Xfce Forum

jt1122

Member

Registered: 2021-03-26

Posts: 245

Looking for an alternative screensaver/locker to Xscreensaver

Hi,

Xscreensaver looks outdated and lacks important features (IMO) such as displaying the keyboard layout and caps lock state.

Any suggestions for a modern replacement? I'm on sparky rolling (=debian testing).

It would be nice if the locker is integrated with a typing monitor to initiate typing breaks (as implemented in the Mate desktop).

Thanks

alcornoqui

Member

Registered: 2014-07-28

Posts: 832

Re: Looking for an alternative screensaver/locker to Xscreensaver

Can you install xfce4-screensaver?

See https://docs.xfce.org/apps/screensaver/start

jt1122

Member

Registered: 2021-03-26

Posts: 245

Re: Looking for an alternative screensaver/locker to Xscreensaver

Thanks.

It's not available in the Sparky repo so I downloaded the source from here:
https://archive.xfce.org/src/apps/xfce4 … aver/4.16/

For ./configure I'm getting an error:
configure: error: glib-compile-schemas not found.

Any suggestions?.

BTW: Why isn't this part of the xfce4 core packages?.

Thanks

jt1122

Member

Registered: 2021-03-26

Posts: 245

Re: Looking for an alternative screensaver/locker to Xscreensaver

bump...

ToZ

Administrator

From: Canada

Registered: 2011-06-02

Posts: 11,486

Re: Looking for an alternative screensaver/locker to Xscreensaver

For ./configure I'm getting an error:
configure: error: glib-compile-schemas not found.

Any suggestions?.

Make sure you have all of the required dependencies installed. Also, you need to specify the usr and library paths with your configure statement. Something like:

./configure --prefix=/usr --libdir=/usr/lib/$(uname -m)-linux-gnu

...and it will successfully build and install. (make sure to uninstall xscreensaver so they don't conflict).

BTW: Why isn't this part of the xfce4 core packages?

That's probably a question best suited for the sparkylinux maintainers, but this debian thread seems to indicate that the package is only available in the sid repositories, not bullseye.

You can also try light-locker, it looks like its already in the repositories.

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jt1122

Member

Registered: 2021-03-26

Posts: 245

Re: Looking for an alternative screensaver/locker to Xscreensaver

Make sure you have all of the ..

Many thanks.

I've installed all the missing packages (quite a few of them) and got it running. Finally I have a usable screensaver/locker (keyboard layout shown, username set a default, etc.).

Just a pity that in 2021 sparky still requires users to install something as basic as a screensaver manually & with considerable hassle.

Again - thanks.