---
name: "asclock"
section: "1x"
platform: "linux"
package: "asclock"
version: "2.0.12-35"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/asclock"
---

# asclock(1x)

the AfterStep clock

## NAME

**asclock** - the AfterStep clock

## SYNOPSIS

**asclock** \[ -help\] \[-12 \| -24\] \[-shape\]\
         \[-position *\[+\|-\]x\[+\|-\]y*\]\
         \[-exe *program*\]\
         \[-theme *dir*\]\
         \[-led *color*\]\
         \[-noblink\]\
         \[-dock\]\
         \[-version\]

## DESCRIPTION

The **asclock** is a clock written to emulate the date/time application on  the NEXTSTEP(tm) operating system.  **asclock** supports multiple languages,  military and AM/PM time formats, program execution, and the shape extension  to X-Windows.

## CONFIGURATION OPTIONS

- \-help

  prints the usage message:

  ```
          usage:  asclock [-options ...]
          where options include:
              -12                     12 hour format
              -24                     24 hour format
              -exe <program>          program to start on click
              -led <color>            color of the led
              -position [+|-]x[+|-]y  position of asclock
              -shape                  without groundplate
              -theme <dir>            theme directory
              -noblink                don't blink
              -dock                   without window decorations
              -version                show version information
  ```

- \-12 or -24

  sets the desired time format to either twelve hour with AM/PM ( -12 ) or military time ( -24 ).  If no option is given military time is used.

- \-shape

  turn on shaped window support for **asclock**.  When this is turned on the **asclock** windows will only appear to be the led and date pad.  By default  shaped windows are turned off and the clock will appear on a 64 pixel by 64 pixel base.

- \-led \<color\>

  specifies the color of the led. To find out what colors are available, try  [*showrgb*(1)](/showrgb/1.md) (part of X11).

- \-position \[+\|-\]x\[+\|-\]y

  specifies the starting position of **asclock**. The \[+\|-\] works like the standard X-Windows x/y geometry option.

- \-exe \<program\>

  specifies the application to start when the pointer is activated over **asclock**. To invoke applications with parameters, you have to set quotes around the command. See example below...

- \-noblink

  specifies if **asclock** should blink.

- \-theme \<dir\>

  specifies the theme to used. A theme consists of a directory containing 8 xpms and a position file called 'config'.  Read the *Themes* section.

- \-dock

  tells the window manager not to put window decorations around **asclock**, useful for docking with *Window Maker*. Note that in several window managers this causes **asclock** to ignore the position specified with -position (if present).

## INVOCATION

**asclock** can be called from one of many ways.  The most common invocation is the command line:

```
	[user@host] ~% asclock -12 -exe 'xlock -mode hop' &
```

Another way to call **asclock** is from the window manager:

```
	*Wharf - - MaxSwallow "asclock"	asclock -theme shape -12&
```

This line, when placed in the *.steprc* file in the users home directory  will cause **asclock** to use the shape extensions so that it will be a button on the **Wharf (1)** button bar under the **afterstep (1)**  window manager.

## THEMES

A theme consists of a directory containing 8 xpms and a position file called 'config'.  All tiles within the same xpm must have the same width or height, except the colon which has half the width of the other digits.  The pixmaps are called: *clock.xpm*, *date.xpm*, *led.xpm*, *month.xpm*, *weekday.xpm*, *hour.xpm*, *minute.xpm*, *second.xpm*.  For a full description of the format, take a look at *README.THEMES*.

## BUGS

we don't have bugs :)

## COPYRIGHTS

Copyright 1996, Beat Christen \<bchriste@iiic.ethz.ch\>. No guarantees or  warranties or anything are provided or implied in any way whatsoever. Use this program at your own risk. Permission to use this program for  any purpose is given, as long as the copyright is kept intact.

## AUTHORS

Beat Christen \<bchriste@iiic.ethz.ch\> -- application

Dan Weeks \<dan@mango.sfasu.edu\> -- man page