2.8/2.8.2 starts OK, but doesn't work (Mint 17.1, Cinnamon)

[JD]

On Linux Mint 17.1 with Cinnamon, Caffeine starts OK:

$ caffeine
<class 'Xlib.protocol.request.QueryExtension'>
INFO:root:caffeine is inhibiting desktop idleness

but the screen is dimmed anyway. What can I do to find the problem?

[Reuben Thomas (rrt)]

Try using caffeine-screensaver {suspend, resume} directly. See man xdg-screensaver. Most likely, that script simply doesn't work on CInnamon yet. I am interested in fixing it, of course!

[Reuben Thomas (rrt)]

Please update to 2.8.3 before performing the above test. That fixed a bug that stopped Caffeine working more than once.

[JD (jdcaycedoc)]

Hi. Thank you for the quick reply. (I just saw it, for some reason Launchpad notified me by email of my own edits but not of your replies.)

I upgraded to 2.8.3 and tried again, and also directly running caffeine-screensaver suspend windowId, but the screen dimming (the kind for power saving) is still happening.

I'm guessing it must be a problem with Cinnamon or Mint, because the screen dimming is also happening when watching a video on VLC or totem, when I'd guess it should be disabled by the player.
Some people have been writing about this here: https://bugs.launchpad.net/linuxmint/+bug/1332316

[Reuben Thomas (rrt)]

Indeed, this sounds like a problem with xdg-screensaver and Cinnamon. Please can you try testing the xdg-screensaver program directly (see its man page). You can find its bug tracker at:

https://bugs.freedesktop.org/buglist.cgi?component=xdg-utils&list_id=519388&product=Portland&resolution=---

[ALinuxUser (buntulongername-new)]

Reuben, would you please give instructions of a more detailed sort? ('Please can you try testing the xdg-screensaver program') Thanks.

[ALinuxUser (buntulongername-new)]

EDIT: ah, I see what you mean ('see its man page'). Investigating . . .

[ALinuxUser (buntulongername-new)]

Screensaver (well, screen locker) is not inhibited even after running ' caffeine-screensaver activate'.