How to determine if screensaver is active on another session

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You can detect if a user's screensaver is active via:



gnome-screensaver-command -q


I'm trying to create a daemon to perform actions when the user is inactive, but I'm finding this command always returns false when not run from inside the user's session. For example, these variants all report the screensaver is inactive, even when it's active:



sudo gnome-screensaver-command -q
sudo -u myuser gnome-screensaver-command -q


Why is this, and how do I check the status of a user's screen from a different user like root?










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    up vote
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    down vote

    favorite
    2












    You can detect if a user's screensaver is active via:



    gnome-screensaver-command -q


    I'm trying to create a daemon to perform actions when the user is inactive, but I'm finding this command always returns false when not run from inside the user's session. For example, these variants all report the screensaver is inactive, even when it's active:



    sudo gnome-screensaver-command -q
    sudo -u myuser gnome-screensaver-command -q


    Why is this, and how do I check the status of a user's screen from a different user like root?










    share|improve this question

























      up vote
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      down vote

      favorite
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      up vote
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      down vote

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      You can detect if a user's screensaver is active via:



      gnome-screensaver-command -q


      I'm trying to create a daemon to perform actions when the user is inactive, but I'm finding this command always returns false when not run from inside the user's session. For example, these variants all report the screensaver is inactive, even when it's active:



      sudo gnome-screensaver-command -q
      sudo -u myuser gnome-screensaver-command -q


      Why is this, and how do I check the status of a user's screen from a different user like root?










      share|improve this question















      You can detect if a user's screensaver is active via:



      gnome-screensaver-command -q


      I'm trying to create a daemon to perform actions when the user is inactive, but I'm finding this command always returns false when not run from inside the user's session. For example, these variants all report the screensaver is inactive, even when it's active:



      sudo gnome-screensaver-command -q
      sudo -u myuser gnome-screensaver-command -q


      Why is this, and how do I check the status of a user's screen from a different user like root?







      command-line screen-lock screensaver






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      edited Oct 3 '16 at 23:40









      Jeff Schaller

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      33.7k851113










      asked Oct 3 '16 at 22:58









      Cerin

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      3841517




















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          I know that it's a bit late but maybe some other people can read the answer now.



          The problem is with dbus. You need to export the right variable before running the gnome-screensaver-command.



          First you need to know the uid of the user. I exported also the DISPLAY of the user. You can get its value using the command w



          sudo -u myuser DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=unix:path=/run/user/$UID_OF_MYUSER/bus DISPLAY=:0 gnome-screensaver-command --query


          This worked with Debian 9 and gnome-screensaver-command 3.6.1






          share|improve this answer








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            1 Answer
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            1 Answer
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            up vote
            1
            down vote













            I know that it's a bit late but maybe some other people can read the answer now.



            The problem is with dbus. You need to export the right variable before running the gnome-screensaver-command.



            First you need to know the uid of the user. I exported also the DISPLAY of the user. You can get its value using the command w



            sudo -u myuser DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=unix:path=/run/user/$UID_OF_MYUSER/bus DISPLAY=:0 gnome-screensaver-command --query


            This worked with Debian 9 and gnome-screensaver-command 3.6.1






            share|improve this answer








            New contributor




            Fabio Zoratti is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
            Check out our Code of Conduct.





















              up vote
              1
              down vote













              I know that it's a bit late but maybe some other people can read the answer now.



              The problem is with dbus. You need to export the right variable before running the gnome-screensaver-command.



              First you need to know the uid of the user. I exported also the DISPLAY of the user. You can get its value using the command w



              sudo -u myuser DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=unix:path=/run/user/$UID_OF_MYUSER/bus DISPLAY=:0 gnome-screensaver-command --query


              This worked with Debian 9 and gnome-screensaver-command 3.6.1






              share|improve this answer








              New contributor




              Fabio Zoratti is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
              Check out our Code of Conduct.



















                up vote
                1
                down vote










                up vote
                1
                down vote









                I know that it's a bit late but maybe some other people can read the answer now.



                The problem is with dbus. You need to export the right variable before running the gnome-screensaver-command.



                First you need to know the uid of the user. I exported also the DISPLAY of the user. You can get its value using the command w



                sudo -u myuser DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=unix:path=/run/user/$UID_OF_MYUSER/bus DISPLAY=:0 gnome-screensaver-command --query


                This worked with Debian 9 and gnome-screensaver-command 3.6.1






                share|improve this answer








                New contributor




                Fabio Zoratti is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                Check out our Code of Conduct.









                I know that it's a bit late but maybe some other people can read the answer now.



                The problem is with dbus. You need to export the right variable before running the gnome-screensaver-command.



                First you need to know the uid of the user. I exported also the DISPLAY of the user. You can get its value using the command w



                sudo -u myuser DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=unix:path=/run/user/$UID_OF_MYUSER/bus DISPLAY=:0 gnome-screensaver-command --query


                This worked with Debian 9 and gnome-screensaver-command 3.6.1







                share|improve this answer








                New contributor




                Fabio Zoratti is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                Check out our Code of Conduct.









                share|improve this answer



                share|improve this answer






                New contributor




                Fabio Zoratti is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                Check out our Code of Conduct.









                answered yesterday









                Fabio Zoratti

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                111




                New contributor




                Fabio Zoratti is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                Check out our Code of Conduct.





                New contributor





                Fabio Zoratti is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                Check out our Code of Conduct.






                Fabio Zoratti is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
                Check out our Code of Conduct.



























                     

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