How to use the command 'betterlockscreen' (with examples)

Betterlockscreen is a command-line tool that allows users to customize and enhance their lock screen experience on Linux systems. It provides various options to change the lock screen background, display custom text, and configure screen timeouts. This article will explore different use cases of the ‘betterlockscreen’ command along with their code, motivations, explanations, and example outputs.

Use case 1: Lock the screen

Code:

betterlockscreen --lock

Motivation: Sometimes we may need to quickly secure our system by locking the screen. Using the ‘betterlockscreen’ command with the ‘–lock’ flag allows us to easily lock the screen without much hassle.

Explanation: The ‘–lock’ argument is used to lock the screen.

Example output: The screen will be locked.

Use case 2: Change the lock screen background

Code:

betterlockscreen -u path/to/image.png

Motivation: Personalizing the lock screen background helps in adding a touch of customization to our Linux system. Using the ‘betterlockscreen’ command with the ‘-u’ flag allows us to set a custom image as the lock screen background.

Explanation: The ‘-u’ argument followed by the path to the image file is used to change the lock screen background to the specified image.

Example output: The lock screen background will be set to the specified image.

Use case 3: Lock the screen, showing some custom text

Code:

betterlockscreen -l pixel -t "custom lock screen text"

Motivation: Sometimes it can be useful to display custom text on the lock screen, such as contact information in case the system gets lost or contains sensitive data.

Explanation: The ‘-l’ flag followed by the ‘pixel’ argument sets the lock screen layout to ‘pixel’. The ‘-t’ flag followed by the custom text allows us to show the specified text on the lock screen.

Example output: The lock screen will show the custom text specified.

Use case 4: Lock the screen, with a custom monitor off timeout in seconds

Code:

betterlockscreen --off 5 -l

Motivation: Setting a custom monitor off timeout can be useful for saving power or increasing security, especially when the system is left unattended for a certain period.

Explanation: The ‘–off’ argument followed by the number of seconds sets a custom monitor off timeout. The ‘-l’ flag sets the lock screen layout to the default layout.

Example output: The screen will be locked, and after 5 seconds of inactivity, the monitor will turn off.

Conclusion:

The ‘betterlockscreen’ command provides a convenient way to enhance and customize the lock screen experience on Linux systems. Whether it’s changing the background image, displaying custom text, or configuring screen timeouts, the versatile options offered by ‘betterlockscreen’ allow users to personalize their lock screens according to their preferences. With the examples provided in this article, users can easily start utilizing the power of ‘betterlockscreen’ and take control of their lock screen appearance and behavior.