XSNOW(6)

📦
version 3.9.4 · 12 versions
, in fedora 43, fedora 44

💖 XSNOW(6) 💖

User Commands — yeah bestie, this is the manual page for xsnow, section 6, and honestly? it's the cutest thing in the whole manual. Santa. Snow. On your actual desktop. 🎅❄️

✨ NAME ✨

xsnow — Snow and Santa on your desktop 🎀🦋

🎀 SYNOPSIS 🎀

xsnow [OPTION]...

💅 DESCRIPTION 💅

xsnow shows an animation of Santa and snow on your desktop. like, literally, Santa running around on top of your windows while it snows. iconic behavior, no notes. ✨

xsnow can also run in one or more windows — see the options -xwininfo and -id. (Heads up though: these options only work satisfactorily in an X11 environment. iykyk.) xsnow depends on an X11 environment. This is forced by setting the environment variable GDK_BACKEND=x11 before initializing the GTK. Hopefully, this will ensure that xsnow also runs in a Wayland environment for some time. 🫶

If xsnow is misbehaving, try to remove the file $HOME/.xsnowrc. (not me deleting my own config to fix my life 😭 but okay, slay.)

🌈 General options 🌈

Below: <n> denotes an unsigned decimal (e.g 123) or octal (e.g. 017) or hex (e.g. 0x50009) number. <c> denotes a string like "red" or "#123456". <f> denotes a file name, like "/home/rick/Pictures/background.jpg".

  • -h, -help — print this text. 🍼
  • -H, -manpage — print man page. 📖
  • -v, -version — prints version of xsnow.
  • -changelog — prints ChangeLog.
  • -config <f> — use <f> as config file, default is '.xsnowrc'. If <f> does not start with '/', <f> is taken relative to your HOME directory. <f> MUST contain the string 'xsnow'. Examples:
.myxsnowrc          # will expand to '$HOME/.myxsnowrc'.
.config/xsnow       # will expand to '$HOME/.config/xsnow'.
/etc/default/xsnow  # will be used as is.
  • -display <c> — Drop the snowflakes on the given display. Make sure the display is nearby, so you can hear them enjoy... 🔉 (yes, fr, that's what it says.)
  • -screen <n> — If you have multiple monitors: snow in monitor n. -1: use all monitors (default: -1). Note: for this to work, Xinerama has to be functional. 🖥️🖥️
  • -outline <n> — 1: draw outline around snow window. 0: no outline. Default: 0.
  • -vintage — Run xsnow in vintage settings. 🕰️ aesthetic.
  • -defaults — Do not read config file (see FILES).
  • -noconfig — Do not read or write config file (see FILES). not even a little.
  • -hidemenu — Start with hidden interactive menu.
  • -nomenu — Do not show interactive menu.
  • -lang <c> — Set language, example: -lang it, see LANGUAGES below. Default: sys.
  • -scale <n> — Apply scalefactor (default: 100).
  • -doublebuffer <n> — 1: use double buffering; 0: do not use double buffering (default: 1). Only effective with '-root' or '-id' or '-xwininfo'.
  • -transparency <n> — Transparency in % (default: 0)
  • -theme <n> — 1: use xsnow theme for menu; 0: use system theme (default: 1)
  • -checkgtk <n> — 0: Do not check gtk version before starting the user interface. 1: Check gtk version before starting the user interface. (default: 1).
  • -id <n>, -window-id <n> — Snow in window with id (for example from xwininfo).
  • --window-id <n> — see -id.
  • -desktop — Act as if window is a desktop.
  • -allworkspaces <n> — 0: use one desktop for snow, 1: use all desktops (default: 1).
  • -above — Snow above your windows. Default is to snow below your windows. NOTE: in some environments this results in an un-clickable desktop. 💀 so like, cute but you can't click anything. choose wisely.
this next one has lore, so buckle up.
  • -xwininfo — Use a cursor to point at the window you want the snow to be fallen in. 👆
  • -stopafter <n> — Stop xsnow after so many seconds. ⏳
  • -root, --root — Force to paint on (virtual) root window. Use this for xscreensaver: Make sure xscreensaver is running, either as a start-up application or from the command line, e.g:
nohup xscreensaver &

or

nohup xscreensaver -no-capture-stderr &

Run the program xscreensaver-demo to create the file ~/.xscreensaver In the file ~.xsnowrc add after the line 'programs:' this line:

xsnow -root

Use the program xscreensaver-demo to select xsnow as screensaver. You probably want to select: Mode: Only One Screen Saver.

  • -bg <f> — file to be used as background when running under xscreensaver. 🖼️
  • -noisy — Write extra info about some mouse clicks, X errors etc, to stdout. 🗣️
  • -cpuload <n> — How busy is your system with xsnow: the higher, the more load on the system (default: 100).
  • -screenshot <n> — 1: use screenshots to find the windows, 0: use X11 (default: 0).

❄️ Snow options ❄️

  • -snowflakes <n> — The higher, the more snowflakes are generated per second. Default: 100. 🌨️
  • -blowsnow — (Default) Animate blow-off snow.
  • -noblowsnow — Do not animate blowing snow from trees or windows
  • -sc <c> — Use the given string as color for the flakes (default: #fffafa).
  • -sc2 <c> — Use the given string as second color for the flakes (default: #87ceff).
  • -enablesc2 <n> — 1: enable usage of second color for the flakes (default: 0).
  • -snowspeedfactor <n> — Multiply the speed of snow with this number/100 (default: 100).
  • -snowsize <n> — Set size of (non-vintage) snow flakes (default: 8).
  • -snow — (Default) Show snow.
  • -nosnow, -nosnowflakes — Do not show snow. 🚫❄️
  • -flakecountmax <n> — Maximum number of active flakes (default: 300).
  • -blowofffactor <n> — The higher, the more snow is generated in blow-off scenarios (default: 40).

🌲 Tree options 🌲

  • -treetype <n>[,<n> ...] — Choose tree types: minimum 0, maximum 8 (default: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,). Thanks to Carla Vermin for numbers >=3! Credits: Image by b0red on Pixabay.
  • -treetype all — (Default) Use all non-vintage available tree types. 🎄
  • -tc <c> — Use the given string as the color for the vintage tree (default: #7fff00). Works only for treetype 0.
  • -notrees — Do not display the trees.
  • -showtrees — (Default) Display the trees.
  • -trees <n> — Desired number of trees. Default 10.
  • -treefill <n> — Region in percents of the height of the window where trees grow (default: 30).
  • -treescale <n> — Scale scenery (default: 100).
  • -treeoverlap — Allow scenery items to overlap each other (default).
  • -notreeoverlap — Do not allow scenery items to overlap each other.
  • -xmastrees <n> — Around Xmas: Show replace n scenery items with a nice Xmas-tree. Default 1. Thanks to Mujhaid Wakeel. 🎁

🎅 Santa options 🎅

  • -showsanta — (Default) Display Santa running all over the screen. main character energy, honestly.
  • -nosanta — Do not display Santa running all over the screen. 🙈
  • -showrudolph — (Default) With Rudolph. 🦌
  • -norudolph — No Rudolph.
  • -santa <n> — The minimum size of Santa is 0, the maximum size is 4. Default is 3. Thanks to Thomas Linder for the (big) Santa 2! Santa 3 is derived from Santa 2, and shows the required eight reindeer. The appearance of Santa 4 may be a surprise, thanks to Carla Vermin for this one. 👀
  • -santaspeedfactor <n> — The speed Santa should not be excessive if he doesn't want to get fined. The appropriate speed for the Santa chosen will be multiplied by santaspeedfactor/100 (default: 100).
  • -santascale <n> — The scale to be used when drawing Santa (default: 100).

🌙 Celestial options 🌙

  • -wind — (Default) It will get windy now and then. 🍃
  • -nowind — By default it gets windy now and then. If you prefer quiet weather specify -nowind.
  • -whirlfactor <n> — This sets the whirl factor, i.e. the maximum adjustment of the horizontal speed. The default value is 100.
  • -windtimer <n> — With -windtimer you can specify how often it gets windy. It's sort of a period in seconds, default value is 30.
  • -stars <n> — The number of stars (default: 40). ⭐
  • -starsize <n> — Relative size of stars, default value is 50.
  • -meteors — (Default) Show meteors. ☄️
  • -nometeors — Do not show meteors.
  • -meteorfrequency — Frequency of falling of meteors, 0..100 (default: 40).
  • -moon <n> — 1: show moon, 0: do not show moon (default: 1). Picture of moon thanks to Pedro Lasta on Unsplash. https://unsplash.com/photos/wCujVcf0JDw 🌕
  • -moonspeed <n> — Speed of moon in pixels/minute (default: 120).
  • -moonx <n> — Horizontal position of moon (only if speed = 0) (default: 50).
  • -moony <n> — Vertical position of moon (only if speed = 0) (default: 20).
  • -moonsize <n> — Relative size of moon (default: 100).
  • -mooncolor <n> — Color of moon 0: yellow-ish; 1: white-ish (default: 0).
  • -halo <n> — 1: show halo around moon, 0: do not show halo (default: 1).
  • -halobrightness <n> — Brightness of halo (default: 25).
  • -aurora <n> — To show (1) or not to show(0) aurora (default: 1). On most desktops aurora works, but not on all. Try! 🌈
that last note is literally a dare, bestie. go try it.
  • -aurorax <n> — Place aurora horizontally in percents of screen-width (default: 50).
  • -aurorawidth <n> — Width of aurora in percentage of screen width (default: 60).
  • -aurorabase <n> — Height of aurora's base line in percentage of screen height (default: 50).
  • -auroraheight <n> — Height of aurora (default: 30).
  • -auroraspeed <n> — Animation speed of aurora (default: 50). 10: about real value, 100: timelapse. ⏩
  • -aurorabrightness <n> — Brightness of aurora (default: 15).

🧊 Fallen snow options 🧊

  • -wsnowdepth <n> — Maximum thickness of snow on top of windows (default: 30).
  • -ssnowdepth <n> — Maximum thickness of snow at the bottom of the screen (default: 50).
  • -maxontrees <n> — Maximum number of flakes on trees. Default 200.
  • -keepsnowonwindows — (Default) Keep snow on top of the windows.
  • -nokeepsnowonwindows — Do not keep snow on top of the windows.
  • -keepsnowonscreen — (Default) Keep snow at the bottom of the screen.
  • -nokeepsnowonscreen — Do not keep snow at the bottom of the screen.
  • -keepsnowontrees — (Default) Keep snow on trees.
  • -nokeepsnowontrees — Do not keep snow on trees.
  • -keepsnow — (Default) Have snow sticking anywhere.
  • -nokeepsnow — Do not have snow sticking anywhere.
  • -fluffy — (Default) Create fluff on fallen snow. 🫧
  • -nofluffy — Do not create fluff on fallen snow.
  • -offsetx <n> — a lil correction for the x-coordinate of the window that your window manager hands over. Default: 4.
  • -offsety <n> — same energy, but for the y-coordinate your window manager gives us. Default: 0.
  • -offsetw <n> — correction for the width of the window. Default: -8.
  • -offsets <n> — correction for the bottom coordinate of your screen. A negative value lifts the xsnow screen up. Default: 0.
  • -ignoretop <n> — don't let snow collect on windows that sit closer than <n> pixels from the top. Sometimes there's a hidden window lurking up there and xsnow treats it like a totally normal window (rude of it, honestly). Default: 0.
  • -ignorebottom <n> — literally the -ignoretop of the bottom edge. Default: 0.

Birds options

okay bestie, this is the bird section and it is so much. 🦅

  • -anarchy <n> — anarchy factor (0..100, default: 50).
  • -birdscolor <c> — use the given string as color for the birds (default: #361A07).
  • -birdsonly <n> — show only birds (0/1, default: 0).
  • -birdsspeed <n> — speed of birds (0..300, default: 100).
  • -disweight <n> — how eager they are to keep their desired distance (0..100, default: 20).
  • -focuscentre <n> — eagerness to fly to the focus (0..300, default: 100).
  • -followneighbours <n> — eagerness to follow neighbours (0..100, default: 30).
  • -nbirds <n> — number of birds (0..400, default: 20).
  • -neighbours <n> — number of neighbours to watch (0..20, default: 7).
  • -prefdistance <n> — preferred distance to neighbours (0..100, default: 40).
  • -showbirds <n> — show birds (0/1, default: 1).
  • -showattr <n> — show attraction point (0/1, default: 0).
  • -attrspace <n> — vertical space to be used by the attraction point (default: 40).
  • -followsanta <n> — birds like Santa (0/1, default: 0).
  • -viewingdistance <n> — viewing distance (0..95, default: 40).
  • -birdsscale <n> — scalefactor used painting the birds (default: 100).

🌍 LANGUAGES 🌍

Xsnow comes with some translations to non-english languages. The translations are done with the aid of translate.google.com (implemented in package 'trans'), so there will be room for improvement. Any suggestions are welcome: contact@ratrabbit.nl .

📁 FILES 📁

  • $HOME/.xsnowrc — settings are read from and written to this file. See flags -noconfig and -defaults how to influence this behaviour.
NOTE: the following settings are not read or written: -above -defaults -desktop -fullscreen -noconfig -id -nomenu -stopafter -xwininfo -display -noisy -checkgtk
NOTE: the file also contains the screen locations of a number of buttons, which can be used for testing purposes.
  • $HOME/.xsnowstop — Xsnow checks regularly the existence of this file. If present, xsnow will remove the file and stop. 👋
  • $HOME/xsnow/pixmaps/tree.xpm — if present, xsnow will try this file for displaying the trees. The format must be xpm (X PixMap) format, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X_PixMap .
  • $HOME/xsnow/pixmaps/santa<n>.xpm — where <n> = 1,2,3,4. If present, xsnow will try this files (4 of them) for displaying Santa. The format must be xpm (X PixMap) format, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X_PixMap .
NOTE: To show: activate the first Santa in the menu.

📡 SIGNALS 📡

On receiving the SIGUSR1 signal, xsnow writes the file ~/.xsnowrc.

✨ EXAMPLES ✨

$ xsnow -defaults        # run with defaults.
$ xsnow                  # run using values from the config file.
$ xsnow -treetype 1,2    # use tree types 1 and 2.

🪟 WINDOW MANAGER ISSUES 🪟

In general, xsnow works better when using a compositing window manager like xcompmgr, compton or picom. However, with some window managers (FVWM for example), the xsnow-window is transparent, but not click-through. Flags to be tried in this case include: -root, -doublebuffer, -xwininfo, -id.

Here follow some window managers with their issues:

Tiling window managers

Here you need to float windows with class=Xsnow.

AWESOME

  • Without compositor: no issues.
  • With compositor: no click-through xsnow window, and issues with multi-monitor setup.

BSPWM

No issues if you add to your bspwmrc (the bspwm configuration file):

bspc rule -a Xsnow state=floating border=off

CINNAMON

No issues.

DWM

No issues, except the "Below Windows" setting in the "settings" panel.

ENLIGHTENMENT

  • With one monitor: no issuses.
  • With more montors: probems with showing in 'all monitors'

FLUXBOX

  • Without compositor: no issues.
  • With compositor: no click-through xsnow window

FVWM

  • Without compositor: no issues.
  • With compositor: no click-through xsnow window

GNOME on Xorg

No issues.

GNOME on Wayland

Most windows don't catch snow.

HERBSTLUFTWM

No issues.

I3

  • Without compositor: windows don't catch snow, use the next line in "config":
for_window [class="Xsnow"] floating enable;border none
  • With compositor: unworkable.

JVM

No issues.

LXDE

  • With compositor: no issues.
  • Without compositor: icons in snow window disappear.

LXQT

  • Without compositor: unworkable.
  • With compositor: no issues.

MATE

No issues.

OPENBOX

No issues.

PLASMA (KDE)

No issues.

SPECTRWM

Various issues. In any case you need in spectrwm.conf:

quirk[Xsnow] = FLOAT

TWM

  • Without compositor: no issues.
  • With compositor: no click-through xsnow window and you need to tweak settings->lift snow on windows.

WINDOW MAKER

Without compositor: no issues. With compositor: no click-through xsnow window

XFCE

No issues when compositing is on, unworkable when compositing is off. See settings -> Window Manager Tweaks -> Compositor

XMONAD

No issues if you add to your xmonad.hs:

import XMonad.Hooks.EwmhDesktops
xmonad $ ewmh $ defaultConfig
in the ManageHook section:
   className = ? "Xsnow" --> doFloat

💀 BUGS 💀

ngl this list is long but every single one is real, bestie:

  • Xsnow needs a complete rewrite: the code is a mess.
  • The flags are not consistent, caused by trying to be compatible with older versions.
  • Xsnow stresses the Xserver too much.
  • Xsnow does run in Wayland, but will not snow on all windows.
  • Xsnow tries to create a click-through window. This is not successful in for example FVWM/xcompmgr. In that case, xsnow tries to keep the snow window below all others, resulting in a transient effect when you click on the desktop. Sadly, no FVWM menu will appear...
  • Xsnow tries to adapt its snowing window if the display settings are changed while xsnow is running. This does not function always well.
  • Xsnow does not play well with 'xcompmgr -a'. In some environments (Raspberry 64 bit) xcompmgr is started with the flag '-a', resulting in a black snow window. Remedy: In a terminal window type:
killall xcompmgr
nohup xcompmgr -n &

and try again.

  • In XFCE, compositing must be enabled for xsnow. Settings -> Window Manager Tweaks -> Compositor -> Enable display compositing
  • Depending on the window manager, snowing in 'all monitors' results in snowing in one of the monitors. This happens for example in KDE.
  • In multi-screen environments, it depends on the display settings if it is snowing on all screens. Experiment!
  • No snow on windows with 'desktop' or 'Desktop' in the name.
  • In multi-screen environments, it depends on the window manager if panels remain visible when running on 'all monitors'.

Please report your comments via: https://ratrabbit.nl/ratrabbit/contact .

🏠 HOMEPAGE 🏠

https://ratrabbit.nl/ratrabbit/xsnow

This is free software; see the source for copying conditions. There is NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

okay that's the whole thing, you made it to the end, icon behavior fr fr 🎀 this was xsnow-3.9.4 from 2026, filed under XSNOW(6) — now go forth and make it snow, periodt 💅❄️

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