MATE desktop has a utility to force typing breaks. I like the tool for "eye strain" breaks more than "typing" breaks. As I am now using Xfce more than MATE I would like a similar utility, but I find no such tool in Xfce or goodies.

Is there such a utility for Xfce?

I can run /usr/bin/mate-typing-break in Xfce. That is my current work-around, but requires installing MATE.

I found rsibreak at SBo, but that is a KDE app. I prefer desktop agnostic tools.

I'm using workrave and it works great (xfce). Somebody must write slackbuild!

I ran across workrave in my search but found no SBo slackbuild. How did you install -- your own build script?

download source, extract, cd to workrave folder

$ ./configure
$ make
# make install

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Configure_script

Then an SBo build script template should suffice.

At the "make install" step you can set a destination directory of something like DESTDIR=/tmp/workrave-build, clean it up a bit, and use makepkg to make management a little easier. Otherwise it can be a pita to locate all the installed files if you ever wanted to remove it.

See https://docs.slackware.com/howtos:sl...ding_a_package for more detail.

I have used this for a few programs where I couldn't find a slackpkg

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It it were me, I'd go low-tech and use a timer.

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Xfce has a nice and simple panel plugin called "Xfce4Timer", you can set how long the timer is and have it play a sound or music etc... I have it set to play a song from Gypsy Kings (via VLC) so it will get my attention. Every 45 minutes works for me, take a short walk, stretch, get some tea or coffee, visit the loo etc...

A chess game clock? An hour glass? An old fashioned manual oven timer? Might be fun.

I use that plugin and a similar one when I use MATE. The Xfce plugin is much nicer and more configurable. I configured many time periods, from 1 minute to 60. As far as I can see, the timer needs to be launched manually.

The /usr/bin/mate-typing-break applet works quite nice doing one thing: watching the keyboard and prompting the user to take a break. My focus is not a break from typing but from staring at a computer monitor display.

Possibly I could use xfce4-timer in a similar way but I know I would forget to set the timer. Possibly I could create a cron or at job that runs 30 minutes after logging in.

For years I have been using redshift. I am so accustomed to the night-time coloring that when I restart X during evening hours I am eye-shocked by the brightness.

Of course the goal here is for me to actually rest my eyes from the computer. To actually pause and break for a minute or two. Perhaps a timer connected to a wall socket that is wired to my big toes.

xwrits is another option. It's an older, simpler program than workrave:

$ ldd /usr/local/bin/xwrits
linux-vdso.so.1 (0x00007ffd38bfa000)
libSM.so.6 => /usr/lib64/libSM.so.6 (0x00007f0c94dde000)
libICE.so.6 => /usr/lib64/libICE.so.6 (0x00007f0c94bc3000)
libX11.so.6 => /usr/lib64/libX11.so.6 (0x00007f0c94888000)
libXext.so.6 => /usr/lib64/libXext.so.6 (0x00007f0c94676000)
libXinerama.so.1 => /usr/lib64/libXinerama.so.1 (0x00007f0c94474000)
libm.so.6 => /lib64/libm.so.6 (0x00007f0c9416b000)
libc.so.6 => /lib64/libc.so.6 (0x00007f0c93da2000)
libuuid.so.1 => /lib64/libuuid.so.1 (0x00007f0c93b9e000)
libxcb.so.1 => /usr/lib64/libxcb.so.1 (0x00007f0c9397f000)
libdl.so.2 => /lib64/libdl.so.2 (0x00007f0c9377b000)
libXau.so.6 => /usr/lib64/libXau.so.6 (0x00007f0c93578000)
libXdmcp.so.6 => /usr/lib64/libXdmcp.so.6 (0x00007f0c93373000)
/lib64/ld-linux-x86-64.so.2 (0x00007f0c94fe5000)

$ du /usr/local/bin/xwrits
404 /usr/local/bin/xwrits
(update: smaller than this suggests because I don't strip debugging symbols from programs I compile myself:
$ file /usr/local/bin/xwrits
/usr/local/bin/xwrits: ELF 64-bit LSB executable, x86-64, version 1 (SYSV), dynamically linked, interpreter /lib64/ld-linux-x86-64.so.2, with debug_info, not stripped
)

5202r0:xwrits-2.26$ du -a | grep '\.[ch]$'
12 ./lock.c
4 ./config.h
16 ./hands.c
12 ./schedule.c
4 ./fmalloc.c
8 ./giftoc.c
24 ./gifread.c
4 ./include/lcdf/inttypes.h
4 ./include/lcdfgif/gifx.h
8 ./include/lcdfgif/gif.h
12 ./pictures.c
80 ./colorpic.c
8 ./rest.c
40 ./main.c
4 ./strerror.c
16 ./xwrits.h
64 ./monopic.c
8 ./warning.c
16 ./giffunc.c
24 ./gifx.c
4 ./clock.c

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xwrits -- introduced to the world by people who pronounce the word ask as aks.

Sometimes that old stuff is timeless.

Well if I forget to set the timer, after some time I will hear my wife yell...It's time for you to take a break...LOL.

I'm sure there is a way to autostart the timer, but I have not played with it. I usually just left click on it then click start timer. I have several set for tea as well (white, green, black, pu'er etc...).

You tea addicts crack me up.

Disclosure: I'm a tea drinker (but not a connoisseur). Can't stand the taste of coffee (loved the aroma from gramma's percolator).