1xmatrix(6x) XScreenSaver manual xmatrix(6x)
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6 xmatrix - simulates the computer displays from the movie
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9 xmatrix [--display host:display.screen] [--window] [--root] [--win‐
10 dow-id number][--install] [--visual visual] [--delay usecs] [--density
11 percentage] [--top | --bottom | --both] [--small | --large] [--trace]
12 [--mode mode] [--phone number] [--fps]
13
15 The xmatrix program draws the 2D "digital rain" effect, as seen on the
16 computer monitors in the 1999 film, "The Matrix".
17 Also see glmatrix(6x) for a 3D rendering of the similar effect that ap‐
19 peared in the title sequence of the movie.
20
22 xmatrix accepts the following options:
23 --window
25 Draw on a newly-created window. This is the default.
26 --root Draw on the root window.
28 --window-id number
30 Draw on the specified window.
31 --install
33 Install a private colormap for the window.
34 --visual visual
36 Specify which visual to use. Legal values are the name of a
37 visual class, or the id number (decimal or hex) of a specific
38 visual.
39 --delay usecs
41 The delay between steps of the animation, in microseconds: de‐
42 fault 10000.
43 --density percentage
45 The approximate percentage of the screen that should be filled
46 with characters at any given time. Default 75%.
47 When running in a window, typing + will increase the density
49 and typing - will decrease it. Typing 0 will momentarily drain
50 the screen.
51 --top | --bottom | --both
53 If --top is specified, the characters will only drop in from
54 the top of the screen as sliding columns of characters. If
55 --bottom is specified, then instead of sliding columns, the
56 characters will appear as columns that grow downwards and are
57 erased from above. If --both is specified, then a mixture of
58 both styles will be used. The default is --both.
59 When running in a window, typing [ will switch to top-mode,
61 typing ] will switch to bottom-mode, and typing \ will switch
62 to both-mode.
63 --small | --large
65 These options specify the sizes of the characters. The default
66 is --large.
67 --mode trace
69 Start off with a representation of a phone number being traced.
70 When the number is finally found, display The Matrix as usual.
71 This is the default.
72 --phone number
74 The phone number to trace, if --trace is specified.
75 --mode crack
77 Start off by shutting down the power grid.
78 --mode binary
80 Instead of displaying Matrix glyphs, only display ones and ze‐
81 ros.
82 --mode hexadecimal
84 Instead of displaying Matrix glyphs, display hexadecimal dig‐
85 its.
86 --mode dna
88 Instead of displaying Matrix glyphs, display genetic code (gua‐
89 nine, adenine, thymine, and cytosine.)
90 --mode ascii
92 Instead of displaying Matrix glyphs, display random ASCII char‐
93 acters.
94 --mode pipe
96 Instead of displaying random characters, display the output of
97 a subprocess, as ASCII.
98 --program sh-command
100 The command to run to generate the text to display. This op‐
101 tion may be any string acceptable to /bin/sh. The program will
102 be run at the end of a pty or pipe, and any characters that it
103 prints to stdout will be placed in the feeders for xmatrix. If
104 the program exits, it will be launched again after xmatrix has
105 processed all the text it produced.
106 For example:
108 xmatrix -program 'echo Hello World'
111 xmatrix -ascii -program 'ps -eo comm | rev'
112 xmatrix -program 'od -txC -w6 /dev/random'
113 xmatrix -program 'cat /dev/random'
114
117 DISPLAY to get the default host and display number.
118 XENVIRONMENT
120 to get the name of a resource file that overrides the global
121 resources stored in the RESOURCE_MANAGER property.
122 XSCREENSAVER_WINDOW
124 The window ID to use with --root.
125
127 glmatrix(6x), X(1), xscreensaver(1)
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130 Copyright © 1999-2018 by Jamie Zawinski. Permission to use, copy, mod‐
131 ify, distribute, and sell this software and its documentation for any
132 purpose is hereby granted without fee, provided that the above copy‐
133 right notice appear in all copies and that both that copyright notice
134 and this permission notice appear in supporting documentation. No rep‐
135 resentations are made about the suitability of this software for any
136 purpose. It is provided "as is" without express or implied warranty.
137
139 Jamie Zawinski <jwz@jwz.org>, 25-Apr-99.
140X Version 11 6.08-1.fc39 (17-Oct-2023) xmatrix(6x)