[MPlayer-users] mplayer as screensaver

[jhollind]

On Wed, 15 Oct 2003 14:18:08 -0500, jhollind wrote
> [Automatic answer: RTFM (read DOCS, FAQ), also read DOCS/bugreports.html]
> On Wed, 15 Oct 2003 10:22:53 -0800, Sycotic Smith wrote
> > [Automatic answer: RTFM (read DOCS, FAQ), also read DOCS/bugreports.html]
> > 
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Mark Veinot <vmark at nbnet.nb.ca>
> > Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2003 13:33:45 -0300
> > To: "MPlayer user's list." <mplayer-users at mplayerhq.hu>
> > Subject: Re: [MPlayer-users] mplayer as screensaver
> > 
> > > [Automatic answer: RTFM (read DOCS, FAQ), also read DOCS/bugreports.html]
> > > On Wednesday October 15 2003 1:08 pm, jhollind wrote:
> > > > I've been trying this, and I'm only 50% there.  From a prompt it works as
> > > > expected, but from within xscreensaver I only hear it, but nothing is
> > > > displayed.  My command from xscreensaver-demo is:
> > > >
> > > > mplayer -vo xv -rootwin -fs -loop 0 /path/to/mymovie.mov
> > > >
> > > > I tried adding a &> /dev/null to the end, wondering if the mplayer output
> > > > was messing it up, but it didn't help.  I'm running MPlayer 1.0pre1-3.3.1.
> > > >
> > > > Any ideas?
> > > >
> > > > For whoever plans to use this, don't forget a -loop 0 so it keeps
> > > > repeating. I can hear that it pauses during a failed passwd, and starts
> > > > back where it left off, which is cool.
> > > 
> > > Hrmmm you're right. It should work, but it doesn't. I tried it myself,
and I 
> > > just get a black screen. I'll keep working on it and let you know if I
figure 
> > > anything out.
> > > 
> > > -Vic
> > 
> > Try it from a run prompt and see if that works. Then maybe send to a 
> > logfile from xscreensaver and look thru to see if there is a problem 
> > with the vo or vc, you might be hitting a wall if the xscreensaver 
> > is running as root, but mplayer is trying to access as non-root.  Or 
> > maybe xscreensaver isn't giving you access to an xv port? Just a thought.
> > 
> 
> >From a prompt it works correctly.  The vo: is identical from xscreensaver as
> from direct prompt access:
> 
> vo: X11 running at 1280x1024 with depth 24 and 32 bpp (":0.0" => 
> local display)
> 
> All apps are running as my non-root user.  I'm still digging.
> 
> Thanks...
> 
> --
> Jason
> 
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Well, I've found a "fix", but apparently is was met with some scorn and
forgotten/ignored, due to an include statement being added to config.h. 
Here's the link to the mplayer-users archive:

http://mplayerhq.hu/pipermail/mplayer-users/2002-October/022493.html

Mplayer must not be aware of "virtual root" windows.  In the xscreensaver
manpage, it states:

===============8<---------------------------------------------------------
To  use a program as a screensaver, two things are required: that that program
draw on the root window (or be able to be configured to draw on the root
window); and that that program understand ``virtual root'' windows, as used by
virtual window managers such as tvtwm(1).  (Generally, this is accomplished by
just including the "vroot.h" header file in the program's source.)
===============8<---------------------------------------------------------

So, I took that file from the xscreensaver source, copied it into the libvo/
directory of my local mplayer source, then added the line #include "vroot.h"
to x11_common.h
hoping to not thoroughly offend anyone.  ;)

After recompiling, it all works prefectly.  

Thanks...

--
Jason