work around this shortcoming
+in the X protocol.
+.TP 8
+.B Machine Load
Although this program ``nices'' the subprocesses that it starts,
graphics-intensive subprograms can still overload the machine by causing
the X server process itself (which is not ``niced'') to suck a lot of
.BR sleep (3)
or
.BR usleep (3)
-\.
+(or making liberal use of any \fI\-delay\fP options which the programs
+may provide.)
-Also, it will cause your X server to be pretty much permanently swapped in.
-(but the same is true of any program that draws periodically, like xclock or
-xload.)
-.PP
+Also, an active screensaver will cause your X server to be pretty much
+permanently swapped in; but the same is true of any program that draws
+periodically, like
+.BR xclock (1)
+or
+.BR xload (1).
+.TP 8
+.B Latency and Responsiveness
If the subprocess is drawing too quickly and the connection to the X
server is a slow one (such as an X terminal running over a phone line) then
the screensaver might not turn off right away when the user becomes active
.BR XSync (3)
in code intended for use as a screensaver. This prevents too much graphics
activity from being buffered up.
-.PP
-The screensaver only runs on the default screen of the display. If you have
-more than one screen, you can run multiple screensaver processes, one for
-each screen. This interacts poorly with locking. In an ideal world, the
-screensaver would save (and lock) both screens simultaniously, and any activity
-would restore both screens. It would be nice if one could run different hacks
-on each screen simultaniously. However, I don't have access to a multi-headed
-workstation, so it would be hard for me to implement something like this.
-.PP
-If you don't have Motif, you can't compile with support for locking or
-demo mode.
-.PP
+.TP 8
+.B Locking and XDM
Locking doesn't work if the screensaver is launched by \fIxdm\fP.
The reason for this is that when it is launched by \fIxdm\fP, the
screensaver process is owned by some standard user id (such as \fIroot\fP
-or \fIdaemon\fP) instead of the user who is logged in on the console.
+or \fIdaemon\fP) instead of the user who is logged in on the console:
+because the screensaver was started \fIbefore\fP anyone was logged in.
In order for the screensaver to prompt for the password of the person
who had logged in from \fIxdm\fP, it would need to know who that user was,
and there is no reliable and safe way to figure that out. (And even if
So if you want to use it as a locker, you must start it with your user id.
If it has already been started by \fIxdm\fP, you can kill it with
-\fBxscreensaver-command -exit\fP, and then start it again as you.
-.PP
-If you get an error message like ``couldn't get password of foo'' then
-this probably means that you're on a system in which the
+\fBxscreensaver\-command -exit\fP, and then start it again as you.
+.TP 8
+.B Locking and root logins
+An implication of the above is that if you log in as \fIroot\fP on the
+console, xscreensaver will refuse to lock the screen (because it can't tell
+the difference between \fIroot\fP being logged in on the console, and a
+normal user being logged in on the console but xscreensaver having been run
+by \fIxdm\fP.)
+
+The solution to this is simple: you shouldn't be logging in on the console
+as \fIroot\fP in the first place (what, are you crazy or something?) You
+should log in as you, and
+.BR su (1)
+to \fIroot\fP as necessary. People who spend their day logged in
+as \fIroot\fP are just begging for disaster.
+.TP 8
+.B Passwords
+If you get an error message like ``couldn't get password of \fIuser\fP''
+then this probably means that you're on a system in which the
.BR getpwent (3)
library routine can only be effectively used by root. If this is the case,
then \fIxscreensaver\fP must be installed as setuid to root. Care has
-been taken to make this a safe thing to do.
-.PP
+been taken to make this a safe thing to do.
+
+It also may mean that your system uses shadow passwords instead of the
+standard \fIgetpwent\fP interface; in that case, you may need to change
+some options with \fIconfigure\fP and recompile.
+
+If you change your password after xscreensaver has been launched, it will
+continue using your old password to unlock the screen until xscreensaver
+is restarted. This turns out to be kind of hard to fix. (But remember,
+kids! Unix security doesn't do much more than keep honest people honest...)
+.TP 8
+.B Colormap lossage: TWM
The \fBinstallColormap\fP option doesn't work very well with the
.BR twm (1)
-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
+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. (If the screen goes white instead of black, this is probably why.)
+
+The
.BR mwm (1)
and
.BR olwm (1)
window managers don't seem to have this problem. The race condition exists
-because X apparently does not provide a way for an OverrideRedirect window to
-have its own colormap, short of grabbing the server (which is neither a good
-idea, nor really possible with the current design.) What happens is that, as
-soon as the screensaver installs its colormap, \fBtwm\fP responds to
+because X does not provide a way for an OverrideRedirect window to have its
+own colormap, short of grabbing the server (which is neither a good idea, nor
+really possible with the current design.) What happens is that, as soon as
+the screensaver installs its colormap, \fBtwm\fP responds to
the \fBColormapNotify\fP event that is generated by re-instaling the default
colormap. Apparently, \fBtwm\fP doesn't \fIalways\fP do this; it seems to do
it regularly if the screensaver is activated from a menu item, but seems to
not do it if the screensaver comes on of its own volition, or is activated
from another console. Any thoughts on this problem are welcome...
-.PP
-Apparently there are some problems with ``XView'' programs getting confused
+.TP 8
+.B Colormap lossage: XV, XAnim, XEarth
+Some programs don't operate properly on visuals other than the default one,
+or with colormaps other than the default one. See the discussion of the
+magic "default-n" visual name in the section about the \fBprograms\fP
+resource. When programs only work with the default colormap, you need to
+use a syntax like this:
+.EX
+ default-n: xv -root image-1.gif -quit \\n\\
+ default-n: xearth -nostars -wait 0 \\n\\
+.EE
+It would also work to turn off the \fBinstallColormap\fP option altogether,
+but that would deny extra colors to those programs that \fIcan\fP take
+advantage of them.
+.TP 8
+.B XView Clients
+Apparently there are some problems with XView programs getting confused
and thinking that the screensaver window is the real root window even when
the screensaver is not active: ClientMessages intended for the window manager
are sent to the screensaver window instead. This could be solved by making
xscreensaver forward all unrecognised ClientMessages to the real root window,
-but there may be other problems as well.
-.PP
+but there may be other problems as well. If anyone has any insight on the
+cause of this problem, please let me know. (XView is an X11 toolkit that
+implements the (quite abominable) Sun OpenLook look-and-feel.)
+.TP 8
+.B MIT Extension and Fading
When using the \fBMIT-SCREEN-SAVER\fP extension in conjunction with
the \fBfade\fP option, you may notice an unattractive flicker just before
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.
-.PP
+haven't figured a way to get around this; it seems to be a fundamental
+property of the (mis-) design of this server extension.
+.TP 8
+.B Lesstif (Motif clone)
+Demo mode is buggy if XScreenSaver was compiled against really old versions
+Lesstif; if you use Lesstif, use version 0.82 or newer.
+.TP 8
+.B Athena Widgets
+If you compiled against the Athena widget toolkit, the dialog boxes are
+pretty ugly, especially the password dialog. Use Motif! If you don't
+have OSF Motif, use GNU Lesstif, it's free: http://www.lesstif.org/
+.TP 8
+.B SGI Power Saver
+If you're running Irix 6.3, you might find that your monitor is powering down
+after an hour or two even if you've told it not to. This is fixed by SGI
+patches 2447 and 2537.
+.TP 8
+.B Red Hot Lava
There need to be a lot more graphics hacks. In particular, there should be
a simulation of a Lavalite (tm).
+.SH ENVIRONMENT
+.PP
+.TP 8
+.B DISPLAY
+to get the default host and display number, and to inform the sub-programs
+of the screen on which to draw.
+.TP 8
+.B PATH
+to find the sub-programs to run.
+.TP 8
+.B XENVIRONMENT
+to get the name of a resource file that overrides the global resources
+stored in the RESOURCE_MANAGER property.
+.SH UPGRADES
+The latest version can always be found at
+http://people.netscape.com/jwz/xscreensaver/
+.SH SEE ALSO
+.BR X (1),
+.BR xscreensaver\-command (1),
+.BR xdm (1),
+.BR ant (1),
+.BR atlantis (1),
+.BR attraction (1),
+.BR blitspin (1),
+.BR bouboule (1),
+.BR braid (1),
+.BR bubbles (1),
+.BR cage (1),
+.BR coral (1),
+.BR cynosure (1),
+.BR decayscreen (1),
+.BR deco (1),
+.BR drift (1),
+.BR fadeplot (1),
+.BR flag (1),
+.BR flame (1),
+.BR forest (1),
+.BR galaxy (1),
+.BR gears (1),
+.BR goop (1),
+.BR grav (1),
+.BR greynetic (1),
+.BR halo (1),
+.BR helix (1),
+.BR hopalong (1),
+.BR hypercube (1),
+.BR ifs (1),
+.BR imsmap (1),
+.BR jigsaw (1),
+.BR julia (1),
+.BR kaleidescope (1),
+.BR laser (1),
+.BR lightning (1),
+.BR lisa (1),
+.BR lissie (1),
+.BR lmorph (1),
+.BR maze (1),
+.BR moebius (1),
+.BR moire (1),
+.BR moire2 (1),
+.BR morph3d (1),
+.BR mountain (1),
+.BR munch (1),
+.BR noseguy (1),
+.BR pedal (1),
+.BR penrose (1),
+.BR pipes (1),
+.BR pyro (1),
+.BR qix (1),
+.BR rd-bomb (1),
+.BR rocks (1),
+.BR rorschach (1),
+.BR rotor (1),
+.BR rubik (1),
+.BR sierpinski (1),
+.BR slidescreen (1),
+.BR slip (1),
+.BR sphere (1),
+.BR spiral (1),
+.BR sproingies (1),
+.BR stairs (1),
+.BR starfish (1),
+.BR strange (1),
+.BR superquadrics (1),
+.BR swirl (1),
+.BR triangle (1),
+.BR vines (1),
+.BR worm (1),
+.BR xjack (1),
+.BR xlyap (1),
+.BR xroger (1),
+.BR bongo (1),
+.BR ico (1),
+.BR xaos (1),
+.BR xbouncebits (1),
+.BR xcthugha (1),
+.BR xdaliclock (1),
+.BR xfishtank (1),
+.BR xmountains (1),
+.BR xsplinefun (1),
+.BR xswarm (1),
+.BR xtacy (1),
+.BR xv (1),
+.BR xwave (1).
.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 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998
+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.
-Please let me know if you find any bugs or make any improvements.
+Jamie Zawinski <jwz@netscape.com>. Written in late 1991; first posted
+to comp.sources.x on 13-Aug-1992.
+Please let me know if you find any bugs or make any improvements.
+.SH ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thanks to David Wojtowicz for implementing \fIlockTimeout\fP.
-Thanks to Martin Kraemer for adding support for shadow passwords and
+Thanks to Martin Kraemer for adding support for shadow passwords and
locking-disabled diagnostics.
+
+Thanks to the many people who have contributed graphics demos to the package.
+
+Thanks to Patrick Moreau for the VMS port.
+
+Thanks to Mark Bowyer for figuring out how to hook it up to CDE.
+
+And huge thanks to Jon A. Christopher for implementing the Athena dialog
+support, back in the days before Lesstif was a viable alternative to Motif.
projects / xscreensaver / blobdiff