---
name: "xscreensaver-command"
section: "1x"
platform: "linux"
package: "xscreensaver"
version: "1.27-2"
release: "Debian 1.3 (Bo)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/xscreensaver-command/1x"
---

# xscreensaver-command(1x)

control a running xscreensaver process

## NAME

xscreensaver-command - control a running xscreensaver process

## SYNOPSIS

**xscreensaver-command** \[-activate\] \[-deactivate\] \[-cycle\] \[-next\] \[-prev\] \[-exit\] \[-restart\] \[-demo\] \[-lock\]

## DESCRIPTION

The *xscreensaver-command* program controls a running *xscreensaver* process by sending it client-messages.

## OPTIONS

*xscreensaver-command* accepts the following options:

- **-activate**

  Tell the screensaver to turn on immediately (that is, pretend that the  user been idle for long enough.)  It will turn off as soon as there is any user activity, as usual.

  It is useful to run this from a menu; you may wish to run it as

  ```
  sleep 5 ; xscreensaver-command -activate
  ```

  to be sure that you have time to remove your hand from the mouse before the screensaver comes on.

- **-deactivate**

  Tell the screensaver to turn off, as if there had been user activity. If locking is enabled, then the screensaver will prompt for a password as usual.

- **-cycle**

  Tell the screensaver to change which graphics hack it is running, just as if the \`\`cycle'' timer had expired.

- **-next**

  This is like either *-activate* or *-cycle*, depending on which is more appropriate, except that the screenhack that will be run is the next one in the list of programs, instead of a randomly-chosen one.  This option is good for looking at a demo of each of the screensavers currently available. You might want to put this on a menu.

- **-prev**

  This is like *-next*, but cycles in the other direction.

- **-demo**

  Cause the screensaver to enter its interactive demo mode, if it has been compiled with support for it.

- **-lock**

  Like *-activate*, but a password will be required before the screensaver turns off, even if the screensaver's *lock* resource is false.  The  display will be locked immediately even if the screensaver's *lockTimeout* resource is non-zero.

- **-exit**

  Causes the screensaver process to exit gracefully.  This is a slightly safer way to kill the screensaver than by using *kill*.

  Never use *kill -9* with *xscreensaver* while the screensaver is active.  If you are using a virtual root window manager, that can leave things in an inconsistent state, and you may need to restart your window manager to repair the damage.

- **-restart**

  Causes the screensaver process to exit and then restart with the same command line arguments.  This is a good way of causing the screensaver to re-read the resource database.

  If the screensaver is run from *[xdm(1)](/xdm/1.md)* (that is, it is already running before you log in) then you may want to issue the \`\`restart'' command from  one of your startup scripts, so that the screensaver gets your resource settings instead of the default ones.

## ENVIRONMENT

- **DISPLAY**

  to get the default host and display number.

- **PATH**

  to find the executable to restart.

## SEE ALSO

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

## BUGS

Diagnostics are reported on the **stderr** of the *xscreensaver* process, not this process, so the caller of *xscreensaver-command* may not see the error messages.

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 1992, 1993 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@netscape.com\>, 13-aug-92.