I'd like to make my screensaver look just like an unlocked desktop.
The idea would be to take a screenshot just before activating the screensaver, and use that screenshot in the screensaver.
Has anyone done this before?
3 Answers
You can use ScriptSaver.
Set the AppleScript to a script containing the following:
do shell script "/usr/sbin/screencapture /path/to/folder/screensaver.png"/path/to/folder must exist and be empty, or at least contain no other images
Set the screen saver to display after the AppleScript to Classic.
In System Preferences, set the folder for the Classic screensaver to the /path/to/folder.
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A complication is that I have two displays. The Classic screensaver doesn't seem to have support for dual screen display. It always displays the same image on both screens, which doesn't really satisfy my requirement. Do you know a workaround?– bukzorCommented Sep 23, 2014 at 18:56
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@bukzor I don't have multiple displays, but if you can find a screen saver that will display any image (or folder of images) like the standard screen savers then this method should work fine with that.– grg ♦Commented Sep 23, 2014 at 20:17
If you do find a screensaver that can play different images on each display. ( I have my doubts)
Then you can use the screencapture shell command to capture both screens in their own image file.
do shell script "/usr/sbin/screencapture -R\"0,0,2560,1440\" /path/to/folder/screensaver1.png;/usr/sbin/screencapture -R\"2558,0,4480,12000\" /path/to/folder/screensaver2.png"
The -R option "x,y,width,height" will capture screen rect.
To get both displays in one image.
do shell script "/usr/sbin/screencapture -R\"0,0,4480,1200\" /path/to/folder/screensaver3.png"
This seems to do exactly what you want. I use it to secure a machine that shows a dashboard. It works great.
http://www.monkeybreadsoftware.de/Software/Transparent.shtml
