XScreenSaver
XScreenSaver is a screen saver and locker for the X Window System.zh-CN:Xscreensaver
Contents
Installing XScreenSaver
Install the xscreensaver package found in the official repositories.
Alternatively, there is a patched version with the Arch Linux logo in the AUR named xscreensaver-arch-logoAUR. Running this package instead of the one available in the official repositories is advantageous for several reasons:
- Since makepkg is compiling it from source code, the resulting package will contain processor-specific optimizations unique to your specific system -- assuming you set up your
/etc/makepkg.conf
with the appropriate CFLAGS and CXXFLAGS. - This package is Arch-branded (screensavers, lock screen, etc.)
- If running GNOME, this package will provide an icon to enter the XScreenSaver preferences under System>Preferences>Screensaver whereas the package in the official repositories does not.
Configuring XScreenSaver
Global options are defined in /usr/share/X11/app-defaults/XScreenSaver
. Under a standard setup, there is likely no need to edit this file. Instead most options are configured on a user-by-user basis simply by running xscreensaver-demo
$ xscreensaver-demo
DPMS settings
XScreenSaver manages display energy saving (DPMS) independently of X itself and overrides it. To configure the timings for standby, display poweroff and such, use xscreensaver-demo or edit the configuration file manually, e.g. ~/.xscreensaver
,
timeout: 1:00:00 cycle: 0:05:00 lock: False lockTimeout: 0:00:00 passwdTimeout: 0:00:30 fade: True unfade: False fadeSeconds: 0:00:03 fadeTicks: 20 dpmsEnabled: True dpmsStandby: 2:00:00 dpmsSuspend: 2:00:00 dpmsOff: 4:00:00
Starting XScreenSaver
Single-User Systems
Simply installing the xscreensaver package is not enough to have it run automatically. The xscreensaver
program has to be started, which is commonly done by the desktop environment via a line in ~/.xinitrc
as follows:
/usr/bin/xscreensaver -no-splash &
The ampersand &
argument makes the xscreensaver
program run in the background and is required.
/etc/xdg/xfce4/xinitrc
, to ensure it gets executed use startxfce4
and not xfce4-session
.
exec startxfce4 --with-ck-launch
Multi-User Systems
If operating with multiple users with a display manager (e.g. SLiM, GDM, KDM) it is best to start XScreenSaver via the desktop manager's native screensaver interface. This allows full management of user switching. For example, if using GNOME, install gnome-screensaver and xscreensaver but only have gnome-screensaver
active. This allows for all the screensavers to be selected, and keep the ability for user switching in the event that one user has the screen locked, and another user wants to "switch users" to he/she can access to the box.
Another option to retain multi-user support, without having to install a second screensaver, is to modify either ~/.xscreensaver
for per-user settings, or /usr/share/X11/app-defaults/XScreenSaver
for global settings, and add the following line.
newLoginCommand: /usr/bin/gdmflexiserver
Lock Screen
You may immediately trigger xscreensaver
, if it is running, and lock the screen with the following command:
$ xscreensaver-command --lock
Automatically lock when suspending/sleeping/hibernating
Create the following file:
/etc/systemd/system/xscreensaver.service
[Unit] Description=Lock X session using xscreensaver Before=sleep.target [Service] User=yourusername Type=oneshot Environment=DISPLAY=:0 ExecStart=/usr/bin/xscreensaver-command -lock [Install] WantedBy=sleep.target
and enable it with
# systemctl enable xscreensaver
You may want to set XScreenSaver's fade out time to 0.
Disabling XScreenSaver for Media Applications
MPlayer
Add the following to ~/.mplayer/config
heartbeat-cmd="xscreensaver-command -deactivate >&- 2>&- &"
XBMC
There is no native support within XBMC to disable XScreenSaver (although XBMC does come with its own screensaver). A 3rd party application available in the AUR called caffeineAUR does just this. Once running, simply add xbmc.bin
to the list of apps for automatic activation.
Adobe Flash/MPlayer/VLC
There is no native way to disable XScreenSaver for flash, but there is script named lightsOn that works great and has support for Firefox's Flash plugin, Chromium's Flash plugin, MPlayer, and VLC.
Using XScreenSaver as animated wallpaper
You can run xscreensaver
in the background, just like a wallpaper.
First, kill any process that is controlling the background (the root window).
Locate the desired XScreenSaver executable (they are usually on /usr/lib/xscreensaver/
) and run it with the -root
flag, like this
$ /usr/lib/xscreensaver/glslideshow -root &
XScreenSaver as wallpaper under xcompmgr
xcompmgr may cause problems, so you need to use xwinwrap to run it in order to use it as wallpaper. You can find it as shantz-xwinwrap-bzrAUR in the AUR.
Run it with the following command:
$ xwinwrap -b -fs -sp -fs -nf -ov -- /usr/lib/xscreensaver/glslideshow -root -window-id WID &
Theming
XScreenSaver's unlock screen can be themed with X resources (see: XScreenSaver resources).
User switching from the lock screen
By default, xscreensaver's "New Login" button in the lock screen will call /usr/bin/gdmflexiserver
to allow for user switching. This is fine if using gdm or kdm. Other display managers such as lightdm and lxdm support this functionality as well.
LXDM
Simply paste the following into ~/.xscreensaver
to use LXDM's switching mode:
newLoginCommand: lxdm -c USER_SWITCH
Lightdm
Simply paste the following into ~/.xscreensaver
to use lightdm's switching mode:
newLoginCommand: dm-tool switch-to-greeter
See Also
PanicLock -- Lock your screen and close any selected programs in background.