ccurve(6)

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

🌀 ccurve — the manual, but make it cute

okay bestie, so this is ccurve, and it lives in the XScreenSaver manual (section 6, screensavers, iykyk). it's a lil program that makes self-similar linear fractals and honestly? it's giving math girlie main character energy ✨

✨ NAME ✨

ccurve — self-similar linear fractals. that's it. that's the whole vibe. 💅

📜 SYNOPSIS 📜

ccurve [--display host:display.screen] [--visual visual] [--window]
[--root] [--window-id number] [--delay number] [--pause number] [--limit
number] [--fps]

like, copy that, paste that, add your lil flags, go off 🎀

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

so what does it actually do? it generates self-similar linear fractals — yeah, exactly — including the classic ``C Curve.'' no cap, that's the whole flex. it draws pretty recursive shapes on your screen and you just sit there like 😭 because math is art actually.

🌸 OPTIONS 🌸

okay here's the full menu, every single one, don't skip:

  • --visual visual — tells it which visual to use. legal values are the name of a visual class, or the id number (decimal or hex) of a specific visual. so you can be fancy about it 🫶
  • --window — draws on a newly-created window. this is the default, bestie, so if you do nothing, this is what happens.
  • --root — draws on the root window instead. big background energy.
  • --window-id number — draws on the specific window you point at. you pick the window, it picks the window. respectful. 👑
  • --delay number — Delay. range is 0 - 60. Default: 1. (it's literally called "Delay", that's the description, I don't make the rules 💀)
  • --pause number — Duration. range is 1 - 60. Default: 3. yes the label is "Duration". we respect the label. 🍓
  • --limit number — Density. range is 3 - 300000. Default: 200000. that last number is not a typo, three hundred thousand, she's committed. 🔥
  • --fps — displays the current frame rate and CPU load. perfect for when you need to know exactly how hard your computer is working. ⭐

🌈 ENVIRONMENT 🌈

the environment variables, aka the behind-the-scenes girlies:

  • DISPLAY — to get the default host and display number.
  • 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 next, they're iconic:

Copyright © 2002 by Rick Campbell. 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.

(translation: free to use, just keep the notice, and no promises that it'll be perfect — standard disclaimer behavior, ngl 🙈)

👑 AUTHOR 👑

Rick Campbell. that's the whole author section. we stan a one-line king. 💖

okay that's the whole page bestie, you're officially educated on fractals 🧚✨

X Version 11 💫 6.15 💫 dated 30-Mar-2026 — and that's the sign-off, mwah 💋

📦 where this page comes from