17

I just upgraded to version 11.10 and found how to enable xscreensaver. However, I'm very disappointed that I don't have the option to use my photos directory as a screen saver option.

What do I have to do to use a photos directory as my screensaver?

Binar Web
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Evie
  • 171

4 Answers4

18

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You need to specify in the advanced options of xscreensaver-demo the folder that contains your photos.

Note - in previous versions of Ubuntu you could have used a screensaver called glslideshow - however this doesnt appear to work in 11.10.

There are a number of other photo-screensavers available in xscreensaver:

  • blitspin
  • carousel
  • decayscreen
  • distort
  • flipscreen3d
  • mirrorblob
  • photopile
  • ripples
  • rotzoomer
  • slidescreen
  • slip
  • spotlight
  • twang
  • zoom

enter image description here

To use one of the screensavers above with your photo's folder, ensure you use "only one screensaver" mode.

Don't forget to choose settings to fine-tune how the screensaver will operate.

fossfreedom
  • 172,746
12

GLSlideshow screensaver in xscreensaver is best for simply displaying your photos without distortions, animations, etc.

Paul
  • 121
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    Use sudo apt-get install xscreensaver xscreensaver-data-extra xscreensaver-gl-extra to get xscreensaver with GLSlidershow on Ubuntu 18.04 – Martin Eden May 16 '19 at 22:39
2

Open the console (Ctrl+Alt+T) and type the following:

cat > .screensaver

grabDesktopImages:  False
grabVideoFrames:    False
chooseRandomImages: True
imageDirectory: /home/<user>/Pictures/<choosen folder>
mode:       random
selected:   -1

and press Ctrl+D to save the file.

Oyibo
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Flatni
  • 21
  • 1
  • 1
    Is this for showing just the random pictures one after the other? (without any effect). What should I do after that? – Rosamunda Oct 11 '14 at 20:52
  • I'm using carousel, but notice it only 'randomly' selects very few photo file in the directory for the carousel, many are repeated in the carousel and many never even get chosen... any way to have it go thru and use all or at least most of them? Don't care about randomness, just inclusiveness... – The MAJOR Jun 13 '21 at 16:38
0

The photos in my case were in nas drive, so here what I ended up doing:

sudo add-apt-repository universe
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install cifs-utils xscreensaver xscreensaver-gl
sudo mkdir /mnt/nas
sudo mount.cifs //mynas.local/share/public /mnt/nas -o username=mynasuser,password=mynaspassword,uid=$(id -u),gid=$(id -g),iocharset=utf8
xscreensaver-demo

Select Mode: Only one screen saver. GLSlideshow Advanced# Choose Random Image, /mnt/nas/photos

Anand Rockzz
  • 305