---
name: "imsmap"
section: "6x"
platform: "linux"
package: "xscreensaver-data-extra"
version: "6.09+dfsg1-1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/imsmap/6x"
---

# imsmap(6x)

generate fractal maps

## NAME

imsmap - generate fractal maps

## SYNOPSIS

**imsmap** \[--display *host:display.screen*\] \[--foreground *color*\] \[--background *color*\] \[--window\] \[--root\] \[--window-id *number*\]\[--mono\] \[--install\] \[--visual *visual*\] \[--ncolors *int*\] \[--delay *seconds*\] \[--delay2 *microseconds*\] \[--iterations *int*\] \[--mode h\|s\|v\|random\] \[--fps\]

## DESCRIPTION

The *imsmap* program generates map or cloud-like patterns.  It looks quite different in monochrome and color.

## OPTIONS

*imsmap* accepts the following options:

- **--window**

  Draw on a newly-created window.  This is the default.

- **--root**

  Draw on the root window.

- **--window-id *number***

  Draw on the specified window.

- **--mono**

  If on a color display, pretend we're on a monochrome display.

- **--install**

  Install a private colormap for the window.

- **--visual *visual***

  Specify which visual to use.  Legal values are the name of a visual class, or the id number (decimal or hex) of a specific visual.

- **--ncolors *integer***

  How many colors to use.  Default 50.

- **--delay *integer***

  How long to delay between images.  Default 10 seconds.

- **--delay2 *integer***

  How long to delay between bitmaps.  Default 200000 (0.2 seconds).

- **--iterations *integer***

  A measure of the resolution of the resultant image, from 0 to 7.  Default 7.

- **--mode \[ hue \| saturation \| value \| random \]**

  The axis upon which colors should be interpolated between the foreground and background color.  Default random.

- **--fps**

  Display the current frame rate and CPU load.

## ENVIRONMENT

- **DISPLAY**

  to get the default host and display number.

- **XENVIRONMENT**

  to get the name of a resource file that overrides the global resources stored in the RESOURCE\_MANAGER property.

- **XSCREENSAVER\_WINDOW**

  The window ID to use with *--root*.

## SEE ALSO

**X**(1), [**xscreensaver**(1)](/xscreensaver/1.md)

## AUTHOR

Juergen Nickelsen \<nickel@cs.tu-berlin.de\>, 23-aug-92.

Hacked on by Jamie Zawinski \<jwz@jwz.org\>, 24-aug-92, 17-May-97.