Looking for some Linux commands
 

When I'm download a lot of files using Rapidshare or what not, I'd like to just turn off my monitor or activate the screen saver. Does anyone know any linux commands to do this? I found "xset -display :0 dpms force off", but the monitor comes back on within a couple of minutes. Thanks.

see man xscreensaver-command

Thanks, After installing xscreensaver it didn't seem to work. I tried "demo, activate and others" for the command but nothing seemed to work. Do you have a command to shutdown the monitor as well?

*

Simple : Push the monitor 'Off button'.

.....

Which desktop are you using?

xscreensaver-demo is the command to bring up the config window
xscreensaver-command sends messages to xscreensaver
have a play!

touch /dev/cheap-plastic/stupid\ looking\ button/on-off

:) :)

If it's absolutely necessary to shut off the monitor without touching the power button, the OP might be interested in `vbetool`, which has a built in DPMS option that can be used to turn off monitors (turning them back on is a different matter, but that's where it gets interesting and fun!)

With xscreensaver, once the daemon is running for your desktop session, you can send it commands using its 'remote control' tool called "xscreensaver-command"; you can do like "xscreensaver-command blank" or "xscreensaver-command lock" (from a console) and other things like this. If interested, check the man pages for xscreensaver and xscreensaver-command.

Cheers!
Sasha