XXXXSSSSNNNNOOOOWWWW((((1111)))) XXXX VVVVeeeerrrrssssiiiioooonnnn 11111111 ((((RRRReeeelllleeeeaaaasssseeee 4444)))) XXXXSSSSNNNNOOOOWWWW((((1111)))) NNNNAAAAMMMMEEEE xsnow - create a snowy and Santa-y desktop SSSSYYYYNNNNOOOOPPPPSSSSIIIISSSS xxxxssssnnnnoooowwww [-option .,..] DDDDEEEESSSSCCCCRRRRIIIIPPPPTTTTIIIIOOOONNNN Xsnow lets it snow on your desktop and windows (sic!). OOOOPPPPTTTTIIIIOOOONNNNSSSS -display display_name Drop the snowflakes on the given display. Make sure the display is nearby, so you can hear them enjoy... -snowflakes num_snowflakes This is the number of snowflakes. Default is 100, max is 1000. -sc snowflake_color Use the given string as the color for the flakes instead of the default "snow". -bg background_color Use the given string as the color for the background. Note that the usual default desktop pattern consisting of 50% white 50% black doesn't particularly look good with Xsnow. -solidbg When using solid colored backgrounds specifying this option may greatly improve performance. -tc tree_color Use the given string as the color for the trees. -slc sleigh_color Use the given string as the color for the sleigh. Note that the default color is black, so not much of Santa will be seen on a black background. -santa santa_size There are 3 sizes of Santa: 0, 1 and 2. Default is 1. -santaspeed santa_speed The speed Santa should not exceed if he doesn't want to get fined. The default speed for Santa size 0 is 1, for Santa 1 it's 2 and for Big Santa it's 4. -delay delay This is the number of milliseconds delay after updating everything. Default is 50 milliseconds, Page 1 (printed 12/1/95) XXXXSSSSNNNNOOOOWWWW((((1111)))) XXXX VVVVeeeerrrrssssiiiioooonnnn 11111111 ((((RRRReeeelllleeeeaaaasssseeee 4444)))) XXXXSSSSNNNNOOOOWWWW((((1111)))) i.e. 20 updates per second max. -unsmooth If you specify this option the snowflakes will 'whirl' more dramatically, resulting in a somewhat jerkier movement. -whirl This sets the whirl factor, i.e. the maximum adjustment of the horizontal speed. The default value is 4. -nowind Default it gets windy now and then. If you prefer it quiet specify -nowind. -windtimer period With -windtimer you can specify how often it gets windy. It's sort of a period in seconds, default value is 30. -xspeed -yspeed These options set the maximum horizontal and vertical speed. The default X maximum speed is 4, the default maximum Y speed is 8. -wsnowdepth -ssnowdepth This sets the maximum thickness of the snow on top of windows and at the bottom of the display respectively. The default snowdepth for windows is 15, at the bottom of the screen the default is 50. -offset With -offset you can specify that snow starts building up a number of pixels lower or higher. This is handy if you use twm and squeezed window titles. -notrees Do not display the trees. -nosanta Do not display Santa Claus running all over the screen. -norudolf No Rudolf. -nokeepsnow Do not have snow sticking anywhere. -nokeepsnowonwindows Do not keep snow on top of the windows. -nokeepsnowonscreen Do not keep snow at the bottom of the screen. Page 2 (printed 12/1/95) XXXXSSSSNNNNOOOOWWWW((((1111)))) XXXX VVVVeeeerrrrssssiiiioooonnnn 11111111 ((((RRRReeeelllleeeeaaaasssseeee 4444)))) XXXXSSSSNNNNOOOOWWWW((((1111)))) -nonopopup Xsnow takes care to not let it snow on Pop-up windows, due to their nature. If however, you use an Xserver that has backing store on for all windows, then specify this option. Symptom would be that no snow is kept on any window, but only at the screen bottom. -version Prints the current Xsnow version and does not start Xsnow. EEEEXXXXAAAAMMMMPPPPLLLLEEEESSSS xsnow -bg SkyBlue3 -sc snow Sets the background to a bluish color and lets it snow white. xsnow -ssnowdepth 100 Starts with a thin layer of snow that gradually builds up at the bottom of the screen. xsnow -santa 2 -santaspeed 10 Gives you the biggest Santa at a speed that is hardly legal. xsnow -delay 100 -notrees For slow systems use longer delay and don't draw the trees. xsnow -snowflakes 1000 -delay 0 Uses the maximum number of snowflakes and runs as fast as possible. xsnow -bg SkyBlue3 -solidbg Sets the background to a bluish color and specify -solidbg for increased performance. FFFFIIIILLLLEEEESSSS See /usr/lib/X11/rgb.txt for the list of colors and their respective poetic names, like Chartreuse and SkyBlue3. BBBBUUUUGGGGSSSS See xroach(1) AAAAUUUUTTTTHHHHOOOORRRRSSSS Rick Jansen (rick@sara.nl) CCCCOOOOPPPPYYYYRRRRIIIIGGGGHHHHTTTT Copyright 1984, 1988, 1990, 1993-1995 by Rick Jansen (rick@sara.nl) Xsnow is available freely and you may give it to other Page 3 (printed 12/1/95) XXXXSSSSNNNNOOOOWWWW((((1111)))) XXXX VVVVeeeerrrrssssiiiioooonnnn 11111111 ((((RRRReeeelllleeeeaaaasssseeee 4444)))) XXXXSSSSNNNNOOOOWWWW((((1111)))) people as is, but I retain all rights. Therefore it does not classify as 'Public Domain' software. CCCCRRRREEEEDDDDIIIITTTTSSSS Xsnow borrows some code from xroach by J.T. Anderson (jta@locus.com) Xsnow uses vroot.h for use with virtual window managers. vroot.h is copyright 1991 by Andreas Stolcke, copyright 1990 by Solbourne Computer Inc. (stolcke@ICSI.Berkeley.EDU) The big Santa with the nice moving antlers and reins was made by Holger Veit (Holger.Veit@gmd.de). The idea and code for wind are from Eiichi TAZOE (tazoe@yamato.ibm.co.jp, tazoe@vnet.ibm.com). NNNNOOOOTTTTEEEESSSS SSSSyyyysssstttteeeemmmm llllooooaaaadddd Xsnow itself doen't use very much CPU time, but it can load the X server and/or network quite substantially. Use less snowflakes and a bigger delay in such a case. On a standalone workstation there usually will not be be any problem. Another improvement can be to specify a solid background color with -bg and with this also specify the option -solidbg. This may greatly improve performance! SSSSGGGGIIII IIIIrrrriiiixxxx 5555....xxxx Silicon Graphics and Irix 5.x users may not see any snow or Santa at all, as long the desktop icons are visible. To circumvent this problem issue this command: /usr/lib/desktop/telldesktop quit The icons will disappear and Xsnow will work perfectly. To restart the desktop just start /usr/lib/desktop/startdesktop or select Desktop->Home Directory from the toolchest. It's even possible to have both - desktop icons and xsnow (and even multiple desks). You need to modify the window manager's resource file 4DWm, the file ~/.desktop- `hostname`/4DWm. Example: *Global.backgroundDescription: -execute /etc/killall -TERM xsnow ; /usr/local/bin/xsnow *Desk 1.backgroundDescription: -execute /etc/killall -TERM xsnow ; /usr/local/bin/xsnow *Desk 2.backgroundDescription: -execute /etc/killall -TERM xsnow ; /usr/local/bin/xsnow Restart the window manager (4Dwm) from the toolchest and Page 4 (printed 12/1/95) XXXXSSSSNNNNOOOOWWWW((((1111)))) XXXX VVVVeeeerrrrssssiiiioooonnnn 11111111 ((((RRRReeeelllleeeeaaaasssseeee 4444)))) XXXXSSSSNNNNOOOOWWWW((((1111)))) Xsnow should appear. What this does is stop the currently running Xsnow and start a new one when you switch to another desktop. HHHHPPPP aaaannnndddd hhhhpppp----uuuuxxxx HP also uses a Workspace Manager which may interfere with Xsnow. If Xsnow does not appear: In the "Style Manager", choose "Backdrop" and select "NoBackdrop". You should now be able to run Xsnow. SSSSnnnnoooowwww ddddooooeeeessss nnnnooootttt ssssttttiiiicccckkkk???? On black-and-white X terminals snow may not stick to windows because backing store is on. Try specifying the option -nonopopup when starting Xsnow. SSSSnnnnoooowwww hhhhoooovvvveeeerrrriiiinnnngggg aaaabbbboooovvvveeee wwwwiiiinnnnddddoooowwwwssss???? If you use twm it is possible you see the snow layer hovering a little bit above your windows. In that case set BorderWidth 0 in your .twmrc file. If you use windows with 'squeezed title bars' specify a -offset to get the snow on the windows itself. SSSSEEEEEEEE AAAALLLLSSSSOOOO snowplough(1), your_travel_agent(1) Page 5 (printed 12/1/95)