Screensaver - can't exit if it kicks in while using firefox

[jamo]

I wonder if anyone else has this problem?

I've added a web link to my zoneminder server so I can put the camera montage up on the screen. It's quite a nice way of popping the cameras up on the TV when you want to keep an eye on things. Anyway, if I leave it for long enough the screensaver kicks in.... which is fine.... except that then I can't seem to exit. If I press the keyboard or mouse buttons I get a pointer (which moves) but no matter what I click or press the screensaver stays on.

The only way to get rid of it at this point is to either do a quick-reload of the router (from another orbiter obviously) or ctrl-alt-f2 to drop to a terminal and then ctrl-alt-f7 to go back to the X session. That more or less sorts it out.

I must confess, I haven't tried with any other websites since this is the only one I leave on the screen unattended for long enough to have the screensaver kick in. Will test and check.

But, in the meantime, does anyone else experience the same behaviour? Does anyone have any suggestions as to a fix? And... is there anywhere you can set the idle time before the screensaver kicks in? Or turn it off temporarily? Obviously it is disabled for some applications like movies but doesn't make sense to have it generally disabled for web browsing unless you specifically request it for a particular link. I don't use the youtube much via firefox because it doesn't work very well with my z-box (I think it's the radeon graphics card) but I imagine if people are watching long videos on you tube without touching the controls the same could occur.

Any thoughts?

[jamo]

Ah... this might help me.... clicking on bottom left or right of the screen.

However, I did read the rest of the related thread and see that the computing screen, as Thom says, is not the ideal place to stick things. Don't worry -with regard to zoneminder I definitely want to integrate it better in future if I stick with it as a camera monitor. Ideally I'd like it to be a first class application like Thom says in the thread. A zoneminder client... *dreams*

[golgoj4]

Ah... this might help me.... clicking on bottom left or right of the screen.

However, I did read the rest of the related thread and see that the computing screen, as Thom says, is not the ideal place to stick things. Don't worry -with regard to zoneminder I definitely want to integrate it better in future if I stick with it as a camera monitor. Ideally I'd like it to be a first class application like Thom says in the thread. A zoneminder client... *dreams*

Whats the goal?
I would say to begin with, take a look at developing a DCE device in the wiki.
http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Developing_a_DCE_Device

blanks filled in upon request. Good Hunting.
-langston

[jamo]

OK... clicking the bottom right of the screen does work to get me back (kills the web app) so that is a start. Would be nice if I could kill the screensaver and *stay* on the web app but... as I say... ultimately I want to go further.

Langston- Thanks yes, have read teh Developing a DCE Device a couple of times and will redo so when I take it further.
The goal, I think would be the following-
1. Provide on screen viewers for cameras set up on a separate zoneminder server ("device"). So, for example, under your security scenarios (menu) you could choose a camera as you can currently but in this case it would pop up a streaming video viewer than connects to the zoneminder streaming video server for the camera in question. The advantage of this (rather than connecting directly to the camera) is that you allow zoneminder to do the frame-grabbing as fast as it can and you don't fight with it to access the camera.
2. Provide two-way communication with zoneminder server - change run-states for example and receive alarm status and events data.
2.1 The purpose of events data is to be able to trigger LMCE actions based on zm events (eg. pop up viewer on alarm showing live feed and, potentially, most recent events as well), pop-up message on MD, etc etc.

Something along those lines. Basically allow zoneminder to do what it does best - monitor cameras - and let LMCE do what it does best - integrate devices, display media etc.

Progress is a bit slow, though, because I'm focussing on getting zoneminder dialled first.

[Crumble]

You guys probably already know this.  But you can set the time out in the media directors page in web admin.  I set mine to 30000 or 8 hours. 

[jamo]

You guys probably already know this.  But you can set the time out in the media directors page in web admin.  I set mine to 30000 or 8 hours. 

I didn't know that - thank you, that is helpful. And it sort of makes sense to not time out if you're in UI2 and you generally have a "background" screensaver anyway... 

[phenigma]

I use alt-tab to return to firefox when the screensaver kicks in.  What we really need is to disable the screensaver while a computing application is active.

J.

[tschak909]

a CMD_Keep_Screen_On needs to be fired to the closest onscreen orbiter. (the closest on-screen orbiter). This can be done in the General Info Plugin.

I'll leave this as an exercise, for a bit, and implement it if nobody takes it up

-Thom

[jamo]

a CMD_Keep_Screen_On needs to be fired to the closest onscreen orbiter. (the closest on-screen orbiter). This can be done in the General Info Plugin.

I'll leave this as an exercise, for a bit, and implement it if nobody takes it up

-Thom

I'm on it.

I discovered last night that the same happens with youtube so it does make sense to do this, I believe.
Questions regarding exercise:

• Do I need to setup a development environment?
• Should I rather do it on 12.04? (I'm on 10.04 but have been thinking of setting up a 12.04 test box)

[tschak909]

Yes. You do, and yes, all development happens on 1204.

-Thom