[SDBUG] Re: Monitor dimming

Peter Leftwich Hostmaster at Video2Video.Com
Tue Jul 1 19:17:51 PDT 2003


On Wed, 18 Jun 2003, Matthew Seaman wrote:
> On Tue, Jun 17, 2003 at 09:20:38PM -0700, Peter Leftwich wrote:
> > Can someone tell me what controls the dimming of my monitor after a set
> > amount of minutes of idle time?  It is not xscreensaver; I'm assuming it is
> > something called from "startx" or at boot time in rc.conf?
> >
> > I ask because I would like to [1] change the idle timeout and [2] run a
> > command line command to "dim now."  Thanks all, please CC: me!
>
> You can put settings into /etc/X11/XF86Config, like this:

I just looked at my /var/log/XFree86.0.log file and it somehow knows how to
find my /etc/XF86Config file.  Should I move it to the path you provide?

>     Section "ServerFlags"
>             Option       "BlankTime" "10"
>             Option       "StandbyTime" "20"
>             Option       "SuspendTime" "30"
>             Option       "OffTime" "30"
>     EndSection
> XF86Config(5) has the details.

None of these "ServerFlags" are mentioned in my XF86Config file.  Is the
blanking, standing by and suspending controlled by the "ati" driver in my
case, do you think?  Or is there a default of some sort that is "compiled"
into the X server binary??

> You can also use xset(1) to modify the settings from within an X session:
>     % xset dpms 1200 1800 1800
>     % xset dpms force standby

Holy [expletive beginning with S]!!!  The command `xset -display :0 dpms
force standby` just worked!  Yeayyyyyy.  Going to make a blanknow alias.

> [Nb. xset(1) uses units of seconds, XF86Config uses units of minutes.
> So much for consistency.]

Grrrr.  Programmers unite and standardize on future builds!!

> Programs like window managers may also modify the DPMS settings -- use
>    % xset q
> to see the current settings.
>
> 	Cheers,
> 	Matthew
> Dr Matthew J Seaman MA, D.Phil.                       26 The Paddocks
>                                                       Savill Way
> PGP: http://www.infracaninophile.co.uk/pgpkey         Marlow
> Tel: +44 1628 476614                                  Bucks., SL7 1TH UK

Thanks for the notes, Doctor!!

--
Peter Leftwich
President & Founder, Video2Video Services
Box 13692, La Jolla, CA, 92039 USA
http://Www.Video2Video.Com


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