GNOME 2.0 Desktop for the Solaris Operating Environment User Guide

Setting Screensaver Preferences

A screensaver is an application that you can use to replace the image on your screen when the screen is not in use. You can use screensavers in the following ways:

You can customize the settings for the Mouse preference tool in the following functional areas:

Display Modes Settings

Use the Display Modes tabbed section to set display mode preferences.

Figure 9–11 Display Modes Tabbed Section in the Screensaver Preference Tool

Screensaver preference tool, Display Modes tabbed section. The context describes the graphic.

Table 9–11 lists the display mode settings that you can configure.

Table 9–11 Settings for Screensaver Display Mode

Setting 

Function 

Mode

Use the drop-down list to specify the behavior of the screensaver application. Select from the following options: 

  • Disable Screen Saver: Select this option if you do not want to use the screensaver application.

  • Blank Screen Only: Select this option if you want your screen to become blank when your screen locks.

  • Only One Screen Saver: Select this option if you want to display a single screensaver display from the display list when your screen locks.

  • Random Screen Saver: Select this option if you want to display a random selection of screensaver displays from the screensaver display list when your screen locks.

Display list 

Select the screensaver display that you require from the list. 

Blank After

Specify how long to wait after the last use of the mouse or keyboard, to activate the screensaver. 

Cycle After

Specify how long to show a particular screensaver display before the next display. 

Lock Screen After

Select this option if you want the screen to lock after the screensaver is activated. Use the spin box to specify the delay between the activation of the screensaver and when the screen locks. 

Preview

Click on this button to preview the screensaver display that is selected in the screensaver display list. To stop the preview, press any key or click a mouse button. 

Settings

Click on this button to display the options for the screensaver display that is selected in the screensaver display list.  

Advanced Settings

Use the Advanced tabbed section to set advanced screensaver preferences.

Figure 9–12 Advanced Tabbed Section in the Screensaver Preference Tool

Screensaver preference tool, Advanced tabbed section. The context describes the graphic.

Table 9–12 lists the advanced screensaver settings that you can configure.

Table 9–12 Advanced Screensaver Settings

Setting 

Function 

Grab Desktop Images

Some screensavers can take a screenshot of your screen, then manipulate the screenshot to create your screensaver display. Select this option to enable screensavers to take a screenshot of your screen. 

Grab Video Frames

Some screensavers can capture a frame of video, then manipulate the captured image to create your screensaver display. If your system has a video capture card, select this option to enable screensavers to capture a frame of video. 

Choose Random Image

Select this option to enable screensavers to use images from a directory that you select. Type the path for the directory in the field. Alternatively, click Browse to display a dialog from which you can select a directory.

Verbose Dialognostics

Select this option if you want to display screensaver diagnostic information. 

Display Subprocess Errors

Select this option if you want to display errors related to screensaver subprocesses on screen. 

Display Splash Screen at Startup

Select this option to if you want Xscreensaver to display a splash dialog when Xscreensaver starts.

Power Management Enabled

Select this option to enable power management of your monitor. Power management can reduce energy consumption by your monitor when you are not using the monitor. 

Standby After

Specify how long to wait to put the monitor in standby mode. When the monitor is in standby mode, the screen is black. 

Suspend After

Specify how long to wait to put the monitor in power-saving mode.  

Off After

Specify how long to wait to switch off monitor.  

Install Colormap

Select this option to install a private colormap when the screensaver is active. Use of a private colormap might improve the quality of the color in particular screensaver displays. 

Fade to Black When Blanking

Select this option if you want your display to fade to black when the screensaver activates. 

Fade from Black When Unblanking

Select this option if you want your display to fade from black to the screen contents when the screensaver stops. 

Fade Duration

Specify how long to take to fade to black when the screensaver activates.