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screensaver not automatically activating unless I disable and re-enable feature

I have a laptop with Artix/OpenRC/XFCE, but with LXDM instead of LightDM because I was having a problem with the latter where, if the screen was locked, but I was logged in, the greeter would accept my password, but not unlock my desktop, leaving me with a black screen unless I rebooted my computer.

I replaced it with LXDM and got it working fine, but for some reason, the xfce4-screensaver (and I don't know if it would have done this before replacing LightDM) wouldn't activate after whatever amount of inactivity time I had set it to activate at, unless I go into the settings, disable that feature entirely, and then re-enable it, having to do that for each time I start my computer. I checked the settings using the command "xfce4-screensaver-preferences" before flicking the switch back and forth in the graphical screensaver settings, and it said that the feature was enabled, just like in the graphical settings, so I don't know what is actually causing this to happen.

Could it have something to do with my swapped-out display manager? The problem I'm having doesn't seem to have to do with locking the screen, though; I just want to automatically put the screensaver over my desktop from inactivity without locking it. Should I try replacing the screensaver entirely as well (with something like vanilla Xscreensaver), or do you have any idea about what might be wrong?

Side note: XFCE's settings are a mess. Like, they have settings that have to do with locking the screen in at least THREE graphical applications. And there are settings in 2 of those applications that have to do with locking the desktop when the computer is put to sleep, that are poorly linked together (switching one of them on and off affects the other, but changing the setting in the other application doesn't necessarily update the first one). Also, changing the font/theme for CSD and non-CSD things are each in their own separate graphical application as well. I chose XFCE as my desktop environment because I heard it was lighter-weight but still pretty customizable, and non-Qt (Qt is partly proprietarilly-licensed and apparently takes up a lot more disk space than GTK, but to me, both are kind of cringe). But XFCE still kind of feels like it's held together by duct tape in one or more places.

Re: screensaver not automatically activating unless I disable and re-enable feature

Reply #1 –
You could try mate.  Mate has a feature you can add to enable disable screen saver from a button on the task bar

Sudo pacman mate mate-extras caja-open-terminal.  I think those are the ones you want.  Log out and back in with mate, no reboot needed I think.
Cat Herders of Linux

Re: screensaver not automatically activating unless I disable and re-enable feature

Reply #2 –
Quote from: cat herders of linux – on
You could try mate.  Mate has a feature you can add to enable disable screen saver from a button on the task bar

Sudo pacman mate mate-extras caja-open-terminal.  I think those are the ones you want.  Log out and back in with mate, no reboot needed I think.

In this case, should I uninstall XFCE and LXDM? Does MATE come with its own DM?

And I know this would be a bit of a hacky solution, but do you think just writing a simple shell script to turn the screensaver inactivity setting off and back on again (or keep it off if it was off to begin with) and having it run every time I logged in work well enough?

Re: screensaver not automatically activating unless I disable and re-enable feature

Reply #3 –
the thing is you have to expiriment and see what you like.
Cat Herders of Linux

Re: screensaver not automatically activating unless I disable and re-enable feature

Reply #6 –
I found (kind of) a fix for the issue. Basically, I made a shell script that runs at login that will wait for the XFCE screensaver process to start (for up to 15 seconds), and then toggle the screensaver-activate-if-idle setting off and then back on (or the other way if off to begin with). It's a bit of a bodge, but at least it seems to work (i.e. the screensaver now activating after my account being idle for whatever amount of time I set it to).

I spent enough time configuring XFCE that I don't want to switch to something else at this point (but maybe in the future).

Re: screensaver not automatically activating unless I disable and re-enable feature

Reply #7 –
Quote from: strajder – on
https://forum.artixlinux.org/index.php/topic,3847.msg24867.html#msg24867

I will suggest removing light-locker if possible to the team.

Is light-locker used by XFCE by default? Or do they have their own display manager and locker? I know there's xflock4, but that only seems to be a command for whatever DM locker you have installed. If they don't already, why doesn't XFCE have their own display manager and locker? I know Linux is meant to be modular, but if you have the same team developing different elements of a major portion of your system (in this case, the graphical environment), then it doesn't feel so patched together and things function smoother.

Anyway, thank you for notifying the other devs.

Re: screensaver not automatically activating unless I disable and re-enable feature

Reply #8 –
Quote from: tristanbay – on
Is light-locker used by XFCE by default?
Light-locker is part of lightdm and if using another dm it is better to remove it.

Quote
Or do they have their own display manager and locker?
xfce4 offers xfce4-power-manager which manages screensavers among other things.
Code: [Select]
sudo pacman -S xfce4-power-manager
XFCE is very complete, relatively light, very stable and very practical.
I've been using it happily for years.
Never found better for everyday use.


Re: screensaver not automatically activating unless I disable and re-enable feature

Reply #9 –
This is a bit of a rant about screen savers and power management not being ideal on linux.  I appreciate OP's frustration.  Sometimes i wnt to play videos on my linux install.  I have run into problems where in xfce the power manager/screensaver settings wouldn't recognize that i'm playing a video in a window and black out my screen.  Other times i would like to play videos and not have the screen on but just listen to the sound.  I have yet to find a linux desktop experience that suited me in this regard.  Xfce and mate are certainly the contenders for me.  That's why i tell OP to experiment. Not trying to be obtuse with their desired goal but so they cn get a sense of what does which how.   I have decided on mate and clicking the button on the task bar to suit my needs as to whether i want screensaver/power management on or off.  Additionally i found that having a small bluetooth speaker is most ideal for those times when i want the screen off but i still want sound and i just turn the tv/monitor off completely.  I encourage OP to do what OP decides suits them best and to play with as many other desktops s possible to know how they all do the things you like best.  OP can of course install mate and xfce and log out and back in from one too the other and back again as much as they like if they wished it.  Neither xfce or mate takes up a great amount of space relative to the storage capacity of most systems today.  Enjoy your journey.  That's wat seems to matter most.
Cat Herders of Linux
 

Re: screensaver not automatically activating unless I disable and re-enable feature

Reply #10 –
Quote from: tristanbay – on
Side note: XFCE's settings are a mess. Like, they have settings that have to do with locking the screen in at least THREE graphical applications. And there are settings in 2 of those applications that have to do with locking the desktop when the computer is put to sleep, that are poorly linked together (switching one of them on and off affects the other, but changing the setting in the other application doesn't necessarily update the first one). Also, changing the font/theme for CSD and non-CSD things are each in their own separate graphical application as well. I chose XFCE as my desktop environment because I heard it was lighter-weight but still pretty customizable, and non-Qt (Qt is partly proprietarilly-licensed and apparently takes up a lot more disk space than GTK, but to me, both are kind of cringe). But XFCE still kind of feels like it's held together by duct tape in one or more places.
We could use a hand here, as the XFCE profile maintainer has gone AWOL. The basic XFCE4 settings are found here, if you can clean it up and sanitize it, that would be great.