# Is there a way to blank console using VT?



## ShelLuser (Mar 8, 2017)

Hi gang,

I'm proud to say that my once Windows XP powered Toshiba laptop now runs a fully customized FreeBSD 11.0 and it does an amazing job as well. Wireless (if_bwn.ko for the win, as well as net/bwn-firmware-kmod; I'm using a PCMCIA dongle in case you get confused ), sound (snd_atiixp) and it obviously also helps that I got myself quickly familiar with wpa_supplicant(8).  (sorry for mini-rant, but...  on my home network I need WPA2/TKIP (WPA-PSK), on 'another' network authentication is based on MAC address...  no issues, and I love stuff like that).

So while on 10.3 I discovered that syscons(4) ruined my console the very moment X started. vt(4) on the other hand....  So even before VT became the norm I had already switched. One issue...  I like my regular 80x24 text console for regular work and VT provides: hw.vga.textmode.

But does anyone know how to blank my console?

I used to rely on blank_saver.ko but that one no longer works with VT, is there a replacement already?


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## trev (Mar 11, 2017)

See https://wiki.freebsd.org/Newcons -- I think you're out of luck


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## Maxnix (Mar 11, 2017)

There is sysutils/tss, but I don't know if works with VT.

EDIT: Just tested, works well.


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## aa (Mar 12, 2017)

alias cls='tput -T $TERM clear'
works for me since v4.11 upto v11


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## SirDice (Mar 16, 2017)

aa said:


> alias cls='tput -T $TERM clear'
> works for me since v4.11 upto v11



The clear(1) command has been around since 4.4BSD. But this simply clears the screen. The OP is looking for a screen saver/blanker.


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