Fun With KDE Screen Saver

by Jim Wilkinson (jimwilk)

The screensaver in KDE has a shortest time of 1 minute. But this can be altered down to 0 seconds if that appeals. First, using Dolphin or Konqueror as Super User, go to /usr/share and create a new folder there called svr.

Next, find a suitable photo from your collection and save it in /usr/share/svr as saver.png (for example)

Now, we can setup the screen saver to use this photo. From Configure your Desktop, click on Display and Monitor in Row 4.

Click on Screen Saver:

Notice that I use Slide Show under Banners and Pictures. Press Setup.

Under Setup, I use Image Folder as /usr/share/svr. Note too that I have turned off Show Names etc. and set the delay to its highest value 140 seconds. There is the photo of our outside seating area that I had stored there as saver.png.

Now, to have some fun with the delay, using Konqueror or Dolphin Super User, go to /home/jim/

With hidden files checked, find the folder .kde4 and click on it. Next click on share and then config

Find the file labeled kscreensaverrc and right click on it. Open it with Kwrite:

You will notice that I have set the Timeout=0. That will give a delay of 0 seconds. Set whatever Timeout value that you want.

Change Enabled=false to Enabled=true and save the file.

When you are tired of having the screensaver interrupting your work, go to Configure Your Desktop and turn off the screensaver. Have fun – even play some tricks on other users of your machine.