General TC > General TC Talk
Trying to have xscreensaver - for a digital picture frame
Rich:
Hi Richard Cranium
--- Quote from: Richard Cranium on November 27, 2025, 05:54:18 PM --- ... also , back to my last question about configuring xscreensaver to auto start..., looking at the install notes in the package manager description is what has me a little confused ...
--- End quote ---
Do you mean this note:
--- Code: --- To start at boot, put the following to
~/.X.d/xscreensaver:
xscreensaver -nosplash &
--- End code ---
When running a GUI, your home directory contains a hidden directory
called .X.d. The note is telling you to create a file called xscreensaver
that contains the command:
--- Code: ---xscreensaver -nosplash &
--- End code ---
The file name is merely descriptive so you know what it is. You can call
it anything you want. After .xsession has started the GUI, it opens any
files it finds in .X.d and executes their contents line by line.
Having said all of that, I don't think xscreensaver does what you think
it does. From the xscreensaver man page:
--- Quote ---HOW IT WORKS
When it is time to activate the screensaver, a full-screen black window is created on each screen of the display. Each window is
created in such a way 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. The various graphics
demos are, in fact, just standalone programs that know how to draw on the provided window.
--- End quote ---
Found here:
https://www.commandlinux.com/man-page/man1/xscreensaver.1.html
So xscreensaver is not copying images to the screen. It's launching programs
that know how to draw to the screen, and those programs probably draw animations.
gadget42:
xscreensaver background via Jamie Zawinski
https://nieuweinstituut.nl/en/projects/sleep-mode/jamie-zawinski
also see(more generally):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamie_Zawinski
https://www.jwz.org/
edited to add jwz.org
Richard Cranium:
--- Quote from: Rich on November 27, 2025, 09:55:06 PM ---Hi Richard Cranium
--- Quote from: Richard Cranium on November 27, 2025, 05:54:18 PM --- ... also , back to my last question about configuring xscreensaver to auto start..., looking at the install notes in the package manager description is what has me a little confused ...
--- End quote ---
Do you mean this note:
--- Code: --- To start at boot, put the following to
~/.X.d/xscreensaver:
xscreensaver -nosplash &
--- End code ---
When running a GUI, your home directory contains a hidden directory
called .X.d. The note is telling you to create a file called xscreensaver
that contains the command:
--- Code: ---xscreensaver -nosplash &
--- End code ---
The file name is merely descriptive so you know what it is. You can call
it anything you want. After .xsession has started the GUI, it opens any
files it finds in .X.d and executes their contents line by line.
Having said all of that, I don't think xscreensaver does what you think
it does. From the xscreensaver man page:
--- Quote ---HOW IT WORKS
When it is time to activate the screensaver, a full-screen black window is created on each screen of the display. Each window is
created in such a way 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. The various graphics
demos are, in fact, just standalone programs that know how to draw on the provided window.
--- End quote ---
Found here:
https://www.commandlinux.com/man-page/man1/xscreensaver.1.html
So xscreensaver is not copying images to the screen. It's launching programs
that know how to draw to the screen, and those programs probably draw animations.
--- End quote ---
I'm not seeing this... I've installed spacefm as a file manager .. but i'm not seeing ...
--- Code: ---a hidden directory
called .X.d.
--- End code ---
EDIT --- Maybe I just did it? , I'll post back soon if it worked..
Richard Cranium:
it works YAY ;)
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