1XSNOW(6)                         User Commands                        XSNOW(6)
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NAME

6       xsnow - Snow and Santa on your desktop
7

SYNOPSIS

9       xsnow [OPTION]...
10

DESCRIPTION

12       Xsnow  shows an animation of Santa and snow on your desktop.  Xsnow can
13       also run in one or more windows, see options -xwininfo, -id  .   (These
14       options only work satisfactorily in an X11 environment.)  Xsnow depends
15       on an X11 environment.  This  is  forced  by  setting  the  environment
16       variable  GDK_BACKEND=x11 before initializing the GTK.  Hopefully, this
17       will ensure that xsnow also runs in  a  Wayland  environment  for  some
18       time.
19
20       If xsnow is misbehaving, try to remove the file $HOME/.xsnowrc.
21
22   General options:
23       Below: <n> denotes an unsigned decimal (e.g 123) or octal (e.g. 017) or
24       hex (e.g.  0x50009)  number.   <c>  denotes  a  string  like  "red"  or
25       "#123456".
26
27
28       -h, -help
29              print this text.
30
31       -H, -manpage
32              print man page.
33
34       -v, -version
35              prints version of xsnow.
36
37       -display name
38              Drop the snowflakes on the given display.  Make sure the display
39              is nearby, so you can hear them enjoy...
40
41       -vintage
42              Run xsnow in vintage settings.
43
44       -defaults
45              Do not read config file (see FILES).
46
47       -noconfig
48              Do not read or write config file (see FILES).
49
50       -hidemenu
51              Start with hidden interactive menu.
52
53       -nomenu
54              Do not start and show interactive menu.
55
56       -scale <n>
57              Apply scalefactor (default: 100).
58
59       -doublebuffer <n>
60              1:  use  double  buffering;  0:  do  not  use  double  buffering
61              (default:   1).    Only  effective  with  '-root'  or  '-id'  or
62              '-xwininfo'.
63
64       -theme <n>
65              1: use xsnow theme for menu; 0: use system theme (default: 1)
66
67       -checkgtk <n>
68              0: Do not check gtk version before starting the user  interface.
69              1:  Check  gtk  version  before  starting  the  user  interface.
70              (default: 1).
71
72       -id <n>, -window-id <n>
73              Snow in window with id (for example from xwininfo).
74
75       -desktop
76              Act as if window is a desktop.
77
78       -allworkspaces <n>
79              0: use one desktop for snow, 1: use all desktops (default: 1).
80
81       -above Snow above your windows. Default is to snow below your  windows.
82              NOTE:  in  some  environments  this  results  in an un-clickable
83              desktop.
84
85       -xwininfo
86              Use a cursor to point at the window you  want  the  snow  to  be
87              fallen in.
88
89       -stopafter <n>
90              Stop xsnow after so many seconds.
91
92       -root  Force to paint on (virtual) root window.
93              Use this for xscreensaver: in ~.xscreensaver add:
94                  xsnow -root
95              On  some systems you need to add the flag -nomenu to disable the
96              menu:
97                  xsnow -root -nomenu
98              Probably, you want to start xscreensaver as follows:
99                  xscreensaver -no-capture-stderr
100
101       -noisy Write extra info about some  mouse  clicks,  X  errors  etc,  to
102              stdout.
103
104       -cpuload <n>
105              How busy is your system with xsnow: the higher, the more load on
106              the system (default: 100).
107
108   Snow options:
109       -snowflakes <n>
110              The higher,  the  more  snowflakes  are  generated  per  second.
111              Default: 100.
112
113       -blowsnow
114              (Default) Animate blow-off snow.
115
116       -noblowsnow
117              Do not animate blowing snow from trees or windows
118
119       -sc <c>
120              Use the given string as color for the flakes (default: snow).
121
122       -snowspeedfactor <n>
123              Multiply the speed of snow with this number/100 (default: 100).
124
125       -snowsize <n>
126              Set size of (non-vintage) snow flakes (default: 8).
127
128       -snow  (Default) Show snow.
129
130       -nosnow -nosnowflakes
131              Do not show snow.
132
133       -flakecountmax <n>
134              Maximum number of active flakes (default: 300).
135
136       -blowofffactor <n>
137              The  higher,  the  more  snow is generated in blow-off scenarios
138              (default: 40).
139
140   Tree options:
141       -treetype <n>[,<n> ...]
142              Choose   tree   types:   minimum   0,   maximum   7    (default:
143              1,2,3,4,5,6,7,).   Thanks  to  Carla  Vermin  for  numbers  >=3!
144              Credits: Image by b0red on Pixabay.
145
146       -treetype all
147              (Default) Use all non-vintage available tree types.
148
149       -tc <c>
150              Use the given string as the color for the vintage tree (default:
151              chartreuse).  Works only for treetype 0.
152
153       -notrees
154              Do not display the trees.
155
156       -showtrees
157              (Default) Display the trees.
158
159       -trees <n>
160              Desired number of trees. Default 10.
161
162       -treefill <n>
163              Region  in percents of the height of the window where trees grow
164              (default: 30).
165
166   Santa options:
167       -showsanta
168              (Default) Display Santa running all over the screen.
169
170       -nosanta
171              Do not display Santa running all over the screen.
172
173       -showrudolph
174              (Default) With Rudolph.
175
176       -norudolph
177              No Rudolph.
178
179       -santa <n>
180              The minimum size of Santa is 0, the maximum size is  4.  Default
181              is  3.   Thanks to Thomas Linder for the (big) Santa 2!  Santa 3
182              is derived from Santa 2, and shows the required eight  reindeer.
183              The  appearance  of  Santa  4 may be a surprise, thanks to Carla
184              Vermin for this one.
185
186       -santaspeedfactor <n>
187              The speed Santa should not be excessive if he  doesn't  want  to
188              get  fined.  The  appropriate speed for the Santa chosen will be
189              multiplied by santaspeedfactor/100 (default: 100).
190
191   Celestial options:
192       -wind  (Default) It will get windy now and then.
193
194       -nowind
195              By default it gets windy now  and  then.  If  you  prefer  quiet
196              weather specify -nowind.
197
198       -whirlfactor <n>
199              This  sets  the whirl factor, i.e. the maximum adjustment of the
200              horizontal speed. The default value is 100.
201
202       -windtimer <n>
203              With -windtimer you can specify how often it gets   windy.  It's
204              sort of a period in seconds, default value is 30.
205
206       -stars <n>
207              The number of stars (default: 20).
208
209       -meteorites
210              (Default) Show meteorites.
211
212       -nometeorites
213              Do not show meteorites.
214
215       -moon <n>
216              1: show moon, 0: do not show moon (default: 1).
217              Picture of moon thanks to  Pedro Lasta on Unsplash.
218              https://unsplash.com/photos/wCujVcf0JDw
219
220       -moonspeed <n>
221              Speed of moon in pixels/minute (default: 120).
222
223       -moonsize <n>
224              Realtive size of moon (default: 100).
225
226       -halo <n>
227              1: show halo around moon, 0: do not show halo (default: 1).
228
229       -halobrightness <n>
230              Brightness of halo (default: 25).
231
232   Fallen snow options:
233       -wsnowdepth <n>
234              Maximum thickness of snow on top of windows (default: 30).
235
236       -ssnowdepth <n>
237              Maximum  thickness of snow at the bottom of the screen (default:
238              50).
239
240       -maxontrees <n>
241              Maximum number of flakes on trees. Default 200.
242
243       -keepsnowonwindows
244              (Default) Keep snow on top of the windows.
245
246       -nokeepsnowonwindows
247              Do not keep snow on top of the windows.
248
249       -keepsnowonscreen
250              (Default) Keep snow at the bottom of the screen.
251
252       -nokeepsnowonscreen
253              Do not keep snow at the bottom of the screen.
254
255       -keepsnowontrees
256              (Default) Keep snow on trees.
257
258       -nokeepsnowontrees
259              Do not keep snow on trees.
260
261       -keepsnow
262              (Default) Have snow sticking anywhere.
263
264       -nokeepsnow
265              Do not have snow sticking anywhere.
266
267       -fluffy
268              (Default) Create fluff on fallen snow.
269
270       -nofluffy
271              Do not create fluff on fallen snow.
272
273       -offsetx <n>
274              Correction for window-manager provided x-coordinate  of  window.
275              Default 4.
276
277       -offsety <n>
278              Correction  for window-manager provided  y-coordinate of window.
279              Default 0.
280
281       -offsetw <n>
282              Correction for window-manager provided width of window.  Default
283              -8.
284
285       -offsets <n>
286              Correction  for  bottom  coordinate  of  your screen. A negative
287              value lifts the xsnow screen up. Default 0.
288
289   Birds options:
290       -anarchy <n>
291              Anarchy factor ( 0..100 default: 50).
292
293       -birdscolor <c>
294              Use the given string as color for the birds (default: #361A07).
295
296       -birdsonly <n>
297              Show only birds ( 0/1 default: 0).
298
299       -birdsspeed <n>
300              Speed of birds ( 0..300 default: 100).
301
302       -disweight <n>
303              Eagerness to keep desired distance ( 0..100 default: 20).
304
305       -focuscentre <n>
306              Eagerness to fly to the focus ( 0..300 default: 100).
307
308       -followneighbours <n>
309              Eagerness to follow neighbours ( 0..100 default: 30).
310
311       -nbirds <n>
312              Number of birds ( 0..400 default: 70).
313
314       -neighbours <n>
315              Number of neighbours to watch ( 0..20 default: 7).
316
317       -prefdistance <n>
318              Preferred distance to neighbours ( 0..100 default: 40).
319
320       -showbirds <n>
321              Show birds ( 0/1 default: 1).
322
323       -showattr <n>
324              Show attraction point ( 0/1 default: 0).
325
326       -followsanta <n>
327              Birds like Santa ( 0/1 default: 1).
328
329       -viewingdistance <n>
330              Viewing distance ( 0..95 default: 40).
331
332   FILES
333       $HOME/.xsnowrc
334              Settings are read from and written  to  this  file.   See  flags
335              -noconfig and -defaults how to influence this behaviour.
336                  NOTE: the following settings are not read or written:
337                        -above  -defaults  -desktop  -fullscreen -noconfig -id
338                        -nomenu   -stopafter   -xwininfo   -display     -noisy
339              -checkgtk
340
341
342       $HOME/xsnow/pixmaps/tree.xpm
343              If present, xsnow will try this file for displaying  the  trees.
344              The    format    must    be   xpm   (X   PixMap)   format,   see
345              https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X_PixMap .
346                  NOTE: when this file is present, no menu will appear.
347
348
349       $HOME/xsnow/pixmaps/santa<n>.xpm
350              where <n> = 1,2,3,4.  If present, xsnow will try this  files  (4
351              of them) for displaying Santa. The format must be xpm (X PixMap)
352              format, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X_PixMap .
353                  NOTE: when these files are present, no menu will appear.
354
355
356   EXAMPLES
357           $ xsnow -defaults        # run with defaults.
358           $ xsnow                  # run using values from the config file.
359           $ xsnow -treetype 1,2    # use tree types 1 and 2.
360
361   BUGS
362       - Xsnow needs a complete rewrite: the code is a mess.
363       - The flags are not consistent, caused by trying to be
364           compatible with older versions.
365       - Xsnow stresses the Xserver too much.
366       - Xsnow does run in Wayland, but will not snow on all windows.
367       - Xsnow tries to create a click-through window. This is not successful
368         in for example FVWM/xcompmgr. In that case, xsnow tries to keep
369         the snow window below all others, resulting in a transient effect
370         when you click on the desktop. Sadly, no FVWM menu will appear...
371       - Remnants of fluffy snow can persist after removing the
372           fallen snow. These will gradually disappear, so no big deal.
373       - Remnants of meteorites can persist after passage of Santa.
374           These will eventually be wiped out by snow or Santa.
375       - Xsnow tries to adapt its snowing window if the display
376           settings are changed while xsnow is running.
377           This does not function always well.
378       - In multi-screen environments, it depends on the display settings
379           if it is snowing on all screens. Experiment!
380
382       This is free software; see the source for copying conditions.  There is
383       NO  warranty;  not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
384       PURPOSE.
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387
388xsnow-3.3.0                          2020                             XSNOW(6)
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