How to test wakepy Modes?#

All wakepy Modes rely somehow on external software, library or dbus service. This is why it cannot be 100% guaranteed beforehand that a wakepy Mode can be activated on some specific platform and Desktop Environment, even if a particular Mode would have multiple alternative Methods. This page lists ways to check manually if wakepy mode works on a system.

Notes for manual testing

Before testing

Close browser tabs which might prevent your system from going to sleep (e.g. YouTube)
Close applications which might prevent your system from going to sleep (e.g. video players apps)

When ending the test

Avoid pressing the power button as it might force the computer to sleep.

wakepy test script#

This is a test script for helping to determine if the wakepy modes work correctly on your system:

import datetime as dt
import time

start = dt.datetime.now()
now = None
while True:
    prev = now or dt.datetime.now()
    now = dt.datetime.now()
    now_str = now.strftime("%b %d %H:%M:%S")
    delta_str = f"{(now-prev)/dt.timedelta(seconds=1)}s"
    print(f"{now_str} | elapsed {now-start} | delta: {delta_str}")
    time.sleep(2)

This will print something like:

Dec 25 12:28:34 | elapsed 0:00:00.000176 | delta: 2e-06s
Dec 25 12:28:36 | elapsed 0:00:02.000403 | delta: 2.000227s
Dec 25 12:28:38 | elapsed 0:00:04.001173 | delta: 2.00077s
Dec 25 12:28:40 | elapsed 0:00:06.001792 | delta: 2.000619s
Dec 25 12:28:42 | elapsed 0:00:08.002630 | delta: 2.000838s
Dec 25 12:28:44 | elapsed 0:00:10.003227 | delta: 2.000597s
Dec 25 12:28:46 | elapsed 0:00:12.004019 | delta: 2.000792s
Dec 25 12:28:48 | elapsed 0:00:14.004220 | delta: 2.000201s
Dec 25 12:28:50 | elapsed 0:00:16.004479 | delta: 2.000259s
Dec 25 12:29:10 | elapsed 0:00:35.483558 | delta: 19.479079s
Dec 25 12:29:12 | elapsed 0:00:37.484053 | delta: 2.000495s
Dec 25 12:29:14 | elapsed 0:00:39.484265 | delta: 2.000212s
Dec 25 12:29:16 | elapsed 0:00:41.484495 | delta: 2.00023s
Dec 25 12:29:18 | elapsed 0:00:43.484847 | delta: 2.000352s
Dec 25 12:29:20 | elapsed 0:00:45.485045 | delta: 2.000198s

In the above example, the delta (time between two prints) was 2 seconds, until 16 seconds elapsed. After that, CPU was sleeping for 19 seconds.

Entering in wakepy modes for tests#

keep.running#

Either on CLI

wakepy

or in python

import time
from wakepy import keep

with keep.running():
    time.sleep(9999)

keep.presenting#

Either on CLI

wakepy -p

or in python

import time
from wakepy import keep

with keep.presenting():
    time.sleep(9999)

GNOME#

Homepage: gnome.org

keep.running (GNOME)#

Before you start. Check the current timeout values (seconds), and write the number down somewhere. The first one (org.gnome.desktop.session idle-delay) is time until “screen blank”, and the rest are timeouts for automatic sleep.

gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.session idle-delay
gsettings get org.gnome.settings-daemon.plugins.power sleep-inactive-ac-timeout
gsettings get org.gnome.settings-daemon.plugins.power sleep-inactive-battery-timeout

Then, set a low value to the timeouts (here, 15 seconds):

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.session idle-delay 15
gsettings set org.gnome.settings-daemon.plugins.power sleep-inactive-ac-timeout 15
gsettings set org.gnome.settings-daemon.plugins.power sleep-inactive-battery-timeout 15

Test that your system sleeps automatically and blanks the screen after 15 seconds. Then, run the wakepy test script on one terminal window, and enter in the keep.running in another. After you’re done, reset the timeout values to what they were (in this example, 1800 seconds):

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.session idle-delay 1800
gsettings set org.gnome.settings-daemon.plugins.power sleep-inactive-ac-timeout 1800
gsettings set org.gnome.settings-daemon.plugins.power sleep-inactive-battery-timeout 1800

keep.presenting (GNOME)#

Follow the same steps as in with keep.running, but enter the keep.presenting mode

Xfce#

Homepage: xfce.org

keep.running (Xfce)#

There are two types of settings On battery vs Plugged in. Let’s say that we want to change the On battery settings. You may list the current settings with

xfconf-query -c xfce4-power-manager -lv

NOTE: If you do not see the relevant settings, you probably have defaults set. Open the xfce4-power-manager-settings to see them. Here are the explanations for relevant settings:

/xfce4-power-manager/inactivity-sleep-mode-on-battery   1    # 1=suspend, 2=hibernate
/xfce4-power-manager/inactivity-on-battery              10   # minutes to suspend/hibernate
/xfce4-power-manager/blank-on-battery                   1    # minutes to screen blank
/xfce4-power-manager/dpms-on-battery-sleep              2    # minutes to screen sleep
/xfce4-power-manager/dpms-on-battery-off                3    # minutes to screen off

To set all of the above to one minute, you would run:

xfconf-query -c xfce4-power-manager -p /xfce4-power-manager/inactivity-on-battery -n -s 1 &&
xfconf-query -c xfce4-power-manager -p /xfce4-power-manager/blank-on-battery -n -s 1 &&
xfconf-query -c xfce4-power-manager -p /xfce4-power-manager/dpms-on-battery-sleep -n -s 1 &&
xfconf-query -c xfce4-power-manager -p /xfce4-power-manager/dpms-on-battery-off -n -s 1

Then, run the wakepy test script on one terminal window, and enter in the keep.running using another terminal window. After you’re done, reset the timeout values to what they were. For example:

xfconf-query -c xfce4-power-manager -p /xfce4-power-manager/inactivity-on-battery -n -s 10 &&
xfconf-query -c xfce4-power-manager -p /xfce4-power-manager/blank-on-battery -n -s 1 &&
xfconf-query -c xfce4-power-manager -p /xfce4-power-manager/dpms-on-battery-sleep -n -s 2 &&
xfconf-query -c xfce4-power-manager -p /xfce4-power-manager/dpms-on-battery-off -n -s 3

Tip: You may also open a GUI for the settings with

xfce4-power-manager-settings

Then, in the System tab and Display tab you can change or remove the timers.

Windows#

keep.running (Windows)#

Change your current settings from windows menu -> “Edit Power Plan”. Change “Turn off the display” and “Put the computer to sleep” both to 1 minute. -> Save Changes.

Then, run the wakepy test script on one terminal window, and enter in the keep.running or in the in another. After you’re done, reset the Power Plan values to what they were.

About Windows idle timers

Note: Windows does not seem to always respect low values in the power settings. To make Windows sleep faster, if using laptop, disconnect the charging cable (use battery). A one minute setting might start the sleep after 1:50 to 2:30 minutes.

keep.presenting (Windows)#