1XSNOW(6) User Commands XSNOW(6)
2
6 xsnow - Snow and Santa on your desktop
7
9 xsnow [OPTION]...
10
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 If xsnow is misbehaving, try to remove the file $HOME/.xsnowrc.
21 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 -h, -help
29 print this text.
30 -H, -manpage
32 print man page.
33 -v, -version
35 prints version of xsnow.
36 -display name
38 Drop the snowflakes on the given display. Make sure the display
39 is nearby, so you can hear them enjoy...
40 -vintage
42 Run xsnow in vintage settings.
43 -defaults
45 Do not read config file (see FILES).
46 -noconfig
48 Do not read or write config file (see FILES).
49 -hidemenu
51 Start with hidden interactive menu.
52 -nomenu
54 Do not start and show interactive menu.
55 -scale <n>
57 Apply scalefactor (default: 100).
58 -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 -theme <n>
65 1: use xsnow theme for menu; 0: use system theme (default: 1)
66 -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 -id <n>, -window-id <n>
73 Snow in window with id (for example from xwininfo).
74 -desktop
76 Act as if window is a desktop.
77 -allworkspaces <n>
79 0: use one desktop for snow, 1: use all desktops (default: 1).
80 -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 -xwininfo
86 Use a cursor to point at the window you want the snow to be
87 fallen in.
88 -stopafter <n>
90 Stop xsnow after so many seconds.
91 -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 -noisy Write extra info about some mouse clicks, X errors etc, to
102 stdout.
103 -cpuload <n>
105 How busy is your system with xsnow: the higher, the more load on
106 the system (default: 100).
107 Snow options:
109 -snowflakes <n>
110 The higher, the more snowflakes are generated per second.
111 Default: 100.
112 -blowsnow
114 (Default) Animate blow-off snow.
115 -noblowsnow
117 Do not animate blowing snow from trees or windows
118 -sc <c>
120 Use the given string as color for the flakes (default: snow).
121 -snowspeedfactor <n>
123 Multiply the speed of snow with this number/100 (default: 100).
124 -snowsize <n>
126 Set size of (non-vintage) snow flakes (default: 8).
127 -snow (Default) Show snow.
129 -nosnow -nosnowflakes
131 Do not show snow.
132 -flakecountmax <n>
134 Maximum number of active flakes (default: 300).
135 -blowofffactor <n>
137 The higher, the more snow is generated in blow-off scenarios
138 (default: 40).
139 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 -treetype all
147 (Default) Use all non-vintage available tree types.
148 -tc <c>
150 Use the given string as the color for the vintage tree (default:
151 chartreuse). Works only for treetype 0.
152 -notrees
154 Do not display the trees.
155 -showtrees
157 (Default) Display the trees.
158 -trees <n>
160 Desired number of trees. Default 10.
161 -treefill <n>
163 Region in percents of the height of the window where trees grow
164 (default: 30).
165 Santa options:
167 -showsanta
168 (Default) Display Santa running all over the screen.
169 -nosanta
171 Do not display Santa running all over the screen.
172 -showrudolph
174 (Default) With Rudolph.
175 -norudolph
177 No Rudolph.
178 -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 -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 Celestial options:
192 -wind (Default) It will get windy now and then.
193 -nowind
195 By default it gets windy now and then. If you prefer quiet
196 weather specify -nowind.
197 -whirlfactor <n>
199 This sets the whirl factor, i.e. the maximum adjustment of the
200 horizontal speed. The default value is 100.
201 -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 -stars <n>
207 The number of stars (default: 20).
208 -meteorites
210 (Default) Show meteorites.
211 -nometeorites
213 Do not show meteorites.
214 -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 -moonspeed <n>
221 Speed of moon in pixels/minute (default: 120).
222 -moonsize <n>
224 Realtive size of moon (default: 100).
225 -halo <n>
227 1: show halo around moon, 0: do not show halo (default: 1).
228 -halobrightness <n>
230 Brightness of halo (default: 25).
231 Fallen snow options:
233 -wsnowdepth <n>
234 Maximum thickness of snow on top of windows (default: 30).
235 -ssnowdepth <n>
237 Maximum thickness of snow at the bottom of the screen (default:
238 50).
239 -maxontrees <n>
241 Maximum number of flakes on trees. Default 200.
242 -keepsnowonwindows
244 (Default) Keep snow on top of the windows.
245 -nokeepsnowonwindows
247 Do not keep snow on top of the windows.
248 -keepsnowonscreen
250 (Default) Keep snow at the bottom of the screen.
251 -nokeepsnowonscreen
253 Do not keep snow at the bottom of the screen.
254 -keepsnowontrees
256 (Default) Keep snow on trees.
257 -nokeepsnowontrees
259 Do not keep snow on trees.
260 -keepsnow
262 (Default) Have snow sticking anywhere.
263 -nokeepsnow
265 Do not have snow sticking anywhere.
266 -fluffy
268 (Default) Create fluff on fallen snow.
269 -nofluffy
271 Do not create fluff on fallen snow.
272 -offsetx <n>
274 Correction for window-manager provided x-coordinate of window.
275 Default 4.
276 -offsety <n>
278 Correction for window-manager provided y-coordinate of window.
279 Default 0.
280 -offsetw <n>
282 Correction for window-manager provided width of window. Default
283 -8.
284 -offsets <n>
286 Correction for bottom coordinate of your screen. A negative
287 value lifts the xsnow screen up. Default 0.
288 Birds options:
290 -anarchy <n>
291 Anarchy factor ( 0..100 default: 50).
292 -birdscolor <c>
294 Use the given string as color for the birds (default: #361A07).
295 -birdsonly <n>
297 Show only birds ( 0/1 default: 0).
298 -birdsspeed <n>
300 Speed of birds ( 0..300 default: 100).
301 -disweight <n>
303 Eagerness to keep desired distance ( 0..100 default: 20).
304 -focuscentre <n>
306 Eagerness to fly to the focus ( 0..300 default: 100).
307 -followneighbours <n>
309 Eagerness to follow neighbours ( 0..100 default: 30).
310 -nbirds <n>
312 Number of birds ( 0..400 default: 70).
313 -neighbours <n>
315 Number of neighbours to watch ( 0..20 default: 7).
316 -prefdistance <n>
318 Preferred distance to neighbours ( 0..100 default: 40).
319 -showbirds <n>
321 Show birds ( 0/1 default: 1).
322 -showattr <n>
324 Show attraction point ( 0/1 default: 0).
325 -followsanta <n>
327 Birds like Santa ( 0/1 default: 0).
328 -viewingdistance <n>
330 Viewing distance ( 0..95 default: 40).
331 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 $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 $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 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 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.
385xsnow-3.3.2 2021 XSNOW(6)