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

# slidescreen(6x)

permute the screen image like an 8-puzzle

## NAME

slidescreen - permute the screen image like an 8-puzzle

## SYNOPSIS

**slidescreen** \[--display *host:display.screen*\] \[--background *color*\] \[--grid-size *pixels*\] \[--ibw *pixels*\] \[--increment *pixels*\] \[--delay *usecs*\] \[--delay2 *usecs*\] \[--duration *secs*\] \[--window\] \[--root\] \[--window-id *number*\] \[--install\] \[--visual *visual*\] \[--fps\]

## DESCRIPTION

The *slidescreen* program takes an image, divides it into a grid, deletes a random square of that grid, and then randomly slides  one of the neighbors of this "hole" into the hole (and repeat.)

The image that it manipulates will be grabbed from the portion of the screen underlying the window, or from the system's video input, or from a random file on disk, as indicated by the *grabDesktopImages*, *grabVideoFrames*, and *chooseRandomImages* options in the *~/.xscreensaver* file; see [**xscreensaver-settings**(1)](/xscreensaver-settings/1.md) for more details.

## OPTIONS

*slidescreen* 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.

- **--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.

- **--grid-size *pixels***

  The size of the grid cells.  Default 70 pixels.

- **--ibw *pixels***

  The size of the "gutter" between grid cells.  Default 4 pixel.

- **--increment *pixels***

  How many pixels by which a piece should be moved when sliding to a new  location.  Default 10 pixels.

- **--delay *microseconds***

  How much of a delay should be introduced between steps of the animation of the motion of each segment.  Default 50000, which is 0.05 seconds.  This is closely related to the *--increment* parameter.

- **--delay2 *microseconds***

  How much of a delay should be introduced between the end of the motion of one segment and the beginning of the motion of another.  Default 1000000, which is one second.

- **--duration *seconds***

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

- **--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), [**xscreensaver-settings**(1)](/xscreensaver-settings/1.md), **xscreensaver-getimage**(6x)

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 1992 by Jamie Zawinski.  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

Jamie Zawinski \<jwz@jwz.org\>, 3-dec-92.