.\" -*- mode: nroff -*-
.ds V 2.21
.ds E " \-\- 
.if t .ds E \(em
'
.TH XWRITS 1 "8 Feb 2002" "Version \*V"
.SH NAME
xwrits \- reminds you to take wrist breaks
.SH SYNOPSIS
.B xwrits
\%[\-display \fIdisplay\fP]
\%[typetime=\fItime\fP]
\%[breaktime=\fItime\fP]
\%[other options]
.SH DESCRIPTION
\fBXwrits\fP reminds you to take wrist breaks for prevention or management
of repetitive stress injuries. When you should take a break, it pops up an
X window, the warning window. You click on the warning window, then take a
break. The window changes appearance while you take the break. It changes
again when your break is over. Then you just resume typing. Xwrits hides
itself until you should take another break.
.PP
The \fBtypetime\fP option changes the amount of time between breaks, and
the \fBbreaktime\fP option changes the length of a break. The defaults are
55 minutes and 5 minutes, respectively.
.PP
Xwrits's graphics are brightly colored pictures of a wrist and hand. The
hand clenches and spreads ``as if in pain'' on the warning window, slumps
relaxed during the break, and points forward valiantly when the break is
over. It is trapped behind bars while the keyboard is locked. Other
gestures are included (see the \fB+finger\fP option). You can also use your
own pictures: see the \fBwarning-picture\fP, \fBrest-picture\fP, and
\fBready-picture\fP options.
.PP
Normally, xwrits works through annoyance\*Eit flashes until you stop
typing. However, an option makes it actively prevent you from typing by
locking the screen. See \fB+lock\fP below.
.PP
Xwrits notices when you leave your workstation idle, and treats a long idle
period as if you took a break. You can turn this off with the \fB-idle\fP
option. With the \fB+mouse\fP option, it will also monitor your mouse
movements\*Eyou won't be able to move the mouse during a break without
aborting the break.
.PP
Each wrist break normally lasts the same amount of time. This is what
doctors suggest, but, if you'd like, the \fB+quota\fP option will reward
you for taking small breaks by reducing the length of the next official
break.
.PP
Some doctors recommend taking a short ``microbreak'' every five minutes, as
well as a longer break every hour. To use xwrits this way, just run two
xwrits processes, one for the microbreaks and one for the longer breaks.
'
.SH ESCALATION
It is easy to put the warning window aside ``for 5 minutes'' and ignore it
for fifty. The \fBafter\fP=\fIdelay\fP option causes xwrits to escalate its
activity over time, making it harder to ignore.
.PP
Options following \fBafter\fP come into effect after you have ignored the
warning window for \fIdelay\fP. In other words, xwrits's behavior escalates
after \fIdelay\fP. For instance, with this command line,
.nf
	xwrits flashtime=:2 after=10 flashtime=:.03
.fi
the warning window will begin flashing very quickly if it is ignored
for 10 minutes.
.PP
Any options preceding an \fBafter\fP option also apply following it, unless
you explicitly cancel them. For example:
.nf
	xwrits +finger after=10 \-finger
.fi
.PP
Multiple \fBafter\fP options create a series of escalations. \fIDelay\fP
arguments are cumulative, so ``after=10 after=10'' means the same as
``after=20''.
.PP
One interesting use for \fBafter\fP is to make a break's length depend on
how long you waited to take it. For example:
.nf
	xwrits break=5 after=10 break=7
.fi
Here, a wrist break normally takes 5 minutes. However, if you ignore the
warning window for 10 minutes or more before taking a break, the wrist
break will last 7 minutes.
'
.SH OPTIONS
All options may be abbreviated to their unique prefixes. Some may be
abbreviated further, in which case the smallest legal abbreviation is shown
in brackets. Options are processed from left to right.
.PP
Options listed as ``\fB+option\fP (\fB\-option\fP)'' are toggles, which can
be on or off. A + turns the option on; \- turns it off. Off is the default
for most toggle options, and only the on behavior is described. You can
leave off the + sign if you like: ``xwrits +finger'' and ``xwrits finger''
are equivalent. Or you can say ``\-no\-finger'' instead of ``\-finger''.
.PP
Many options take arguments. You can give these after an equal sign, as in
``xwrits breaktime=2''. Non-optional arguments can also be given
separately, as in ``xwrits breaktime 2''.
.PP
Time arguments are expressed in minutes. For example, ``2'' is 2 minutes,
``2.5'' is 2 minutes 30 seconds. Use a colon to specify seconds: ``2:05.4''
is 2 minutes 5.4 seconds, and ``:5'' is 5 seconds.

.TP 5
\fB\-display\fP \fIdisplay\fP
'
Specify the X display. Xwrits monitors this display for keystrokes and
mouse movements, and displays windows on it. You can simultaneously monitor
more than one display by giving this option multiple times; for example,
``xwrits display :0.0 display fun-orgy:0.0''.
'
.TP 5
\fB+multiscreen\fP (\fB\-multiscreen\fP)
'
When this option is on, xwrits will open every available screen on each
specified
.IR display .
Useful for multihead displays.
'
.TP 5
\fBtypetime\fP=\fItime\fP [\fBt\fP]
Allow typing for \fItime\fP between breaks. Default is 55 minutes.
'
.TP 5
\fBbreaktime\fP=\fItime\fP [\fBb\fP]
The amount of time a break lasts. Default is 5 minutes. This option can be
supplied multiple times; see 
.SB ESCALATION
above.
'
.TP 5
\fBafter\fP=\fIdelay-time\fP
See
.SB ESCALATION
above.
'
.TP 5
\fBbars-picture\fP=\fIfile\fP [\fBbp\fP=\fIfile\fP]
Sets the background GIF image that appears while the screen is locked. By
default, this is an image of bars designed to work with the usual
\fBlock-picture\fP. If you specify your own \fBlock-picture\fP, however,
\fBbars-picture\fP defaults to a black screen. (Say
``bars-picture="&bars"'' to keep the bars.) Animations are not acceptable.
'
.TP 5
\fB+beep\fP (\fB\-beep\fP)
Xwrits will beep when the break should begin and again when it is
over.
'
.TP 5
\fB+breakclock\fP (\fB\-breakclock\fP) [\fBbc\fP]
A clock will appear in the resting window showing how many minutes
remain in the wrist break.
'
.TP 5
\fBcanceltime\fP=\fItime\fP [\fBct\fP]
'
Allow typing for \fItime\fP after a break is cancelled. You cancel a break
by deleting all xwrits windows with your window manager. This time should
probably be less than the regular type time. Default is 10 minutes.
'
.TP 5
\fB+cheat\fP[=\fInum\fP] (\fB\-cheat\fP)
Allows you to cheat during a break. You can type \fInum\fP keystrokes
before xwrits cancels the break. Default for \fInum\fP is 5. (If you're
using \fB+mouse\fP, mouse movements also count as keystrokes.)
'
.TP 5
\fB+clock\fP (\fB\-clock\fP) [\fBc\fP]
A clock will appear in the warning window showing how many minutes
you've put off the wrist break.
'
.TP 5
\fB+finger\fP (\fB\-finger\fP) [\fBf\fP]
The warning window will be rude to you.
'
.TP 5
\fB+finger\fP=\fIculture\fP
The warning window will be rude to you, according to \fIculture\fP's idea
of rudeness. Possible values for \fIculture\fP are `american' (the default),
`korean' (synonyms `japanese' and `russian'), and `german'.
'
.TP 5
\fBflashtime\fP=\fItime\fP
The amount of time between flashes of the warning window. Default is 2
seconds.
'
.TP 5
\fB+flipoff\fP (\fB\-flipoff\fP)
Synonym for \fB+finger\fP.
'
.TP 5
\fB+iconified\fP (\fB\-iconified\fP)
The warning window will initially appear as an icon.
'
.TP 5
\fB+idle\fP[=\fIidletime\fP] (\fB\-idle\fP) [\fBi\fP]
If you leave your workstation idle for \fIidletime\fP or longer, xwrits
will behave as if you took a break. The default for \fIidletime\fP is the
break length (see \fBbreaktime\fP above). \fBidle\fP is on by default.
'
.TP 5
\fB+lock\fP[=\fIjump-time\fP] (\fB\-lock\fP)
Xwrits will lock your screen until your break is
over. You can prematurely disable the lock and get a normal warning
window by typing your password (see \fBpassword\fP below). The
\fIjump-time\fP argument specifies how fast the screensaver will move;
default is 4 seconds. If the keyboard has been grabbed by another
application when the lock is attempted, the lock fails and a
normal warning window appears instead.
'
.TP 5
\fBlock-picture\fP=\fIfile\fP [\fBlp\fP=\fIfile\fP]
Sets the GIF image that appears while the screen is locked.
Animations are acceptable. See also \fBbars-picture\fP.
'
.TP 5
\fBmaxhands\fP=\fInum\fP
No more than \fInum\fP warning windows will appear on your screen
simultaneously. Normally, there will be only one warning window, but
see \fB+multiply\fP below. \fINum\fP cannot be less than 1, or more
than 137. Default is 25.
'
.TP 5
\fBminbreaktime\fP=\fItime\fP
Sets the minimum break length to \fItime\fP. This option is meaningful
when \fB+quota\fP is on (see below); no matter how many short breaks you
take, the break length will not be shortened below \fItime\fP. It defaults
to half the break time or the quota time, whichever is larger.
'
.TP 5
\fBmono\fP (\fB\-mono\fP)
Xwrits will display its graphics in black and white. This may be useful if
you live in a world with a limited colormap.
'
.TP 5
\fB+mouse\fP[=\fIsensitivity\fP] (\fB\-mouse\fP)
Xwrits will monitor your mouse movements. Every couple seconds, it checks
whether the mouse has moved. Movements of more than \fIsensitivity\fP
pixels in any direction are treated like key presses. Default for
\fIsensitivity\fP is 15 pixels.
'
.TP 5
\fB+multiply\fP[=\fIbreed-time\fP] (\fB\-multiply\fP) [\fBm\fP]
A new warning window will be created every \fIbreed-time\fP. Default for
\fIbreed-time\fP is 2.3 seconds.
'
.TP 5
\fB+noiconify\fP (\fB\-noiconify\fP)
The warning window will not allow itself to be iconified.
'
.TP 5
\fBpassword\fP=\fIpassword\fP
The password you type to unlock a locked screen (see \fB+lock\fP above).
Xwrits does not protect this password from intruders.
Therefore, do not use your login password or any other password you must
keep secure. Default is ``quit''.
'
.TP 5
\fB+quota\fP[=\fItime\fP] (\fB\-quota\fP)
If you leave your workstation idle for more than \fItime\fP, the idle time
is deducted from the length of your next break. This option turns the break
length into a break quota\*Einstead of resting for \fIbreaktime\fP
consecutive minutes every \fItypetime\fP, you must rest for a total of
\fIbreaktime\fP minutes per \fItypetime\fP. Default for \fItime\fP is 1
minute. See also \fBminbreaktime\fP.
'
.TP 5
\fBready-picture\fP=\fIfile\fP [\fBokp\fP=\fIfile\fP]
Sets the image that appears when your break is over to an arbitrary GIF.
Animations are acceptable.
'
.TP 5
\fBrest-picture\fP=\fIfile\fP [\fBrp\fP=\fIfile\fP]
Sets the image that appears during your break to an arbitrary GIF.
Animations are acceptable.
'
.TP 5
\fBtitle\fP=\fItext\fP
Xwrits windows will have \fItext\fP for their title, instead of the default
``xwrits''.
'
.TP 5
\fB+top\fP (\fB\-top\fP)
The warning window will try to keep itself above all other windows on the
desktop. (Note: it can be fooled into staying only partially visible.)
'
.TP 5
\fB+verbose\fP (\fB\-verbose\fP)
Xwrits will print a lot of information about the windows on which it is
listening for keystrokes. This is mostly useful for debugging.
'
.TP 5
\fBversion\fP
Prints the version number and some quickie warranty information and exits.
'
.TP 5
\fBwarning-picture\fP=\fIfile\fP [\fBwp\fP=\fIfile\fP]
Sets the image that appears on the warning window to an arbitrary GIF.
Animations are acceptable.
'
.SH EXAMPLES
Here is the way I run xwrits:
.nf
	xwrits typetime=40 finger after 15 clock multiply=5:1.4
.fi
This looks pretty spectacular:
.nf
	xwrits t=0 b=:2 f fla=:.5 m=:.31 max=100 \-i
.fi
Whee!!
'
.SH AUTHOR
Eddie Kohler, kohler@icir.org
.br
http://www.icir.org/kohler/
.PP
http://www.lcdf.org/xwrits/
.br
The \fBxwrits\fP home page (for distributions and so forth).
.PP
Idea for idle processing code from
.BR xautolock (1)
by Stefan De Troch and Michel Eyckmans
'
.SH BUGS
Xwrits does not use the X resource database at all.
.PP
More options might be nice. So might more careful screen locking and
password protection. I would like to include rude finger gestures from
other cultures (see the GESTURES file in the distribution for gestures I
know about so far).
.PP
Please send any bugs, comments, or suggestions to me.
.PP
Yes the misspelling is intentional.
.PP
Yes it's my left wrist.