Re: Stretch: xfce and xscreensaver

[Patrick Bartek]

On Sun, 30 Jul 2017 12:20:33 -0600 Ralph Katz 
wrote:

> On 07/30/2017 08:29 AM, Patrick Bartek wrote:
> ...
> > I'll reread the s option with new insight. But I really prefer the
> > monitor being powered down instead of using a screensaver, since my
> > system runs 24/7 and it's in my bedroom.  A 24" monitor makes an
> > awfully bright nightlight. ;-) 
> 
> I used to use one of these:
> xset -display :0.0 dpms force  suspend
> xset -display :0.0 dpms force  off
> 
> Now I use xfce power manager from the gui.

Thanks for the additional xset info.  I haven't fully explored all its
options.  Just set it up 4 years or so ago to power off the monitor, and
never changed it.

I abandoned the desktop environment about 5 years ago.  A window
manager, a single panel with menus, etc. is all I need.

B

Re: Stretch: xfce and xscreensaver

[Patrick Bartek]

On Sun, 30 Jul 2017 12:51:51 -0400 Ric Moore 
wrote:

> On 07/30/2017 10:29 AM, Patrick Bartek wrote:
> 
> > I'll reread the s option with new insight. But I really prefer the
> > monitor being powered down instead of using a screensaver, since my
> > system runs 24/7 and it's in my bedroom.  A 24" monitor makes an
> > awfully bright nightlight. ;-)
> 
> VLC will kill the xscreensaver. Ric

Thanks.  Good to know.

B

Re: Stretch: xfce and xscreensaver

[Ralph Katz]

On 07/30/2017 08:29 AM, Patrick Bartek wrote:
...
> I'll reread the s option with new insight. But I really prefer the
> monitor being powered down instead of using a screensaver, since my
> system runs 24/7 and it's in my bedroom.  A 24" monitor makes an awfully
> bright nightlight. ;-) 

I used to use one of these:
xset -display :0.0 dpms force  suspend
xset -display :0.0 dpms force  off

Now I use xfce power manager from the gui.

Good luck!

Ralph



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Re: Stretch: xfce and xscreensaver

[Ric Moore]

On 07/30/2017 10:29 AM, Patrick Bartek wrote:


I'll reread the s option with new insight. But I really prefer the
monitor being powered down instead of using a screensaver, since my
system runs 24/7 and it's in my bedroom.  A 24" monitor makes an awfully
bright nightlight. ;-)


VLC will kill the xscreensaver. Ric


--
My father, Victor Moore (Vic) used to say:
"There are two Great Sins in the world...
..the Sin of Ignorance, and the Sin of Stupidity.
Only the former may be overcome." R.I.P. Dad.
http://linuxcounter.net/user/44256.html

Re: Stretch: xfce and xscreensaver

[Patrick Bartek]

On Sat, 29 Jul 2017 19:49:46 -0500 David Wright
 wrote:

> On Sat 29 Jul 2017 at 07:57:49 (-0700), Patrick Bartek wrote:
> > On Fri, 28 Jul 2017 22:08:41 -0500 David Wright
> >  wrote:
> > 
> > > On Thu 27 Jul 2017 at 14:18:47 (-0700), Patrick Bartek wrote:
> > > > > On Thu, Jul 27, 2017 at 07:35:24AM -0700, Patrick Bartek
> > > > > wrote:
> > > > > > Or do what I did: dispense with a screensaver entirely.
> > > > > > Haven't used one in years.  Waste of CPU cycles.  Besides
> > > > > > modern computer screens don't even need them anymore.  They
> > > > > > aren't prone to image burning like tube-type monitors
> > > > > > were.  I just use xset or a power management utility, if
> > > > > > installed, to "sleep" the monitor display after a set time
> > > > > > of system idleness. Works great.
> > > 
> > > […]
> > > 
> > > >  I lock my screen manually, too.  Much of my work involves
> > > > studying what's on the screen without any input.  It's an
> > > > annoyance when it "blanks" and I have to log back in disrupting
> > > > my train of thought.
> > > 
> > > As you use xset, can't you just define a key to set a really long
> > > timeout like   xset dpms 9000 9000 9000 ; xset s 9000 9000
> > > to prevent it blanking? (And one to revert if you feel the need.)
> > 
> > I set xset for 20 minutes . . . 12000.
> 
> (That's 200 minutes.)

Sorry. Typo.  1200, not 12000.

> > Works well 98% of the
> > time.  Never looked at the s option.
> 
> That could be your problem then.

What I meant was that 20 minutes before the monitor is powered down by
xset is long enough.  In that time,  98% of the time, I always input
something to cancel "blanking."

> > But it looks like it's for
> > overridding a screensaver which I don't use or even have installed.
> 
> I believe X has a screensaver built in. From   man xset

I was not aware of this.  In all my studies, reading and using Linux
over the past 17 years did I ever come across any mention of a built-in
X screensaver. (Doesn't mean there's not one.)

>  s  The  s  option lets you set the screen saver parameters.

I read that, too, but thought it applied to a system screensaver like
xscreensaver, etc.  It was just a cursory read anyway as all I wanted
from xset was to power off the monitor.
 
> You can check it out by typing   xset s 5 5

I'll reread the s option with new insight. But I really prefer the
monitor being powered down instead of using a screensaver, since my
system runs 24/7 and it's in my bedroom.  A 24" monitor makes an awfully
bright nightlight. ;-) 

B

Re: Stretch: xfce and xscreensaver

[David Wright]

On Sat 29 Jul 2017 at 07:57:49 (-0700), Patrick Bartek wrote:
> On Fri, 28 Jul 2017 22:08:41 -0500 David Wright
>  wrote:
> 
> > On Thu 27 Jul 2017 at 14:18:47 (-0700), Patrick Bartek wrote:
> > > > On Thu, Jul 27, 2017 at 07:35:24AM -0700, Patrick Bartek wrote:
> > > > > Or do what I did: dispense with a screensaver entirely.  Haven't
> > > > > used one in years.  Waste of CPU cycles.  Besides modern
> > > > > computer screens don't even need them anymore.  They aren't
> > > > > prone to image burning like tube-type monitors were.  I just
> > > > > use xset or a power management utility, if installed, to
> > > > > "sleep" the monitor display after a set time of system
> > > > > idleness. Works great.
> > 
> > […]
> > 
> > >  I lock my screen manually, too.  Much of my work involves studying
> > > what's on the screen without any input.  It's an annoyance when it
> > > "blanks" and I have to log back in disrupting my train of thought.
> > 
> > As you use xset, can't you just define a key to set a really long
> > timeout like   xset dpms 9000 9000 9000 ; xset s 9000 9000
> > to prevent it blanking? (And one to revert if you feel the need.)
> 
> I set xset for 20 minutes . . . 12000.

(That's 200 minutes.)

> Works well 98% of the
> time.  Never looked at the s option.

That could be your problem then.

> But it looks like it's for
> overridding a screensaver which I don't use or even have installed.

I believe X has a screensaver built in. From   man xset

 s  The  s  option lets you set the screen saver parameters.

You can check it out by typing   xset s 5 5

> I
> still prefer to lock the screen manually though, if I'm going to be
> away for a while.

Same here; I use   vlock -a   in a VC.

Cheers,
David.

Re: Stretch: xfce and xscreensaver

[Patrick Bartek]

On Fri, 28 Jul 2017 22:08:41 -0500 David Wright
 wrote:

> On Thu 27 Jul 2017 at 14:18:47 (-0700), Patrick Bartek wrote:
> > > On Thu, Jul 27, 2017 at 07:35:24AM -0700, Patrick Bartek wrote:
> > > > Or do what I did: dispense with a screensaver entirely.  Haven't
> > > > used one in years.  Waste of CPU cycles.  Besides modern
> > > > computer screens don't even need them anymore.  They aren't
> > > > prone to image burning like tube-type monitors were.  I just
> > > > use xset or a power management utility, if installed, to
> > > > "sleep" the monitor display after a set time of system
> > > > idleness. Works great.
> 
> […]
> 
> >  I lock my screen manually, too.  Much of my work involves studying
> > what's on the screen without any input.  It's an annoyance when it
> > "blanks" and I have to log back in disrupting my train of thought.
> 
> As you use xset, can't you just define a key to set a really long
> timeout like   xset dpms 9000 9000 9000 ; xset s 9000 9000
> to prevent it blanking? (And one to revert if you feel the need.)

I set xset for 20 minutes . . . 12000.  Works well 98% of the
time.  Never looked at the s option.  But it looks like it's for
overridding a screensaver which I don't use or even have installed.  I
still prefer to lock the screen manually though, if I'm going to be
away for a while.

Thanks for the suggestion.

B

Re: Stretch: xfce and xscreensaver

[David Wright]

On Thu 27 Jul 2017 at 14:18:47 (-0700), Patrick Bartek wrote:
> > On Thu, Jul 27, 2017 at 07:35:24AM -0700, Patrick Bartek wrote:
> > > Or do what I did: dispense with a screensaver entirely.  Haven't
> > > used one in years.  Waste of CPU cycles.  Besides modern computer
> > > screens don't even need them anymore.  They aren't prone to image
> > > burning like tube-type monitors were.  I just use xset or a power
> > > management utility, if installed, to "sleep" the monitor display
> > > after a set time of system idleness. Works great.

[…]

>  I lock my screen manually, too.  Much of my work involves studying
> what's on the screen without any input.  It's an annoyance when it
> "blanks" and I have to log back in disrupting my train of thought.

As you use xset, can't you just define a key to set a really long
timeout like   xset dpms 9000 9000 9000 ; xset s 9000 9000
to prevent it blanking? (And one to revert if you feel the need.)

Cheers,
David.

Re: Stretch: xfce and xscreensaver

[Patrick Bartek]

On Thu, 27 Jul 2017 10:55:23 -0400 Greg Wooledge 
wrote:

> On Thu, Jul 27, 2017 at 07:35:24AM -0700, Patrick Bartek wrote:
> > Or do what I did: dispense with a screensaver entirely.  Haven't
> > used one in years.  Waste of CPU cycles.  Besides modern computer
> > screens don't even need them anymore.  They aren't prone to image
> > burning like tube-type monitors were.  I just use xset or a power
> > management utility, if installed, to "sleep" the monitor display
> > after a set time of system idleness. Works great.
> 
> For many of us, the primary function of the screen saver isn't the
> prevention of image burn-in, but rather the locking of the session to
> prevent other people from taking control when we step away.

Maybe, for "many," but I think "most" use them because they are
used to them, and the "cool" pictures and designs they display.
Security is secondary.

> Personally I use i3lock for this.  Nice and simple.  I don't use any
> kind of automatic invocation or idle checking.  I just manually run it
> when I'm about to step away.  (Used to use xlock, from xlockmore, but
> that was removed from Debian several releases ago.)

 I lock my screen manually, too.  Much of my work involves studying
what's on the screen without any input.  It's an annoyance when it
"blanks" and I have to log back in disrupting my train of thought.

That's why we have so many choices and configurations.

B

Re: Stretch: xfce and xscreensaver

[Greg Wooledge]

On Thu, Jul 27, 2017 at 07:35:24AM -0700, Patrick Bartek wrote:
> Or do what I did: dispense with a screensaver entirely.  Haven't used
> one in years.  Waste of CPU cycles.  Besides modern computer screens
> don't even need them anymore.  They aren't prone to image burning
> like tube-type monitors were.  I just use xset or a power management
> utility, if installed, to "sleep" the monitor display after a set time
> of system idleness. Works great.

For many of us, the primary function of the screen saver isn't the
prevention of image burn-in, but rather the locking of the session to
prevent other people from taking control when we step away.

Personally I use i3lock for this.  Nice and simple.  I don't use any
kind of automatic invocation or idle checking.  I just manually run it
when I'm about to step away.  (Used to use xlock, from xlockmore, but
that was removed from Debian several releases ago.)

Re: Stretch: xfce and xscreensaver

[Patrick Bartek]

On Thu, 27 Jul 2017 09:52:42 +0400 Jerome BENOIT
 wrote:

> Hello Debian Users,
> 
> I have recently upgraded my box from Jessie to Stretch.
> I encountered a few little issues that I could fixed easily.
> Nevertheless, so far, I failed to fixed one of them, and a very
> annoying one.
> 
> During Xfce sessions, at random time my screen is filled with piece
> of outdated images that were created by xscreensaver.
> Most of the time, these images comes with an outdated error message
> from xscreensaver.
> 
> Any hint to fix is is welcome.

Instead of wasting time looking for the problem, I would first just
'apt-get purge xscreensaver' making sure all configure files are gone,
then reinstall, reconfigure.

Or do what I did: dispense with a screensaver entirely.  Haven't used
one in years.  Waste of CPU cycles.  Besides modern computer screens
don't even need them anymore.  They aren't prone to image burning
like tube-type monitors were.  I just use xset or a power management
utility, if installed, to "sleep" the monitor display after a set time
of system idleness. Works great.

B

Re: Stretch: xfce and xscreensaver

[Cindy-Sue Causey]

On 7/27/17, Johann Spies  wrote:
> On 27 July 2017 at 09:27, Jerome BENOIT 
> wrote:
>> It is configured to display the `deco' saver.
>
> I would try and move ~/.xscreensaver away (something like
> ~/.xscreensaver.bak) and then restart and reconfigure xscreensaver if
> I were in you position.


I like that idea. It's one I've not had to use much over the years,
but it's always high on my debug checklist. :)

Writing now because I tried lurking along behind the scenes. My setup
is a couple week old debootstrap'ed copy of Buster with Xfce4. I had
accidentally forgotten to install my xscreensaver which worked perfect
for this.

So I installed it and attempted to try your Deco theme. I don't
know when this warning popped up (in its own window), but suddenly
there it was sometime just after I clicked Applications > Settings >
Screensaver and then the Deco theme:

"The XScreenSaver daemon doesn't seem to be running on display ":0.0".
Launch it now?"

I have not one clue on that one. Have never seen it, never heard of it before.

A quick glance through search returns without visiting any webpages
shows words like "doesn't start automatically". Those inquiries appear
dated 3 or 4 years ago. That reminded me that I'd noticed my
screensaver had not been behaving perfectly in the last year or so,
but Life outside the computer has had precedence so I never
debugged.

I use the Fiberlamp option. I tried switching back to it, and that
message was still sitting there as though it might pertain to the
screensaver as a whole. Yes, you're right that no, not necessarily,
because once something like that pops up, it usually takes answering
it for it to go away. I clicked "ok", and so far (3 minutes and
counting) no smoke or flames... :)

A parting afterthought: This is occurring on a PC setup where I'd
previously been using a netbook'y laptop until a few weeks ago. That
may or may not be a factor in why I'm suddenly seeing this warning for
the first time ever

Cindy :)
-- 
Cindy-Sue Causey
Talking Rock, Pickens County, Georgia, USA

* runs with duct tape *

Re: Stretch: xfce and xscreensaver

[Johann Spies]

On 27 July 2017 at 09:27, Jerome BENOIT  wrote:
> It is configured to display the `deco' saver.

I would try and move ~/.xscreensaver away (something like
~/.xscreensaver.bak) and then restart and reconfigure xscreensaver if
I were in you position.

Regards.
Johann

-- 
Because experiencing your loyal love is better than life itself,
my lips will praise you.  (Psalm 63:3)

Re: Stretch: xfce and xscreensaver

[Jerome BENOIT]

Hi Johann, thanks for your reply.

On 27/07/17 10:14, Johann Spies wrote:
> On 27 July 2017 at 07:52, Jerome BENOIT  wrote:
>> Hello Debian Users,
>>
>> I have recently upgraded my box from Jessie to Stretch.
>> I encountered a few little issues that I could fixed easily.
>> Nevertheless, so far, I failed to fixed one of them, and a very annoying one.
>>
>> During Xfce sessions, at random time my screen is filled with piece
>> of outdated images that were created by xscreensaver.
>> Most of the time, these images comes with an outdated error message from 
>> xscreensaver.
> 
> How did you configure xscreensaver?  I use XFCE and have no problems.
Good to know.

> My screensaver is configured to display images from a certain
> directory randomly.

It is configured to display the `deco' saver.

Cheers, Jerome

> 
> Regards
> Johann
> 

Re: Stretch: xfce and xscreensaver

[Johann Spies]

On 27 July 2017 at 07:52, Jerome BENOIT  wrote:
> Hello Debian Users,
>
> I have recently upgraded my box from Jessie to Stretch.
> I encountered a few little issues that I could fixed easily.
> Nevertheless, so far, I failed to fixed one of them, and a very annoying one.
>
> During Xfce sessions, at random time my screen is filled with piece
> of outdated images that were created by xscreensaver.
> Most of the time, these images comes with an outdated error message from 
> xscreensaver.

How did you configure xscreensaver?  I use XFCE and have no problems.
My screensaver is configured to display images from a certain
directory randomly.

Regards
Johann

-- 
Because experiencing your loyal love is better than life itself,
my lips will praise you.  (Psalm 63:3)