barcode(6)

📦
version 6.15 · 2 versions
, in alpine 3.24, arch rolling, nixpkgs unstable

💖 barcode(6) — the XScreenSaver manual, bestie edition 💖

okay so you opened the manpage for barcode, a lil XScreenSaver hack from the XScreenSaver manual, and honestly? it's giving grocery-store realness. let's get into it 🛒✨

🌈 NAME 🌈

barcode — draws a random sequence of barcodes for the products you enjoy 🍓

like, yes, that's literally the whole job. it draws barcodes. for products. that you enjoy. no cap.

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

barcode [--display host:display.screen] [--visual visual] [--window]
[--root] [--window-id number] [--delay number] [--clock] [--clock24]
[--fps]

run it, pass it some flags, watch the barcodes go brrr. simple as that 💅

🎀 DESCRIPTION 🎀

so what does it actually do? bestie, it draws a random sequence of colorful barcodes scrolling across your screen. that's it, that's the vibe. like a checkout aisle having a main character moment, forever. 🔥

💅 OPTIONS 💅

every single flag, right here, no gatekeeping:

  • --visual visual — specify which visual to use. legal values are the name of a visual class, or the id number (decimal or hex) of a specific visual. pick your fighter 🎨
  • --window — draw on a newly-created window. this is the default, so it's already doing this unless you say otherwise 👑
  • --root — draw on the root window. full-screen takeover energy 🖥️
  • --window-id number — draw on the specified window. pointed directly at the window of your choice 🎯
  • --delay number — per-frame delay, in microseconds. default: 10000 (0.02 seconds.). yes microseconds, she's precise 🫶
  • --clock — instead of drawing a stream of barcodes, draw a barcode-based digital clock. time, but make it scannable 🕐✨
  • --clock24 — same as --clock, but display 24-hour time instead of 12-hour time. european girlies rise 🌍
  • --fps — display the current frame rate and CPU load. performance check, iykyk 📊

🦋 ENVIRONMENT 🦋

the env vars it peeks at:

  • DISPLAY — to get the default host and display number. the classic.
  • XENVIRONMENT — to get the name of a resource file that overrides the global resources stored in the RESOURCE_MANAGER property.
  • XSCREENSAVER_WINDOW — the window ID to use with --root.

🌸 SEE ALSO 🌸

go read these too, they're iconic in their own right:

Copyright © 2003 by Dan Bornstein. Permission to use, copy, modify, distribute, and sell this software and its documentation for any purpose is hereby granted without fee, provided that the above copyright notice appear in all copies and that both that copyright notice and this permission notice appear in supporting documentation. No representations are made about the suitability of this software for any purpose. It is provided "as is" without express or implied warranty.

fr fr, that's the whole license — keep the notice, don't sue anybody, it comes with zero promises 🙈

👑 AUTHOR 👑

Dan Bornstein <danfuzz@milk.com> — legend behavior, honestly.

and that's the whole page, bestie 🧚 this was X Version 11, 6.15 (30-Mar-2026) — go forth and scan responsibly 💜⭐

📦 where this page comes from