How to change the cursor blinking rate in the console?

nbd · 2014-11-23 06:14:38

I'd like to change the rate of cursor blinking in the console (tty1...12 , which is invoked by Ctrl-Alt-F..), but couldn't find anything related to changing the blinking speed (only to color and shape of the cursor and turning blinking on/off). How can the cursor blinking rate be changed?

Thanks.

WonderWoofy · 2014-11-23 09:38:08

Please google "linux console cursor blink rate" and you will find a whole bunch of info about this.

nbd · 2014-11-23 17:12:54

WonderWoofy,

well, I mentioned in my question that "I couldn't find anything". Did you really find with your query a "whole bunch of info" on the topic?

thisoldman · 2014-11-23 19:15:16

Yes, he found "About 419,000 results" in "(0.53 seconds)".

TheSaint · 2014-11-23 19:43:35

To be correct, not many will point to useful clues.
For TTY, as OP mention, is a bit difficult IMHO.
The best link I found is this which isn't the same purpose, but contains several good informations.

thisoldman · 2014-11-23 20:08:55

@TheSaint, the article you linked to is the first result from my Google search. The second result is also helpful: Cursor Appearance in the Linux Console LG #137, http://linuxgazette.net/137/anonymous.html, Also check '/usr/lib/modules/3.17.3-1-ARCH/build/Documentation/VGA-softcursor.txt'.

The best way I've found for me to achieve good Google results is to keep "search history" turned off. I also have instant results turned off.

nbd · 2014-11-23 20:47:25

thisoldman,

I don't have '/usr/lib/modules/3.17.3-1-ARCH/build/Documentation/VGA-softcursor.txt' on my file system. Does it contain the info about changing the blinking speed?

P.S. The other two links I found yet before starting this thread. I only found in them the recommendations about changing "the color and shape of the cursor and turning blinking on/off" (as I mentioned in the original question). Did I miss the info about the blinking speed?

PPS: I found the vga-softcursor.txt here: https://www.kernel.org/doc/Documentatio … cursor.txt

But that file doesn't tell about changing the blink rate either.

Last edited by nbd (2014-11-23 20:55:41)

TheSaint · 2014-11-23 21:44:01

More accurate search by issuing +fbcon +cursor +timer. But leading to do some patch.

nbd · 2014-11-24 04:54:29

Is there really no any way to regulate the blinking speed of cursor through some configuration file? It's the terminal software emulator after all...

TheSaint · 2014-11-24 13:24:10

Mostly no chances. Developers didn't go through the need/demand to do that. You may have the chance to write to the maintainer to ask.

Trilby · 2014-11-24 13:32:20

Funny how several posts chided the OP for not searching as there is a "whole bunch of info" that allegedly gives the answer to this question just a google search away. And only after a bit of riducule does the answer come out that it is most likely not possible.

The fact that there are google results for this means others have asked the same question. It doesn't mean there are answers. Nbd, I'm sorry you had to catch all that crap in this thread - perhaps those who threw it will think of appologizing as well (or just provide their evidence that it is possible). I've been curious about this question myself and have found no results.

nbd · 2014-11-24 20:23:37

The question indeed sounds like it's easy to find the answer to it by simple googling. There is a lot of info in the web about changing almost any cursor's parameter except the blinking rate.

WonderWoofy · 2014-11-25 05:41:36

Just came back to this thread. Sorry about that. I totally googled this and found a bunch of info that told me how to disable the cursor blink rate with setterm. I went to the man page and misread -blank for -blink. It does seem that this may not actually be possible.

thisoldman · 2014-11-26 09:03:16

I also apologize: I was too hasty.

'VGA-softcursor.txt' is part of the linux-docs package. You can view it at https://www.kernel.org/doc/Documentatio … cursor.txt.

Last edited by thisoldman (2014-11-26 09:05:35)

ackt1c · 2014-11-26 09:25:54

See this?

http://linux.topology.org/kbdrate.html

caas · 2019-03-16 11:31:34

Probably to late for the OP, but in case someone ends up here (like I did) following command should do the trick:

echo -e '\e[16;500]'

Replace 500 with desired interval (in milliseconds). For a persistent setting append it to the bashrc file.
Note that this was not tested on Arch Linux but should work on any Linux distro.

V1del · 2019-03-16 12:35:10

Thanks for sharing, however as this thread is 5 years old now, I'll be closing it.

Arch Linux

#1 2014-11-23 06:14:38

How to change the cursor blinking rate in the console?

#2 2014-11-23 09:38:08

Re: How to change the cursor blinking rate in the console?

#3 2014-11-23 17:12:54

Re: How to change the cursor blinking rate in the console?

#4 2014-11-23 19:15:16

Re: How to change the cursor blinking rate in the console?

#5 2014-11-23 19:43:35

Re: How to change the cursor blinking rate in the console?

#6 2014-11-23 20:08:55

Re: How to change the cursor blinking rate in the console?

#7 2014-11-23 20:47:25

Re: How to change the cursor blinking rate in the console?

#8 2014-11-23 21:44:01

Re: How to change the cursor blinking rate in the console?

#9 2014-11-24 04:54:29

Re: How to change the cursor blinking rate in the console?

#10 2014-11-24 13:24:10

Re: How to change the cursor blinking rate in the console?

#11 2014-11-24 13:32:20

Re: How to change the cursor blinking rate in the console?

#12 2014-11-24 20:23:37

Re: How to change the cursor blinking rate in the console?

#13 2014-11-25 05:41:36

Re: How to change the cursor blinking rate in the console?

#14 2014-11-26 09:03:16

Re: How to change the cursor blinking rate in the console?

#15 2014-11-26 09:25:54

Re: How to change the cursor blinking rate in the console?

#16 2019-03-16 11:31:34

Re: How to change the cursor blinking rate in the console?

#17 2019-03-16 12:35:10

Re: How to change the cursor blinking rate in the console?

Board footer