VLC and xscreensaver problem

[aitte]

VLC didn't block xscreensaver.
Advanced Settings - Video - Disable Screensaver - activated
VLC version 2.2.1, xscreensaver version 5.32.

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

This is usually caused by one of those:

• the desktop environment providing a non-working D-Bus screensaver object,
• xdg-screensaver (xdg-utils) missing, or
• a buggy version of xdg-screensaver installed.

[aitte]

This is usually caused by one of those:

• the desktop environment providing a non-working D-Bus screensaver object,
• xdg-screensaver (xdg-utils) missing, or
• a buggy version of xdg-screensaver installed.

xdg-utils is installed 1.1.0~rc1-2ubuntu7.1 on ubuntu 14.04. screensaver blocking worked with gnome-screensaver (but I switched to xscreensaver for security reasons). Also xscreensaver is blocking nicely when using smplayer(sorry for mention it here)

The following utilities are included:
xdg-screensaver

the desktop environment providing a non-working D-Bus screensaver object

How to check that?

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

Any D-Bus debugger will do. I use d-feet.

[aitte]

All is ok with dbus.

[aitte]

xscreensaver not support dbus. And it'll never be implemented for security reasons.
http://www.jwz.org/xscreensaver/toolkits.html
Maybe vlc support command execution, like here: http://www.jwz.org/xscreensaver/faq.html#dvd
Xscreensaver is historically most used and first screensaver for Xorg. Should I fill bug report on vlc bug tracker?

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

No. VLC checks if D-Bus screensaver API is available. If it is not, then it falls back to (actually much less safe) command line execution.

From my PoV, this is a bug in your system. The D-Bus API should not be shown if it does not work.

[aitte]

No. VLC checks if D-Bus screensaver API is available. If it is not, then it falls back to (actually much less safe) command line execution.

From my PoV, this is a bug in your system. The D-Bus API should not be shown if it does not work.

Dbus is working, but there is no actual dbus support in xscreensaver. For example when gnome-screensaver is activated gnome-screensaver report events to dbus, and vlc know what to do. But since xscreensaver has no build in dbus support, vlc detect dbus in system but don't know screensaver state since xscreensaver don't support dbus and reports no information to dbus. And as result vlc dot block screensaver at all, since vlc wait for dbus screensaver state thats never reported.

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

That's what I'm saying: your system is broken. It exposes a nonoworking DBus screensaver object.

[aitte]

That's what I'm saying: your system is broken. It exposes a nonoworking DBus screensaver object.

I inspected that org.freedesktop.Screensaver and find pid, it was /usr/lib/unity-settings-daemon/unity-settings-daemon that exist like one of gnome-flashback dependencies. I removed libscreensaver-proxy.so and screensaver-proxy.gnome-settings-plugin files from /usr/lib/unity-settings-daemon-1.0/, restart session and now org.freedesktop.Screensaver object not exist under session bus. But looks like vlc still don't fall back to command line execution mode.

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

VLC falls back to xdg-utils if it cannot find a D-Bus screensaver.

[aitte]

xdg-screensaver status
enabled
xdg-screensaver lock
xscreensaver locks screen
Looks like xdg-screensaver is working.
I checked all bus names under system and session bus, no mention of screensaver or something like that this time.