In Operation
pscircle is a CLI program so you’ll need to see the available options (and there are lots of them). The options are displayed with $ pscircle --help
By default, pscircles outputs to the X11 root window.
Many desktop environments such as GNOME and KDE don’t display the root window. As we’re running GNOME, we need to save the image to a file using --output=file.png.
The list below explains some of the options available:
- By default pscircle calculates CPU utilization and processes PCPU values from system start time and process start time. But using
--interval=1the values are calculated over a specified interval. - Run pscircle in the background as a daemon with the option of a loop delay.
- Define the output height and width.
- Set the maximum number of child processes.
- Color options for processes with RSS/CPU etc above and below a defined value.
- Various tree options such as setting the position of a tree center, set the difference between radii of concentric circles, define tree rotation angle and more.
- Define colors for different elements such as the background color of the dots.
- Option to display processes owned by root.
Here’s an example with lots of different options set.
$ pscircle --background-color=1e2226 --link-color-min=375143a0 --link-color-max=375143 --dot-color-min=7c762f --dot-color-max=b56e46 --tree-font-size=18 --tree-font-color=94bfd1 --tree-font-face="Noto Sans" --toplists-row-height=35 --toplists-font-size=24 --toplists-font-color=C8D2D7 --toplists-pid-font-color=7B9098 --toplists-font-face="Liberation Sans" --toplists-bar-height=7 --toplists-bar-background=444444 --toplists-bar-color=7d54dd --output=pscircle-example.png
The image generated from that command is shown below.
Summary
We wouldn’t describe pscircle as an essential utility. But it offers a different take on the venerable ps command.
Given that most users use a desktop environment like KDE or GNOME that don’t display the X11 root window as desktop wallpaper, the usefulness of pscircle is rather niche. If you’re running such a desktop environment you’ll be limited to saving the image to a file, and then set the path to the image in your wallpaper system config. More enterprising users could craft a script to update the wallpaper automatically.
Website: gitlab.com/mildlyparallel/pscircle
Support:
Developer: Ruslan Kuchumov
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
pscircle is written in C. Learn C with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
Pages in this article:
Page 1 – Introduction and Installation
Page 2 – In Operation and Summary
Complete list of articles in this series:
| Linux Candy | |
|---|---|
| ASCIIQuarium | Embrace marine life from the terminal with beautiful ASCII art |
| ASCII Art Converter | A small utility that converts images into ASCII art |
| BobRossQuotes | Collection of quotes from Bob Ross |
| Boxes | Command line ASCII boxes |
| Buoh | Online strips comics reader |
| cacafire | Color ASCII fire |
| catclock | xclock with an enhanced cat mode |
| cbonsai | Generate bonsai trees in the terminal |
| christmasfetch | Festive cheer on the desktop |
| chucknorris | Chuck Norris jokes in your terminal |
| cornyjokes | Corny jokes for the terminal |
| CMatrix | ncurses program that simulates the display from “The Matrix” |
| ctree | A Christmas tree right on your terminal |
| eDEX-UI | Sci-fi computer terminal emulator and system monitor |
| emoj | Simple tool that to find suitable emojis for pasting to your clipboard |
| Emote | Modern popup emoji picker |
| Evolvotron | Interactive generative art |
| Fantascene | Dynamic wallpaper changer |
| Fondo | Find beautiful wallpapers from Unsplash |
| gti | Typo-based curio inspired by Steam Locomotive |
| Hollywood | Fill your console with Hollywood melodrama technobabble |
| linuxwave | Generate music from the entropy of Linux |
| lolcat | Rainbows and unicorns |
| No More Secrets | Recreates the data decryption effect from the Sneakers movie |
| nook | Plays Animal Crossing hourly themes on the hour |
| nyancat | Terminal-based Pop Tart Cat Animation |
| oneko | Animal chasing fun |
| pipes.sh | Animated pipes terminal screensaver |
| ponysay | cowsay reimplemention for ponies |
| projectM | Music visualizer originally based on Milkdrop |
| pscircle | A different take on the venerable ps command |
| PyBonsai | Generates procedural ASCII art trees |
| pyjokes | One line jokes for programmers |
| Pywal | Generate color schemes on the fly |
| Relaxator | Relax to soothing sounds |
| Rusty Aquarium | Monitoring by visualization |
| Steam Locomotive | C program written in 295 lines. It's harmless fun |
| Ternimal | Animated lifeform in the terminal |
| terminal-parrot | Party parrot time |
| tetris | Tile-matching puzzle video game in your terminal |
| Variety | Wallpaper manager with many desktops and wallpaper sources |
| WallGen | Generate HQ poly wallpapers with a few arguments. |
| WallpaperDownloader | Download, change, and manage wallpapers |
| xcowsay | Displays a cow on your desktop with message |
| XDecorations | Add some festive cheer to your desktop |
| XScreenSaver | Framework and collection of screensavers |
| yosay | Like cowsay but with less cow |