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Old Zorin Forum archive → Help and Support

can you run xscreensaver and gnome-screensaver together?

GBT7

Tue Aug 21, 2012 10:46:56 pm

I would like to run both xscreensaver and gnome-screensaver simultaneously without one closing/not working/complaining about the other. I would like to do this because I want to use the lock function from gnome-screensaver (it looks nice) while using the randomized screensavers from xscreensaver (They look awesome). Also, I doubt this is possible but if there is a way to run "gnome-screensaver --lock" after xscreensaver quits blank screen mode can somebody say how to do that?

Wolfman

Wed Aug 22, 2012 9:03:07 am

Hi,

I don't know about that, I think that at least you would have to remove gnome screensaver first, if you try it with both, I don't know what would happen to your system!.

This link tells you to remove gnome screensaver:

http://www.howtogeek.com/114027/how-to- ... ntu-12.04/

Regards Wolfman :D

GBT7

Wed Aug 22, 2012 6:34:20 pm

If I would apparently need to remove gnome-screensaver for xscreensaver to function properly then I guess I would rather keep the semi-unstable setup I have now, completely preventing gnome-screensaver from doing anything automatically to use it for nothing but locking, making xscreensaver run after 5 minutes of idle and ignoring any errors/warnings that pop up about them until I notice something actually broken. It seems to be working so far I guess...

jymm

Thu Sep 06, 2012 10:04:56 pm

All you need to do is install the xscreensaver extras package, and only keep the gnome screensaver. If you go to the xscreensaver site, it will tell you it works with the gnome screensaver also. I just installed a dual boot of SolusOS on my Win7 laptop and that is exactly what I did. Worked great with no problems. If I remember right,you can look up xscreensaver in Ubuntu package manager and then only check the extras. Otherwise look up xscreensaver in Synaptic and only install the extras. I found trying to run both a problem also.
"GL(Mesa) screen hacks for xscreensaver"

GBT7

Sat Sep 08, 2012 2:39:59 am

Yeah a while after I posted this I realized that... It was a kinda stupid question in the first place so somebody just mark it as solved :P

Wolfman

Sat Sep 08, 2012 9:02:07 am

Hi,

please also read this thread from MV:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2301

Regards Wolfman :D

WatchDog

Thu Oct 18, 2012 5:27:16 am

jymm wrote:All you need to do is install the xscreensaver extras package, and only keep the gnome screensaver. If you go to the xscreensaver site, it will tell you it works with the gnome screensaver also. I just installed a dual boot of SolusOS on my Win7 laptop and that is exactly what I did. Worked great with no problems. If I remember right,you can look up xscreensaver in Ubuntu package manager and then only check the extras. Otherwise look up xscreensaver in Synaptic and only install the extras. I found trying to run both a problem also.
"GL(Mesa) screen hacks for xscreensaver"

Can you please clarify how to do this.
Does this work on Ubuntu 12.04? Ubuntu 12.04 does not have a way of configuring gnome screensaver.
Like the OP, I dont want to use the login screen provided with xscreensaver as it is hideous.
I have xscreensaver-data, xscreensaver-data-extra, xscreensaver-gl and xscreensaver-gl-extra installed but I dont know how to select and configure a non-black screensaver.

Wolfman

Thu Oct 18, 2012 6:27:38 pm

Hi,

see here (the section "Using Gnome"):

http://linux.die.net/man/1/xscreensaver

They recommend disabling/removing Gnome Screensaver!!!!!.

Regards Wolfman :D

WatchDog

Thu Oct 18, 2012 9:16:55 pm

Wolfman I apreciate the response but I dont have any problems running xscreensaver by itself.
My issue is that I want to use the screensaver portion of xsceensaver and the login prompt from gnome-screensaver.
Unless I have misinterpreted the instructions, if I install xscreensaver as described it will use the normal xscreensaver login prompt.
Quite clearly the author of xscreensaver has a problem with gnome and kde devs for implementing thier own screensavers.
He says he would of liked them to submit patches to xscreensaver, but from what I have read he seems unwilling to compromize on his ugly login prompt.
In the configuration for the prompt it states that you shouldnt attempt to remove the burning pc logo.

Anyway the reason I asked my orginal question is that it seems that jymm and GBT7 have figured out how to use a combination of the two.
When I asked the question I didnt realize that this was a forum for Zorin OS support, as my question relates to Ubuntu 12.04 perhaps thier answers are not applicable.

Wolfman

Fri Oct 19, 2012 6:48:24 am

Hi Watchdog,

I honestly cannot tell you anything more about "xscreensaver" as I don't use it myself.

Your point about the other posters talking about Ubuntu is not quite right as ZorinOS is based on Ubuntu, the only thing really difference about it; is the modding which took place in ZorinOS, otherwise, it is essentially "Ubuntu".

Regards Wolfman :D

GBT7

Fri Oct 26, 2012 6:30:11 am

WatchDog wrote:Wolfman I apreciate the response but I dont have any problems running xscreensaver by itself.
My issue is that I want to use the screensaver portion of xsceensaver and the login prompt from gnome-screensaver.
Unless I have misinterpreted the instructions, if I install xscreensaver as described it will use the normal xscreensaver login prompt.
Quite clearly the author of xscreensaver has a problem with gnome and kde devs for implementing thier own screensavers.
He says he would of liked them to submit patches to xscreensaver, but from what I have read he seems unwilling to compromize on his ugly login prompt.
In the configuration for the prompt it states that you shouldnt attempt to remove the burning pc logo.

Anyway the reason I asked my orginal question is that it seems that jymm and GBT7 have figured out how to use a combination of the two.
When I asked the question I didnt realize that this was a forum for Zorin OS support, as my question relates to Ubuntu 12.04 perhaps thier answers are not applicable.


This is a bit of a late reply but all you need to do is

-go into xscreensavers settings (using the command "xscreensaver-demo"), press cancel to it's complaint about gnome screensaver and turn off it's auto lock
-set xscreensaver to blank screen after [whatever amount of time]
-turn off gnome screensaver's dim screen and lock functions (all settings > brightness and lock)
-set both xscreensaver and gnome-screensaver to run at startup (actually, gnome screensaver doesn't have to because it will be triggered open anyways...)
-maybe map a key combination to "gnome-screensaver-command --lock" through your keyboard settings (if you want). I set mine to trigger with <super>l