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--- linux:on_screen_display_with_xosd [2009/03/09 16:11]
Joel Dare
+++ linux:on_screen_display_with_xosd [2020/06/01 22:53] (current)
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+====== On Screen Display with XOSD ======
+You can use XOSD to create on screen display text.  The text appears at a specific location for a specific amount of time.  It has several useful applications, such as displaying a notice about new messages on the screen.
+I'm using it to display uptime at the top of my screen every 15 minutes.  Here's what that looks like.
+{{ :linux:uptime_osd.gif|{{:linux:uptime_osd.gif| }}
+.\\
+Here's the command that displays that information for 15 seconds.
+  uptime | osd_cat -A center -p top -o 5 -c black -d 15
+I wrote a quick PHP script to re-run that command repeatedly.  This script is then loaded in my Gnome Sessions and runs all day.
+<code>
+#!/usr/bin/php
+<?php
+  // Loop forever
+  while (1 == 1) {
+    exec('uptime | osd_cat -A center -p top -o 5 -c black -d 15');
+  }
+?>
+</code>
+And, here's another quick PHP script that plays a series of sounds while it flashes text on the screen.  This is what I use to notify me when I get new IM's.  Has a visual and audio hint which is useful when I have headphones connected but not in my ears.
+<code>
+#!/usr/bin/php
+<?php
+  // Execute a beep, pass output to /dev/null, and background it
+  exec('beep -f 2000 -l 250 -d 250 -n -f 1000 -l 250 -d 250 -n -f 2000 -l 250 -n -f 1500 -l 100 -d 250 -r 3 > /dev/null &');
+  // Loop three times
+  for ($i==1; $i<3; $i++) {
+    // Display a message on the screen
+    exec('echo \'New Instant Message   \' | osd_cat -A right -p bottom -o -100 -c red -s 2 -d 1 -f -adobe-helvetica-bold-*-*-*-34-*-*-*-*-*-*-*');
+    // Pause one second
+    sleep(1);
+  }
+?>
+</code>