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Peter_Ziegler

Member

Registered: 2009-11-18

Posts: 27

Shortcut to make the display dark

Hello,
is it possible to switch the display off (make it dark) and on with a shortcut?

Last edited by Peter_Ziegler (2025-07-03 21:13:26)

ToZ

Administrator

From: Canada

Registered: 2011-06-02

Posts: 12,024

Re: Shortcut to make the display dark

What do you mean by "display"? A secondary monitor? Main monitor/display?

What does the following return?

xfconf-query -c displays -lv

There should be an Active property there you can try toggling.

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Peter_Ziegler

Member

Registered: 2009-11-18

Posts: 27

Re: Shortcut to make the display dark

I mean the main display of a Laptop.

xfconf-query -c displays -lv
/ActiveProfile             Default
/AutoEnableProfiles        3
/Default/eDP               Laptop
/Default/eDP/Active        true
/Default/eDP/EDID          daabb9ae941376a7f9553df23ca019479d95847e
/Default/eDP/Position/X    0
/Default/eDP/Position/Y    0
/Default/eDP/Primary       true
/Default/eDP/Reflection    0
/Default/eDP/RefreshRate   59,998595
/Default/eDP/Resolution    1440x900
/Default/eDP/Rotation      0
/Default/eDP/Scale/X       1,000000
/Default/eDP/Scale/Y       1,000000
/Fallback/eDP              Laptop
/Fallback/eDP/Active       true
/Fallback/eDP/EDID         daabb9ae941376a7f9553df23ca019479d95847e
/Fallback/eDP/Position/X   0
/Fallback/eDP/Position/Y   0
/Fallback/eDP/Primary      true
/Fallback/eDP/Reflection   0
/Fallback/eDP/RefreshRate  59,998595
/Fallback/eDP/Resolution   1440x900
/Fallback/eDP/Rotation     0
/Fallback/eDP/Scale/X      1,000000
/Fallback/eDP/Scale/Y      1,000000
/Notify                    1

ToZ

Administrator

From: Canada

Registered: 2011-06-02

Posts: 12,024

Re: Shortcut to make the display dark

Try creating a shortcut using the command:

xfconf-query -c displays -p /Default/eDP/Active -T

...this "should" act as a toggle, but if it doesn't work you may end up with a blank screen - so make sure anything important is saved prior to trying.

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Peter_Ziegler

Member

Registered: 2009-11-18

Posts: 27

Re: Shortcut to make the display dark

Great! 
What want you tell to me? I have an idea but if it does not work you have to reinstall your computer?
Thank you but in this case I prefer a display always on. 

Last edited by Peter_Ziegler (2025-07-04 21:57:50)

ToZ

Administrator

From: Canada

Registered: 2011-06-02

Posts: 12,024

Re: Shortcut to make the display dark

I'm sorry but I don't understand your post. Did the suggestion answer your question?

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Peter_Ziegler

Member

Registered: 2009-11-18

Posts: 27

Re: Shortcut to make the display dark

Maybe I  misunderstood you but your suggestion is a try which could end in a blank display if it doesn't work. And then? What can I do in this case?

Btw. what is the shortcut in your suggestion? If I understand it right the command itself is the "shortcut" without the possibility to reverse it in the worst case because I don't have a display anymore.

Last edited by Peter_Ziegler (2025-07-05 09:22:08)

ToZ

Administrator

From: Canada

Registered: 2011-06-02

Posts: 12,024

Re: Shortcut to make the display dark

Maybe I  misunderstood you but your suggestion is a try which could end in a blank display if it doesn't work. And then? What can I do in this case?

Forced reboot.

Btw. what is the shortcut in your suggestion? If I understand it right the command itself is the "shortcut" without the possibility to reverse it in the worst case because I don't have a display anymore.

There is a setting in the xfconf database for each display that sets its "Active" state. If true, it will be on, if false it is off. That command simply toggles that state.

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Peter_Ziegler

Member

Registered: 2009-11-18

Posts: 27

Re: Shortcut to make the display dark

Thanks for the info.
This means that a reboot always manipulate the xfconf database and set the display active state to true?

But it would be interesting to use the command without a display with the hope there is actual a terminal activ. 
Does it works also if I change to another tty with STR-ALT-Fx?

ToZ

Administrator

From: Canada

Registered: 2011-06-02

Posts: 12,024

Re: Shortcut to make the display dark

Thanks for the info.
This means that a reboot always manipulate the xfconf database and set the display active state to true?

I think you're misunderstanding. If you use the command to turn the display off and something goes wrong, then you will no longer be able to see anything to change it back. Hence you will need to force reboot.

But it would be interesting to use the command without a display with the hope there is actual a terminal activ. 
Does it works also if I change to another tty with STR-ALT-Fx?

No. It requires an X display server - the terminal you specify does not contain one.

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Peter_Ziegler

Member

Registered: 2009-11-18

Posts: 27

Re: Shortcut to make the display dark

Peter_Ziegler wrote:
Thanks for the info.
This means that a reboot always manipulate the xfconf database and set the display active state to true?

I think you're misunderstanding. If you use the command to turn the display off and something goes wrong, then you will no longer be able to see anything to change it back. Hence you will need to force reboot.

But if the xfconf database was changed and the display active state is set to false and something goes wrong a reboot doesn't help because it doesn't change the state to true and the display remains blank if I understand your words correct. In this case I have to manipulate the xfconf database manually to set the state to true but how without a display?

Maybe my thoughts are wrong but I don't want to crash my display server. 

Last edited by Peter_Ziegler (2025-07-05 20:52:28)