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

# ripples(6)

interference patterns.

## NAME

ripples - interference patterns.

## SYNOPSIS

**ripples** \[--display *host:display.screen*\] \[--visual *visual*\] \[--window\] \[--root\] \[--window-id *number*\] \[--delay *number*\] \[--duration *secs*\] \[--rate *number*\] \[--fluidity *number*\] \[--light *number*\] \[--water\] \[--stir\] \[--oily\] \[--grayscale\] \[--colors *number*\] \[--no-shm\] \[--fps\]

## DESCRIPTION

This draws rippling interference patterns like splashing water. With the -water option, it manipulates your desktop image to look like something is dripping into it.

## OPTIONS

- **--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.

- **--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.

- **--delay *number***

  Per-frame delay, in microseconds.  Default: 50000 (0.05 seconds.).

- **--duration *seconds***

  How long to run before loading a new image.  Default 120 seconds.

- **--rate *number***

  Drizzle.  1 - 100.  Default: 5.

- **--fluidity *number***

  Small Drops.  0 - 16.  Default: 6.

- **--light *number***

  Lighting Effect.  0 - 8.  Default: 0.

- **--water \| --no-water**

  Grab Screen Image.  Boolean.

- **--stir \| --no-stir**

  Moving Splashes.  Boolean.

- **--oily \| --no-oily**

  Psychedelic Colors.  Boolean.

- **--grayscale**

  Convert the screen image to grayscale. Ignored if we don't grab the screen image or if our screen doesn't have enough color depth.

- **--colors *number***

  Colors Two.  Default: 200.

- **--shm \| --no-shm**

  Use Shared Memory.  Boolean.

- **--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)

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2002 by Tom Hammersley.  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

Tom Hammersley.