Can not set a screen timeout without screen locking [$70]

[Joel Almeida]

Searching through the settings I cannot find an option to set the screen timeout. In Security & Privacy / Locking there's an "After display turns off" but there isn't actually any setting that allows me to set the screen to turn off after X minutes of inactivity. I use a laptop and I often leave the lid open while on battery and not actually touching the computer, and the screen never goes off. Maybe there's something in the Settings I'm not seeing?

[Fabrizio Ferrai (fferrai)]

In the Power plug there is a setting "Dim screen when inactive".

[Joel Almeida (joelalmeidaptg)]

That doesn't actually turn off the screen, it simply dims the backlight after some time

[nhanth87 (nhanth87)]

I take this from bounty:
https://www.bountysource.com/issues/3998611-there-are-no-settings-for-screen-timeout

[nhanth87 (nhanth87)]

initial code:
https://code.launchpad.net/~nhanth87/switchboard-plug-power/switchboard-plug-power/

[PerfectCarl (name-is-carl)]

Hey Nathan,

this issue is driving me crazy.
I can help on the code. Or tests.

What is the status of your branch?
Can I test drive it?

For anyone that wants to build the plugin here are the steps:

sudo apt-get build-dep switchboard-plug-power
bzr branch lp:~nhanth87/switchboard-plug-power/switchboard-plug-power
mkdir build
cd build
cmake -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=/usr ../
sudo make install

[PerfectCarl (name-is-carl)]

Sorry nhanth87, I butchered your name.

[PerfectCarl (name-is-carl)]

The post above is a screenshot of the power plug from the branch

[nhanth87 (nhanth87)]

hi Carl,
My first analysis is wrong. Gnome 3 change it ways to offscreen.
When idle-dim timer hit, gnome-setting only send out an dbus notification. Gala (or some app) should catch this presence dbus and do offscreen. I'm trying with Gala but it's not easy as I think :(

[nhanth87 (nhanth87)]

should fix in Gala when received presence dbus for idle-dim timer

[PerfectCarl (name-is-carl)]

Well, it worked on my computer. I haven't timed when the screen turn off but I can say that at some point my screen gets black.

And when I move the mouse, the screen is turned on again displaying a black page with a little lock and my username on top.
And after few seconds, my desktop is restored.

[Pablo H (snmayoore)]

There's a workaround for this bug, apparently the "Switch Off Display Time" is set by default to none on the settings of Light Locker, I've tried changing this before but it didn't work, so I think this works since a relatively recent update. I downloaded Light Locker Settings from the Software Center and set the screen off time out. So I guess this is the easiest workaround for this issue as of now, hope the ability to change those settings is integrated on Power options on beta-2.

[ucv (u-valentin89)]

I have a script fix for(Luna)
http://pastebin.com/42ZYbRmG
someone please tell me if it works on freya so i can begin the development of the switchboard plug

[nhanth87 (nhanth87)]

Hi u,
I dont know the way power-plug call an external script is legal or not? And
if it can be acceptable to the main line ?

One more analysis from me: power-plug only register with gnome-session.
Gnome-session will send an dbus message when timer is expired. So you must
write another app (or script) that waiting for this message and execute
your script.

I think that's just a work around, use set and unset is dangerous(!?). We
should fix it in gala.
On Dec 13, 2014 6:50 AM, "ucv" <email address hidden> wrote:

> I have a script fix for(Luna)
> http://pastebin.com/42ZYbRmG
> someone please tell me if it works on freya so i can begin the development
> of the switchboard plug
>
> ** Changed in: switchboard-plug-power
> Assignee: (unassigned) => ucv (u-valentin89)
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug
> report.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1359150
>
> Title:
> There are no settings for screen timeout [$70]
>
> Status in Switchboard Power Plug:
> Confirmed
>
> Bug description:
> Searching through the settings I cannot find an option to set the
> screen timeout. In Security & Privacy / Locking there's an "After
> display turns off" but there isn't actually any setting that allows me
> to set the screen to turn off after X minutes of inactivity. I use a
> laptop and I often leave the lid open while on battery and not
> actually touching the computer, and the screen never goes off. Maybe
> there's something in the Settings I'm not seeing?
>
> To manage notifications about this bug go to:
>
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/switchboard-plug-power/+bug/1359150/+subscriptions
>

[Cameron Norman (cameronnemo)]

So the new locking pane of the security and privacy plug should fix this issue. It has options to lock the screen after a timeout, and that causes the screen to turn off.

[Looking Glass (tfd)]

The locking pane of the security and privacy plug unfortunately does not fix this issue. It only gives you the option to either lock the screen or not.

The user still have no method of turning the screen off after a timeout without locking the screen. It is currently impossible to turn the screen off if you do not want to constantly enter your password in your own home.

It used to be possible. Removing this important feature is not aiding usability.

[Jonathan Lumb (jonolumb)]

One workaround is to change the value for org.gnome.desktop.session.idle-delay

Mine was originally set to 300 (five minutes). I have now changed it to 1800 (30 min)

[Cody Garver (codygarver)]

You can now control 'Turn off screen when inactive' timer from the Power plug.

You can now enable/disable 'Lock after screen turns off` in Security & Privacy plug.

[Arlen (arlenwasp)]

In Settings->Power, "Turn off screen when inactive after" is always the same value between "Plugged In" and "On Battery". Changing the value in one pane also the changes the value in the other pane.

[Cameron Norman (cameronnemo)]

@Arlen Unfortunately it can not be set to be different based on whether you are on battery or not.