[kde-linux] Sleeping Display

[Bruce Miller]

----- Original Message ----

> From: Leslie Rhorer <lrhorer at satx.rr.com>
> To: kde-linux at kde.org
> Sent: Sunday, August 30, 2009 11:42:31 PM
> Subject: Re: [kde-linux] Sleeping Display
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: JD [mailto:jd1008 at gmail.com]
> > Sent: Sunday, August 30, 2009 9:08 PM
> > To: For people using KDE on Linux with related questions/problems
> > Subject: Re: [kde-linux] Sleeping Display
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > On 08/30/2009 06:55 PM, Leslie Rhorer wrote:
> > > List members,
> > >
> > >     I have a system which is set to hibernate the console display after
> > > a time. I need to be able to wake the display back up without anyone
> > hitting
> > > a key or moving the mouse. Is there a way to programmatically wake up
> > the
> > > desktop from a shell script?  It only needs to work for one user (the
> > > default automatic login on the console), and only when that user is
> > logged
> > > on to the console.  Otherwise, it doesn't matter.
> > >
> > >     Actually, I'm not sure why the display hibernates at all.  It's
> > > rather puzzling as the screen saver is disabled (or at least I think it
> > is -
> > > I don't see a setting which specifically disables it, and I haven't
> > selected
> > > one in the screensaver settings window), and I have power management
> > shut
> > > off.  I don't mind the fact the screen blanks, however, as long as I can
> > > control it and cause the screen to come to life without pressing a key.
> > In
> > > fact, I prefer the screen to blank after a period of inactivity, but I
> > need
> > > to wake the screen when certain events occur.
> > >
> > >     I'm running KDE 3.5.10 under Debian "Lenny" Linux on kernel
> > > 2.6.26-2-686 on a Dell GX-270 compact desktop.
> > >
> > >
> > 
> >  From the shell, run
> > gnome-screensaver-preferences
> 
>     Why would the Gnome screensaver be active when I'm running KDE?  The
> following output when I run the preferences command makes me think it isn't,
> as well:
> 
> lrhorer at AlarmClock:~$ gnome-screensaver-preferences
> ** (gnome-screensaver-preferences:3057): DEBUG: Found best visual for GL:
> 0x25
> 
> ** (gnome-power-preferences:3062): WARNING **: DBUS error: Could not get
> owner of name 'org.gnome.ScreenSaver': no such name
> ** (gnome-power-preferences:3062): DEBUG: proxy is NULL, maybe the daemon
> responsible for org.gnome.ScreenSaver is not running?
> lrhorer at AlarmClock:~$
> 
>     Finally, the fact I set the screen saver for 2 minutes and the power
> management for 6 minutes in the Gnome screensaver configuration, but nothing
> happens after 2 or 6 minutes pretty much confirms it.
> 
> > or from  the menu  system -> preferences -> Screensaver
> 
>     There is no such thing under KDE, or at least not this version (or
> any other I have used).  In KDE, the screensaver is in the Control Center
> under Appearance & Themes => Screensaver.  There is no utility to
> specifically disable the screensaver, but there is a checkbox labeled "Start
> Automatically" which is not checked.  As I said, however, I actually prefer
> that the system is blanking the screen, and I don't particularly care what
> process is doing it.
> 
> 
> > There you can enable or disable the screen saver, and you can also do
> > other
> > settings like what should happen if you close the lid, and various
> > other power settings.
> 
>     Aside from the fact this is KDE, not Gnome, there is no lid.  I
> explicitly said in my e-mail this is a Dell GX-270 desktop system, not a
> laptop.
> 
> > As far as makeing the screen saver wake up without user intervention,
> > I don't know ....    If your keyboard can send back some key code upon
> > receipt of some escape sequence, then it might be possible to wake up
> > the screen saver. Ditto with the mouse.
> 
>     I suppose I could try sending characters to the mouse or keyboard
> interface to see what happens.
> 
> > I wonder if output to the screen could alert the screen saver to expose
> > the screen again???
> 
>     It might, but it would require an active session on the desktop, and
> there isn't one.  It's possible sending characters to stdout of a minimized
> window might work.  I'll have to try it.

I am not sure if this meets your needs, but tapping the Shift key clears the KDE screensaver on all versions of KDE as far back as I can remember.

Disclaimer: As for awakening a console session, I shall have to await my return home tomorrow to test. Am currently using an Eee 1000 with the less-than-stellar Xandros Linux. Among much else, it lacks any evident way to start a console session. Even finding a terminal from the graphical interface took Googling.


 --
Bruce Miller, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
bruce at brmiller.ca; (613) 745-1151

Computer
programming is a race between software engineers striving to build
bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to
produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning.