Hi all,

Need some help. I want to run a script when there is no keyboard or mouse
activity for X amount of minutes.
Like a screensaver does, but to run a script instead. Anyone know how to
do this?

Been wondering how to attempt this for quite some time, Any help is
appreciated!

Regards,
Kevin
mojo7777 at gmail dot com

On 28 Jan 2008 06:46:15 GMT, NightHawk wrote:
[...]
> Need some help. I want to run a script when there is no keyboard or mouse
> activity for X amount of minutes.
> Like a screensaver does, but to run a script instead. Anyone know how to
> do this?
>
> Been wondering how to attempt this for quite some time, Any help is
> appreciated!
[...]

On X11, you may use XScreenSaverQueryInfo() to query the idle
time.

That means writing a few lines of C code.

There exists a non-standard X utility that you may download off
the web, called xprintidle that does that:

$ ltrace xprintidle
__libc_start_main(0x8048630, 1, 0xbfd8f154, 0x8048790, 0x8048800 <unfinished ...>
XOpenDisplay(NULL) = 0x804a008
XScreenSaverQueryExtension(0x804a008, 0xbfd8f0ac, 0xbfd8f0a8, 0x804857e, 0xbfd8f154) = 1
XScreenSaverQueryInfo(0x804a008, 106, 0xbfd8f090, 0x804857e, 0xbfd8f154) = 1
printf("%lu\n", 2121
) = 3
XCloseDisplay(0x804a008) = <void>

http://www.dtek.chalmers.se/~henoch/text/xprintidle.html

If you feel brave, on Linux, you could watch /proc/interrupts
and parse information in /proc/irq or elsewhere to see what
corresponds to your mice and keyboards.

You may also use xscreensaver or xlockmore that are able to run
arbitrary commands upon reaching a given idle time. May not be
easy to do automatically (in a script) or reliably (without
interferring with the user's screen saver for instance).

--
Stephane

NightHawk <mojo7777 [at] gmail.com> writes:
>
>Need some help. I want to run a script when there is no keyboard or mouse
>activity for X amount of minutes.
>Like a screensaver does, but to run a script instead. Anyone know how to
>do this?
>

Configure the X server to think your script is a screensaver and run it.

-Greg
--
::::::::::::: Greg Andrews ::::: gerg [at] panix.com :::::::::::::
I have a map of the United States that's actual size.
-- Steven Wright

On Wed, 30 Jan 2008 01:10:05 +0000, Greg Andrews wrote:

> NightHawk <mojo7777 [at] gmail.com> writes:
>>
>>Need some help. I want to run a script when there is no keyboard or
>>mouse activity for X amount of minutes.
>>Like a screensaver does, but to run a script instead. Anyone know how
>>to do this?
>>
>>
> Configure the X server to think your script is a screensaver and run it.
>
> -Greg

Do you know how to do this?

--Kevin

NightHawk <mojo7777 [at] gmail.com> writes:
>On Wed, 30 Jan 2008 01:10:05 +0000, Greg Andrews wrote:
>
>> NightHawk <mojo7777 [at] gmail.com> writes:
>>>
>>>Need some help. I want to run a script when there is no keyboard or
>>>mouse activity for X amount of minutes.
>>>Like a screensaver does, but to run a script instead. Anyone know how
>>>to do this?
>>>
>>>
>> Configure the X server to think your script is a screensaver and run it.
>>
>
>Do you know how to do this?
>

It has been several years since I compiled a few new screensavers and
configured my X server to run them. I don't remember the details at
the moment.

Does your desktop have any menus labeled "Screensaver"? What do you
use, Gnome, KDE, CDE, something else?

-Greg
--
::::::::::::: Greg Andrews ::::: gerg [at] panix.com :::::::::::::
I have a map of the United States that's actual size.
-- Steven Wright