---
name: "ixbiff.conf"
section: "5"
platform: "linux"
package: "ixbiff"
version: "0.03d"
release: "Debian 4.0 (Etch)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/ixbiff.conf"
---

# ixbiff.conf(5)

ixbiff(1) configuration file

## NAME

ixbiff.conf - [ixbiff(1)](/ixbiff/1.md) configuration file

## DESCRIPTION

**ixbiff** is the main configuration file for [**ixbiff**(1)](/ixbiff/1.md) which notify a user when new mail arrives by blinking keyboard leds.

Every variable consists of two fields, an *identifier field* and a *value* field. These two fields are seperated by one or more spaces or tabs and an equal sign. There are three types of values: *strings*, *boolean values*, and *integers*. Strings must be quoted (i.e. surrounded by "'s). Boolean values can be either **True** or **False**.

Lines starting with a hash mark (\`#'') and empty lines are ignored.

## FORMAT

Here is an example taken from Ixbiff 0.03a. In general you shouldn't need to ask questions about the configuration file, because the configuration file is well commented by default.

if true, enable some keyboard led eyecandy when ixbiff starts.

-

  ```
  led_startup = true
  ```

if true, enable some keyboard led eyecandy when ixbiff stops.

-

  ```
  led_shutdown = true
  ```

if false, the keyboard leds will stop blinking if your mailbox access times and modification times differ. in other words, the keyboard leds will stop blinking after you've read your mail, even if you haven't deleted the mail.

-

  ```
  leds_on_after_accessed = false
  ```

if true, use Maildir format, if false, use standard UNIX mbox format

-

  ```
  use_maildir_format = true
  ```

the led blink rate in milliseconds.

-

  ```
  led_blink_rate = 100
  ```

the name of your mail client executable.

-

  ```
  mail_client = "mutt"
  ```

if true, ixbiff will warn you (by blinking the leds in a certain sequence) if the mail client is active for more than \`\`warn\_delay'' minutes and every \`\`warn\_delay''th minute thereafter.

-

  ```
  warn_if_client_active = true
  ```

the delay in minutes between each mail client launch. this option have no effect if \`warn\_if\_client\_active'' is set to false.

-

  ```
  warn_delay = 5
  ```

if false, the leds will stop blinking when your mail client is active (except for the warning, if enabled, above).

-

  ```
  leds_on_client_launch = false
  ```

this sequence is displayed when ixbiff starts. this sequence have no effect if led\_startup is false.

-

  ```
  startup_sequence = 50, 2, 5, 2, 5, 2
  ```

this sequence is displayed when ixbiff stops. this sequence have no effect if led\_shutdown is false.

-

  ```
  shutdown_sequence = 50, 5, 2, 5, 2, 5
  ```

when ixbiff wants to warn you that your mail client has been active for warn\_delay minutes, it display this sequence. this if course only happens if warn\_if\_client\_active is true.

-

  ```
  client_active_sequence = 100, 7, 0, 7, 0, 7
  ```

mbox / maildir paths. Just specify the ones you want to use and uncomment the rest.

-

  ```
  led1 = "/home/abz/.mutt/mail/incoming/frogfoot/new"
  led2 = "/home/abz/.mutt/mail/incoming/fireblue/new"
  led3 = "/home/abz/.mutt/mail/incoming/blio/new"
  ```

## SEQUENCES

Sequences define the way in which keyboard leds blink when certain events occur.

all the sequences consist of a delay in milliseconds and a sequence of flags. each of these flags is a bitwise OR of the leds that should blink

below is the bit definitions for the leds

-

  ```
  led1 = 001 (1)
  led2 = 010 (2)
  led3 = 100 (4)
  ```

this is best explained with an example, so here goes

let's say, we want the leds to flash, one at a time, from left to right and back again with a 75 ms pause between each flash:

-

  ```
  sequence = 75, 1, 2, 4, 2, 1
  ```

here is another example: we want to flash the first and last led, then pause (i.e. display nothing), display the middle led and then all of them simultaneously. this should all happen at a 50 ms interval between each flash

-

  ```
  sequence = 50, 5, 0, 2, 7
  ```

## SEE ALSO

[**ixbiff**(1)](/ixbiff/1.md)

## AUTHOR

Written by Abraham vd Merwe \<abz@blio.net\>