RESTWATCH(1X) RESTWATCH(1X)
NAME
restwatch - watches keystrokes and alerts for a rest after a time
SYNOPSIS
restwatch [-busy busytime] [-idle idletime] [-verbose]
[-nomap] [-unmap] [-noext]
[-keystrokes count]
[-continuous msecs]
[-log minutes]
DESCRIPTION
restwatch is intended to run permanently during an X11 session and to
monitor the time during which the keyboard or mouse is used. After a
given time, a window pops up with a given position and size and
remains until no more typing is done for a given time. Statistics of
the total number of keystrokes and total typing time are permanently
displayed, and are written to stdout after a set amount of idleness
when they are also reset to zero.
The program can use one of two methods for monitoring keystrokes.
Using XTestExtension1. This is an optional extension that has to
exist on the client side when the program was compiled, and in the
server when the program is run. It is the most efficient method to
use, as all keystrokes, and mouse use, is directly sent to the
program.
If the above method is not supported, the window tree on the server is
periodically sampled and keypress events are selected on all windows
that already have some other clients selecting to receive keypress
events from them. This method cannot notice use of the mouse buttons
and is less efficient.
OPTIONS
restwatch uses the following resources:
verbose
Boolean, default false, print debug messages for each event.
map Boolean, default true, pop the window up when you should be
resting.
unmap
Boolean, default false, iconify the window when idle, else lower
it to the bottom of the window stack.
ext Boolean, default true, use the XTestExtension1 if supported.
busy Integer seconds, default 180, time to allow keyboard to be used.
This is not a recommended value.
- 1 - Formatted: December 16, 2025
RESTWATCH(1X) RESTWATCH(1X)
idle Integer seconds, default 30, time to wait while resting. This is
not a recommended value.
keystrokes
Integer count of keystrokes, default 100, to elapse before
updating the displayed total.
continuous
Integer milliseconds, default 2000, time between keystrokes that
still allows them to be considered as continuous typing. This is
used to display total typing time. If you type slower than this
you are not typing at all as far as this total is concerned. It
is just for the statistics and does not affect the total busy
time.
log Integer minutes, default 6 hours, time of idleness after which
the current statistics will be printed and reset.
busyFg
Colour, default yellow, colour of window when busy.
idleFg
Colour, default black, colour of window when idle.
recoverFg
Colour, default red, colour of window when resting.
The program has a class name of "Restwatch" and consists of the
widget hierarchy
form Form
time Label
tottime Label
keystrokes Label
label Label
The above resources can be set as usual in an .Xdefaults file,
for example, or on the command line by the usual X toolkit
method:
-xrm '*<resource>:<value>'
for example
-xrm '*label:STOP!'
or with the options given in the synopsis. restwatch also
accepts the usual X toolkit options (-display, etc). This can be
used to set the size and position of the notifying window, for
example,
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RESTWATCH(1X) RESTWATCH(1X)
-geometry 200x500-1+1
AUTHOR
Mark M Martin. CETIA France. 95/06/06. mmm@cetia.fr
- 3 - Formatted: December 16, 2025
