xscreensaver-getimage-file(6)

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

💖 NAME 💖

okay so, this is the XScreenSaver manual page for xscreensaver-getimage-file(6), and it does exactly what it says on the tin: it select a random image file for use by screen savers. Main-character energy for your screensaver slideshow, fr fr. 🦋

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

xscreensaver-getimage-file [--verbose] [--no-cache] [--flush-caches] directory-or-URL

✨ DESCRIPTION ✨

xscreensaver-getimage-file is a helper program for the xscreensaver hacks that manipulate images. It is invoked by xscreensaver-getimage(6) as needed. Think of it as the little backstage bestie that hands the screensaver a picture when it needs one. 💅

It prints the name of a randomly-selected image file. The directory is searched recursively. Non-image files and images smaller than 500x500 are excluded. no cap, tiny images don't make the cut. 🙈

The directory may also be the URL of an RSS/Atom feed. Enclosed images will be downloaded and cached locally. 🎀

The contents of the directory are cached, for performance. The cache is re-generated if 3 hours have passed. Lowkey efficient. ⭐

🎀 OPTIONS 🎀

xscreensaver-getimage-file accepts the following options:

  • --verbose — Print diagnostics. It's giving "tell me everything," and honestly? valid. 🔥
  • --no-cache — Ignore the cache when searching for images. This may be slow. Consider yourself warned, bestie. 💀
  • --flush-cache — Discard all caches immediately. They will be re-generated as needed. Boom, clean slate. ✨
  • directory-or-URL — If it is a pathname, it will be searched recursively for images.

If it is a URL, it should be an RSS or Atom feed, or an HTML page whose metadata links to its feed. All of the feed's images will be downloaded to a local cache. The URL will be re-polled periodically, downloading any new images and removing expired ones. 🌀

🦋 FILES 🦋

Depending on your operating system, the filename cache will be one of:

$HOME/.cache/xscreensaver/xscreensaver-getimage.cache
$HOME/tmp/.xscreensaver-getimage.cache
$HOME/.xscreensaver-getimage.cache
$HOME/Library/Caches/org.jwz.xscreensaver.getimage.cache

Images from feeds will be downloaded and cached at one of:

$HOME/.cache/xscreensaver/SUBDIR/
$HOME/tmp/.xscreensaver-feeds/SUBDIR/
$HOME/.xscreensaver-feeds/SUBDIR/
$HOME/Library/Caches/org.jwz.xscreensaver.feeds/SUBDIR/

🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

Copyright © 2001-2022 by Jamie Zawinski. This part is serious, so here's the exact legal language, no edits, periodt:

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.

⭐ AUTHOR ⭐

Jamie Zawinski <jwz@jwz.org>, 14-Apr-2001. Iconic. 👑

okay that's the whole page, bestie 💖 — X Version 11 · 6.15 (30-Mar-2026) · xscreensaver-getimage-file(6). byeee 🫶

📦 where this page comes from