Replace xscreensaver

Lubuntu Support
1

I’d like to replace the default xscreensaver with something more aesthetically pleasing. I’d like to use whatever the default lock screen mechanism is for KDE Plasma, but I’m not sure what that package is or what command to add to autostart. Is this something built into SDDM?
Running Lubuntu 22.10, kernel 6.2.11, kwin wm. More details are below.

inxi -Fz

System: Kernel: 6.2.11-060211-generic arch: x86_64 bits: 64 Desktop: LXQt v: 1.1.0 Distro: Ubuntu 22.10 (Kinetic Kudu) Machine: Type: Laptop System: LENOVO product: 81UT v: Lenovo IdeaPad S145-15API serial: <superuser required> Mobo: LENOVO model: LNVNB161216 v: SDK0R32866WIN serial: <superuser required> UEFI: LENOVO v: BUCN29WW date: 05/14/2021 Battery: ID-1: BAT0 charge: 24.8 Wh (92.2%) condition: 26.9/35.0 Wh (76.8%) CPU: Info: dual core model: AMD Ryzen 3 3200U with Radeon Vega Mobile Gfx bits: 64 type: MT MCP cache: L2: 1024 KiB Speed (MHz): avg: 1327 min/max: 1400/2600 cores: 1: 1374 2: 1301 3: 1400 4: 1233 Graphics: Device-1: AMD Picasso/Raven 2 [Radeon Vega Series / Radeon Mobile Series] driver: amdgpu v: kernel Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 1.21.1.4 with: Xwayland v: 22.1.3 driver: X: loaded: amdgpu unloaded: fbdev,modesetting,vesa gpu: amdgpu resolution: 1920x1080~60Hz OpenGL: renderer: AMD Radeon Vega 3 Graphics (raven LLVM 15.0.2 DRM 3.49 6.2.11-060211-generic) v: 4.6 Mesa 22.2.5 Audio: Device-1: AMD Raven/Raven2/Fenghuang HDMI/DP Audio driver: snd_hda_intel Device-2: AMD Family 17h/19h HD Audio driver: snd_hda_intel Sound Server-1: ALSA v: k6.2.11-060211-generic running: yes Sound Server-2: PulseAudio v: 16.1 running: yes Network: Device-1: Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200 driver: iwlwifi IF: wlp2s0 state: up mac: <filter> Drives: Local Storage: total: 937.11 GiB used: 14.11 GiB (1.5%) ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 vendor: Lenovo model: UMIS RPJTJ256MEE1OWX size: 238.47 GiB ID-2: /dev/sda vendor: HGST (Hitachi) model: HTS541075A9E680 size: 698.64 GiB Partition: ID-1: / size: 222.31 GiB used: 13.95 GiB (6.3%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2 ID-2: /boot/efi size: 998 MiB used: 163.1 MiB (16.3%) fs: vfat dev: /dev/nvme0n1p1 Swap: ID-1: swap-1 type: file size: 512 MiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) file: /swapfile Sensors: System Temperatures: cpu: 39.5 C mobo: N/A gpu: amdgpu temp: 39.0 C Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A Info: Processes: 263 Uptime: 15m Memory: 9.58 GiB used: 2.63 GiB (27.4%) Shell: fish inxi: 3.3.21

2

Kubuntu uses the KDE/kscreenlocker which is part of KDE Plasma.

Looking at the manifest may provide a clue; eg. Kubuntu’s 22.10 can be seen here alas all you’ll note is the kde-config-screenlocker app, plus KDE libraries (it’s a function of KDE Plasma).

SDDM is the simple desktop display manager and handles graphical login/session management/selection only.

1 Like
3

I have the config and such installed already. I’m just not sure how to set it as the default screen locker in the session settings.

Installed Packages 
kde-config-screenlocker 5.25.5-0ubuntu1 [Ubuntu/kinetic universe]
├── is installed
└── KCM Module for kscreenlocker

kde-config-screenlocker 5.25.5-0ubuntu1 [Ubuntu/kinetic universe]
├── is installed
└── KCM Module for kscreenlocker

kscreenlocker-dev 5.25.5-0ubuntu1 [Ubuntu/kinetic universe]
└── Development files for kscreenlocker

kscreenlocker-dev 5.25.5-0ubuntu1 [Ubuntu/kinetic universe]
└── Development files for kscreenlocker

kscreenlocker-dev 5.25.5-0ubuntu1 [Ubuntu/kinetic universe]
└── Development files for kscreenlocker

libkscreenlocker5 5.25.5-0ubuntu1 [Ubuntu/kinetic universe]
├── is installed
└── Secure lock screen architecture

libkscreenlocker5 5.25.5-0ubuntu1 [Ubuntu/kinetic universe]
├── is installed
└── Secure lock screen architecture
4

Those packages won’t help you unless you are running KDE Plasma, as those are called (when required) by the KDE Plasma desktop.

Lubuntu uses LXQt and not KDE Plasma; thus you’re running the incorrect desktop. It would be wasteful to also be running KDE Plasma in the background just so you can use it’s screensaver functions.

Sorry, my reason for pointing at those packages was with an expectation that you’d notice there was no missing app, except for the KDE Plasma desktop itself, that Lubuntu/LXQt doesn’t use.

5

Is there another option than xscreensaver or a way to make it more appealing? I’d like to have the lock screen look similar or identical to my SDDM login screen. Using a static image, clean dialog box, etc. From what I’ve been able to see, xscreensaver doesn’t allow for a custom picture or those types of changes.

2 Likes
6

Have you tried anything like this ?

7

One obvious solution is to edit & recompile the xscreensaver code so it’s more appealing to you. I won’t help you with that though (if I recall correctly; its been done before and the developer of xscreensaver didn’t appreciate it, thus I’ll avoid that topic; that logo shall not be touched).

I can’t advise on alternatives though; I’ve never swapped it out since we’ve been using LXQt sorry.

8

Unfortunately I’ve read the same thing. It would be nice to replace the flame with like a profile picture, but alas, it isn’t meant to be.

1 Like
9

The changes provided on the Mint forums worked to get the static image. Thanks for the help!

10

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