---
name: "kaleidescope"
section: "6"
platform: "linux"
package: "xscreensaver"
version: "6.15-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/kaleidescope/6"
---

# kaleidescope(6)

rotating line segments

## NAME

Kaleidescope - rotating line segments

## SYNOPSIS

**kaleidescope** \[--display *host:display.screen*\] \[--foreground *color*\] \[--background *color*\] \[--window\] \[--root\] \[--window-id *number*\]\[--install\] \[--visual *visual*\] \[--color\_mode *mono \| nice \| greedy*\] \[-nsegments *int*\] \[--ntrails *int*\] \[--local\_rotation *int*\] \[--global\_rotation *int*\] \[--delay *usecs*\] \[--redmin *int*\] \[--greenmin *int*\] \[--bluemin *int*\] \[--redrange *int*\] \[--greenrange *int*\] \[--bluerange *int*\] \[--fps\]

## DESCRIPTION

The *kaleidescope* program draws line segments in a symmetric pattern that evolves over time.

## OPTIONS

*kaleidescope* accepts the following options:

- **--root**

  Draw on the root window.

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

  Draw on the specified window.

- **--color\_mode mono \| nice \| greedy**

  Specify how kaleidescope uses colors. Mono uses just the default foreground and background colors. Nice uses one color for each segment (specified by nsegments). Greedy uses (ntrails \* nsegments) + 1  colors.

- **--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.

- **--nsegments integer**

  The number of segments to draw. Default is 7.

- **--ntrails integer**

  The number of trails to draw. Default is 100.

- **--local\_rotation integer**

  The rate at which segments rotate around their center. Default is -59.

- **--global\_rotation integer**

  The rate at which segments rotate around the center of the window. Default is 1.

- **--redmin, --greenmin, --bluemin, --redrange, --greenrange, --bluerange**

  All take an integer argument. When colors are randomly chosen, they  are chosen from the interval min to min plus range. The minimums default to 30000. The ranges default to 20000.

- **--delay microseconds**

  How much of a delay should be introduced between steps of the animation. Default is 20000, or about 5 frames a second.

- **--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), [**kaleidescope**(6)](/kaleidescope/6.md)

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 1997 by Ron Tapia.  Permission to use, copy, modify,  distribute, and sell this software and its documentation for any purpose is  hereby granted without fee, provided that the above copyright notice appear  in all copies and that both that copyright notice and this permission notice appear in supporting documentation.  No representations are made about the  suitability of this software for any purpose.  It is provided "as is" without express or implied warranty.

## AUTHOR

Ron Tapia \<tapia@nmia.com\>, 20-Mar-97.