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MPVPAPER(1)			  User Manual			   MPVPAPER(1)

NAME
       mpvpaper	- video	wallpaper player using mpv for wlroots

SYNOPSIS
       mpvpaper	[options] <output> <url|path filename>

DESCRIPTION
       mpvpaper	 is a wallpaper	program	for wlroots based Wayland compositors,
       such as Sway.  That allows you to play videos with mpv as your  wallpa-
       per.

OPTIONS
       -h, --help
	      Displays usage options

       -d, --help-output
	      Displays all available outputs and quits

       -v, --verbose
	      Be more verbose  (-vv for	higher verbosity)

       -f, --fork
	      Forks mpvpaper so	you can	close the terminal

       -p, --auto-pause
	      Automagically pause mpv when the wallpaper is hidden*

	      This saves CPU usage, more or less, seamlessly

       -s, --auto-stop
	      Automagically stop mpv when the wallpaper	is hidden*

	      This saves CPU/RAM usage,	although more abruptly

       -n, --slideshow <seconds>
	      Slideshow	 mode  plays  the next video in	a playlist every <sec-
	      onds>

	      And passes mpv options "loop loop-playlist" for convenience

       -l, --layer <layer>
	      Specifies	shell surface <layer> to run  on  (background  by  de-
	      fault)

       -o, --mpv-options <"options">
	      Forwards mpv <"options">

	      Must be within quotes if multiple	options	are passed

EXAMPLES
       Simple example:
	      mpvpaper DP-2 /path/to/video

       You can select the output with either a connection or identifier	names:
	      mpvpaper 'DP-2 DP-1 HDMI-A-1' /path/to/video
	      mpvpaper	 'Acer	 Technologies	Acer   H236HL	LX1AA12341234'
	      /path/to/video

       To play the same	video on all outputs:
	      mpvpaper ALL /path/to/video

       Forward mpv options by passing "--mpv-options" or "-o" like so:
	      mpvpaper	-o   "no-audio	 --loop-playlist   shuffle"   HDMI-A-1
	      www.url/to/playlist

       You  can	 also control mpvpaper just like mpv in	the terminal with key-
       board bindings.	But if you would like to control mpvpaper  while  it's
       forked, you could use a mpv input-ipc-server like this:
	      mpvpaper	  -o	"input-ipc-server=/tmp/mpv-socket-DP-1"	  DP-1
	      /path/to/video

       Then input commands with	socat. For example, toggle pause:
	      echo 'cycle pause' | socat - /tmp/mpv-socket-DP-1

       For more	 mpv  commands	read:  <https://mpv.io/manual/master/#command-
       interface>

FILES
       These  files(watch lists) contain lists of program names	that, if found
       running with pidof, will	cause mpvpaper to pause/stop and must be  cre-
       ated manually**

	      ~/.config/mpvpaper/pauselist
		     List of program names that	will cause mpvpaper to pause

	      ~/.config/mpvpaper/stoplist
		     List of program names that	will cause mpvpaper to stop

       Add programs that can be	found with the pidof command into the list and
       separate	by spaces or newlines.
       For example: "firefox steam obs"	or:
	       "firefox
		steam
		obs"

NOTES
       *Limitations of automagic:

	      mpvpaper	manipulates  a	feature	 of  Wayland called a "surface
	      frame callback"

	      This feature of Wayland allows mpvpaper to draw/render only when
	      it makes sense to	do so.	And  one  reason  mpvpaper  might  not
	      draw/render  is  if it's "hidden".  This is the magic behind the
	      automagic	pause/stop options.

	      Whatever "hidden"	means is up to compositor. As for Sway,	 "hid-
	      den"  is if there	is a fullscreen	window in the way of the wall-
	      paper. mpvpaper will still draw/render even if there is a	normal
	      window blocking the wallpaper view entirely.

	      This feature is at best a	hack that works	on  some  compositors.
	      Usability	 of  these  auto options will vary and may not work as
	      intended or at all.  In such a case,  other  features  like  the
	      "watch lists" mentioned above should be used instead.

       **More on lists:
	      	mpvpaper will automatically resume only	after all the programs
	      in the watch lists are no	longer running

	      	 If  there are programs	running	from both lists, stopping will
	      always win out

	      	Programs added into a list at runtime will be ignored,	unless
	      restarted	or "stopped"

       Extra notes:
	      	 When  mpvpaper	 is resuming after "stopping", mpvpaper	should
	      begin where it left off.	Both in	terms  of  time	 position  and
	      playlist position(if not shuffled)

	      	 There is a small time delay(1-2 secs.)	with the automagic op-
	      tions as it uses time to calculate when to act

	      	mpv user configs are loaded by default

AUTHOR
       Created by GhostNaN

       Based on	swaybg

       Inspired	by scoopta's glpaper

       Code Repository:	<https://github.com/GhostNaN/mpvpaper/>

SEE ALSO
       mpv (1)

mpvpaper 1.8			   May 2025			   MPVPAPER(1)

Want to link to this manual page? Use this URL:
<https://man.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=mpvpaper&sektion=1&manpath=FreeBSD+Ports+15.0>

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