--- name: "xsnow" section: "6" platform: "linux" package: "xsnow" version: "1:3.8.3-1" release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)" platforms: ["linux"] url: "https://new.carta.tech/xsnow" --- # xsnow(6) Snow and Santa on your desktop ## NAME xsnow - Snow and Santa on your desktop ## SYNOPSIS **xsnow** \[*OPTION*\]... ## DESCRIPTION Xsnow shows an animation of Santa and snow on your desktop. Xsnow can also run in one or more windows, see options -xwininfo, -id . (These options only work satisfactorily in an X11 environment.) Xsnow depends on an X11 environment. This is forced by setting the environment variable GDK\_BACKEND=x11 before initializing the GTK. Hopefully, this will ensure that xsnow also runs in a Wayland environment for some time. If xsnow is misbehaving, try to remove the file $HOME/.xsnowrc. ### General options: Below:\ \ denotes an unsigned decimal (e.g 123) or octal (e.g. 017) or hex (e.g. 0x50009) number.\ \ denotes a string like "red" or "#123456".\ \ denotes a file name, like "/home/rick/Pictures/background.jpg". - **-h, -help** print this text. - **-H, -manpage** print man page. - **-v, -version** prints version of xsnow. - **-changelog** prints ChangeLog. - **-selfrep** put tar ball on stdout, so you can do:\ xsnow -selfrep \> xsnow.tar.gz - **-display \** Drop the snowflakes on the given display. Make sure the display is nearby, so you can hear them enjoy... - **-screen \** If you have multiple monitors: snow in monitor n.\ \-1: use all monitors (default: -1)\ Note: for this to work, Xinerama has to be functional. - **-outline \** 1: draw outline around snow window. 0: no outline.\ Default: 0. - **-vintage** Run xsnow in vintage settings. - **-defaults** Do not read config file (see FILES). - **-noconfig** Do not read or write config file (see FILES). - **-hidemenu** Start with hidden interactive menu. - **-nomenu** Do not show interactive menu. - **-lang \** Set language, example: -lang it, see LANGUAGES below. Default: sys. - **-scale \** Apply scalefactor (default: 100). - **-doublebuffer \** 1: use double buffering; 0: do not use double buffering (default: 1). Only effective with '-root' or '-id' or '-xwininfo'. - **-transparency \** Transparency in % (default: 0) - **-theme \** 1: use xsnow theme for menu; 0: use system theme (default: 1) - **-checkgtk \** 0: Do not check gtk version before starting the user interface. 1: Check gtk version before starting the user interface. (default: 1). - **-id \, -window-id \** Snow in window with id (for example from xwininfo). - **--window-id \** see -id. - **-desktop** Act as if window is a desktop. - **-allworkspaces \** 0: use one desktop for snow, 1: use all desktops (default: 1). - **-above** Snow above your windows. Default is to snow below your windows. NOTE: in some environments this results in an un-clickable desktop. - **-xwininfo** Use a cursor to point at the window you want the snow to be fallen in. - **-stopafter \** Stop xsnow after so many seconds. - **-root, --root** Force to paint on (virtual) root window.\ Use this for xscreensaver:\ Make sure xscreensaver is running, either as a start-up application\ or from the command line, e.g:\ \ nohup xscreensaver &\ or\ \ nohup xscreensaver -no-capture-stderr &\ Run the program xscreensaver-demo to create the file ~/.xscreensaver\ In the file ~.xscreensaver add after the line 'programs:' this line:\ \ xsnow -root\ Use the program xscreensaver-demo to select xsnow as screensaver.\ You probably want to select: Mode: Only One Screen Saver. - **-bg \** file to be used as background when running under xscreensaver. - **-noisy** Write extra info about some mouse clicks, X errors etc, to stdout. - **-cpuload \** How busy is your system with xsnow: the higher, the more load on the system (default: 100). ### Snow options: - **-snowflakes \** The higher, the more snowflakes are generated per second. Default: 100. - **-blowsnow** (Default) Animate blow-off snow. - **-noblowsnow** Do not animate blowing snow from trees or windows - **-sc \** Use the given string as color for the flakes (default: #fffafa). - **-sc2 \** Use the given string as second color for the flakes (default: #87ceff). - **-enablesc2 \** 1: enable usage of second color for the flakes (default: 0). - **-snowspeedfactor \** Multiply the speed of snow with this number/100 (default: 100). - **-snowsize \** Set size of (non-vintage) snow flakes (default: 8). - **-snow** (Default) Show snow. - **-nosnow -nosnowflakes** Do not show snow. - **-flakecountmax \** Maximum number of active flakes (default: 300). - **-blowofffactor \** The higher, the more snow is generated in blow-off scenarios (default: 40). ### Tree options: - **-treetype \\[,\ ...\]** Choose tree types: minimum 0, maximum 8 (default: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,). Thanks to Carla Vermin for numbers \>=3! Credits: Image by b0red on Pixabay. - **-treetype all** (Default) Use all non-vintage available tree types. - **-tc \** Use the given string as the color for the vintage tree (default: #7fff00). Works only for treetype 0. - **-notrees** Do not display the trees. - **-showtrees** (Default) Display the trees. - **-trees \** Desired number of trees. Default 10. - **-treefill \** Region in percents of the height of the window where trees grow (default: 30). - **-treescale \** Scale scenery (default: 100). - **-treeoverlap** Allow scenery items to overlap each other (default). - **-notreeoverlap** Do not allow scenery items to overlap each other. ### Santa options: - **-showsanta** (Default) Display Santa running all over the screen. - **-nosanta** Do not display Santa running all over the screen. - **-showrudolph** (Default) With Rudolph. - **-norudolph** No Rudolph. - **-santa \** The minimum size of Santa is 0, the maximum size is 4. Default is 3. Thanks to Thomas Linder for the (big) Santa 2! Santa 3 is derived from Santa 2, and shows the required eight reindeer. The appearance of Santa 4 may be a surprise, thanks to Carla Vermin for this one. - **-santaspeedfactor \** The speed Santa should not be excessive if he doesn't want to get fined. The appropriate speed for the Santa chosen will be multiplied by santaspeedfactor/100 (default: 100). - **-santascale \** The scale to be used when drawing Santa (default: 100). ### Celestial options: - **-wind** (Default) It will get windy now and then. - **-nowind** By default it gets windy now and then. If you prefer quiet weather specify -nowind. - **-whirlfactor \** This sets the whirl factor, i.e. the maximum adjustment of the horizontal speed. The default value is 100. - **-windtimer \** With -windtimer you can specify how often it gets windy. It's sort of a period in seconds, default value is 30. - **-stars \** The number of stars (default: 20). - **-meteors** (Default) Show meteors. - **-nometeors** Do not show meteors. - **-meteorfrequency** Frequency of falling of meteors, 0..100 (default: 40). - **-moon \** 1: show moon, 0: do not show moon (default: 1).\ Picture of moon thanks to Pedro Lasta on Unsplash.\ https://unsplash.com/photos/wCujVcf0JDw - **-moonspeed \** Speed of moon in pixels/minute (default: 120). - **-moonsize \** Relative size of moon (default: 100). - **-mooncolor \** Color of moon 0: yellow-ish; 1: white-ish (default: 0). - **-halo \** 1: show halo around moon, 0: do not show halo (default: 1). - **-halobrightness \** Brightness of halo (default: 25). - **-aurora \** To show (1) or not to show(0) aurora (default: 1).\ \ On most desktops aurora works, but not on all. Try! - **-auroraleft** Place aurora in top left of screen. - **-auroramiddle** Place aurora in top middle of screen. - **-auroraright** Place aurora in top right of screen (default). - **-aurorawidth \** Width of aurora in percentage of screen width (default: 60). - **-aurorabase \** Height of aurora's base line in percentage of screen height (default: 50). - **-auroraheight \** Height of aurora (default: 30). - **-auroraspeed \** Animation speed of aurora (default: 50).\ \ 10: about real value, 100: timelapse. - **-aurorabrightness \** Brightness of aurora (default: 15). ### Fallen snow options: - **-wsnowdepth \** Maximum thickness of snow on top of windows (default: 30). - **-ssnowdepth \** Maximum thickness of snow at the bottom of the screen (default: 50). - **-maxontrees \** Maximum number of flakes on trees. Default 200. - **-keepsnowonwindows** (Default) Keep snow on top of the windows. - **-nokeepsnowonwindows** Do not keep snow on top of the windows. - **-keepsnowonscreen** (Default) Keep snow at the bottom of the screen. - **-nokeepsnowonscreen** Do not keep snow at the bottom of the screen. - **-keepsnowontrees** (Default) Keep snow on trees. - **-nokeepsnowontrees** Do not keep snow on trees. - **-keepsnow** (Default) Have snow sticking anywhere. - **-nokeepsnow** Do not have snow sticking anywhere. - **-fluffy** (Default) Create fluff on fallen snow. - **-nofluffy** Do not create fluff on fallen snow. - **-offsetx \** Correction for window-manager provided x-coordinate of window. Default 4. - **-offsety \** Correction for window-manager provided y-coordinate of window. Default 0. - **-offsetw \** Correction for window-manager provided width of window. Default -8. - **-offsets \** Correction for bottom coordinate of your screen. A negative value lifts the xsnow screen up. Default 0. - **-ignoretop \** Do not collect snow on window \> 0.8\*width of screen and closer than \ pixels from the top. Sometimes an hidden window is sitting there, but treated as a normal window by xsnow. Default 0. - **-ignorebottom \** Analog to -ignoretop, but now for the bottom. Default 0. ### Birds options: - **-anarchy \** Anarchy factor ( 0..100 default: 50). - **-birdscolor \** Use the given string as color for the birds (default: #361A07). - **-birdsonly \** Show only birds ( 0/1 default: 0). - **-birdsspeed \** Speed of birds ( 0..300 default: 100). - **-disweight \** Eagerness to keep desired distance ( 0..100 default: 20). - **-focuscentre \** Eagerness to fly to the focus ( 0..300 default: 100). - **-followneighbours \** Eagerness to follow neighbours ( 0..100 default: 30). - **-nbirds \** Number of birds ( 0..400 default: 70). - **-neighbours \** Number of neighbours to watch ( 0..20 default: 7). - **-prefdistance \** Preferred distance to neighbours ( 0..100 default: 40). - **-showbirds \** Show birds ( 0/1 default: 1). - **-showattr \** Show attraction point ( 0/1 default: 0). - **-attrspace \** Vertical space to be used by the attraction point (default: 40). - **-followsanta \** Birds like Santa ( 0/1 default: 0). - **-viewingdistance \** Viewing distance ( 0..95 default: 40). - **-birdsscale \** Scalefactor used painting the birds (default: 100). ### LANGUAGES Xsnow comes with some translations to non-english languages.\ The translations are done with the aid of translate.google.com (implemented in package 'trans'), so there will be room for improvement. Any suggestions are welcome: contact@ratrabbit.nl . ### FILES - **$HOME/.xsnowrc** Settings are read from and written to this file. See flags -noconfig and -defaults how to influence this behaviour.\ \ NOTE: the following settings are not read or written:\ \ \-above -defaults -desktop -fullscreen -noconfig -id\ \ \-nomenu -stopafter -xwininfo -display -noisy -checkgtk\ \ NOTE: the file also contains the screen locations of a number of buttons,\ \ which can be used for testing purposes. - **$HOME/xsnow/pixmaps/tree.xpm** If present, xsnow will try this file for displaying the trees. The format must be xpm (X PixMap) format, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X\_PixMap . - **$HOME/xsnow/pixmaps/santa\.xpm** where \ = 1,2,3,4. If present, xsnow will try this files (4 of them) for displaying Santa. The format must be xpm (X PixMap) format, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X\_PixMap .\ \ NOTE: To show: activate the first Santa in the menu. ### SIGNALS On receiving the SIGUSR1 signal, xsnow writes the file ~/.xsnowrc. ### EXAMPLES $ xsnow -defaults # run with defaults.\ \ $ xsnow # run using values from the config file.\ \ $ xsnow -treetype 1,2 # use tree types 1 and 2. ### WINDOW MANAGER ISSUES In general, xsnow works better when using a compositing window manager like xcompmgr, compton or picom. However, with some window managers (FVWM for example), the xsnow-window is transparent, but not click-through. Flags to be tried in this case include: -root, -doublebuffer, -xwininfo, -id.\ Here follow some window managers with their issues:\ - **Tiling window managers** Here you need to float windows with class=Xsnow. - **AWESOME** Without compositor: no issues.\ With compositor: no click-through xsnow window, and issues with multi-monitor setup. - **BSPWM** No issues if you add to your bspwmrc (the bspwm configuration file):\ \ bspc rule -a Xsnow state=floating border=off - **CINNAMON** No issues. - **DWM** No issues, except the "Below Windows" setting in the "settings" panel. - **ENLIGHTENMENT** With one monitor: no issuses.\ With more montors: probems with showing in 'all monitors' - **FLUXBOX** Without compositor: no issues.\ With compositor: no click-through xsnow window - **FVWM** Without compositor: no issues.\ With compositor: no click-through xsnow window - **GNOME on Xorg** No issues. - **GNOME on Wayland** Most windows don't catch snow. - **HERBSTLUFTWM** No issues. - **I3** Without compositor: windows don't catch snow, use the next line in "config":\ \ for\_window \[class="Xsnow"\] floating enable;border none\ With compositor: unworkable. - **JVM** No issues. - **LXDE** With compositor: no issues.\ Without compositor: works with one monitor.\ Maybe you need to run with the flag -xwininfo - **LXQT** Without compositor: unworkable. With compositor: no issues. - **MATE** No issues. - **OPENBOX** No issues. - **PLASMA (KDE)** No issues. - **SPECTRWM** Various issues. In any case you need in spectrwm.conf:\ \ quirk\[Xsnow\] = FLOAT - **TWM** Without compositor: no issues.\ With compositor: no click-through xsnow window and\ you need to tweak settings-\>lift snow on windows. - **WINDOW MAKER** Without compositor: no issues. With compositor: no click-through xsnow window - **XFCE** No issues when compositing is on, unworkable when compositing is off.\ See settings -\> Window Manager Tweaks -\> Compositor - **XMONAD** No issues if you add to your xmonad.hs:\ \ import XMonad.Hooks.EwmhDesktops\ \ xmonad $ ewmh $ defaultConfig\ \ in the ManageHook section:\ \ className = ? "Xsnow" --\> doFloat ### BUGS \- Xsnow needs a complete rewrite: the code is a mess.\ \- The flags are not consistent, caused by trying to be\ compatible with older versions.\ \- Xsnow stresses the Xserver too much.\ \- Xsnow does run in Wayland, but will not snow on all windows.\ \- Xsnow tries to create a click-through window. This is not successful\ in for example FVWM/xcompmgr. In that case, xsnow tries to keep\ the snow window below all others, resulting in a transient effect\ when you click on the desktop. Sadly, no FVWM menu will appear...\ \- Remnants of fluffy snow can persist after removing the\ fallen snow. These will gradually disappear, so no big deal.\ \- Remnants of meteors can persist after passage of Santa.\ These will eventually be wiped out by snow or Santa.\ \- Xsnow tries to adapt its snowing window if the display\ settings are changed while xsnow is running.\ This does not function always well.\ \- Xsnow does not play well with 'xcompmgr -a'. In some environments\ (Raspberry 64 bit) xcompmgr is started with the flag '-a',\ resulting in a black snow window. Remedy:\ In a terminal window type:\ killall xcompmgr\ nohup xcompmgr -n &\ and try again.\ \- In XFCE, compositing must be enabled for xsnow.\ Settings -\> Window Manager Tweaks -\> Compositor -\> Enable display compositing\ \- In multi-screen environments, it depends on the display settings\ if it is snowing on all screens. Experiment!\ Please report your comments via:\ \ https://ratrabbit.nl/ratrabbit/contact . ## HOMEPAGE https://ratrabbit.nl/ratrabbit/xsnow ## COPYRIGHT This is free software; see the source for copying conditions. There is NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.