# LIRC - Linux Infrared Remote Control
Keywords: linux remote control, multimedia

# MODE2

Section: User Commands (1)
Updated: Last change: Aug 2015
Index Return to Main Contents

## NAME

xmode2 - Show the pulse/space length of infrared signals

## SYNOPSIS

xmode2 [options]

## DESCRIPTION

The main purpose of xmode2 is to check operation of your home-brew LIRC receiver hardware and to see the IR waveform of the remote controller without an expensive oscilloscope. Very useful for debugging. Of course this program won't work with hardware that decodes the signals itself like e.g. TV cards or the Irman i. e., it only works with LIRC_MODE_MODE2 type drivers. xmode2 prints a simple graphics display of the pulse/space lengths. It accepts a few commands including time base changes; see the xmode2 -h output. lirc-lsplugins(1) allows checking if a driver is a LIRC_MODE2 type one.

## OPTIONS

-h --help
  display usage summary
-v --version
  display version
-d --device=device
  read from given device
-H --driver=driver
  use given driver
-m --mode
  enable alternative display mode
-r --raw
  access device directly

## RUNNING AS ROOT

In many cases xmode2 needs to run as root to access devices not available to regular users. On the other hand, running as root creates problems such as log files owned by root, security concerns etc. In order to cope with this, xmode2 by default drops root privileges after opening the input device. This support is based on that root permissions are acquired using sudo(1) e. g., using

            $ sudo xmode2 --driver default --device /dev/lirc0

If not using sudo, the same behaviour could be accomplished using the SUDO_USER environment variable e. g.,

            # SUDO_USER=$LOGNAME xmode2 --raw /dev/lirc0

The --keep-root option will make xmode2 keep it's root privileges for the complete run.

## DRIVER LOADING

Drivers are loaded dynamically. The search path used for this is determined by (falling priority):

-
  The --plugindir option.
-
  The 'plugindir' entry in the [lircd] section of the lirc_options.conf file.
-
  The environment variable LIRC_PLUGINDIR.
-
  A hardcoded default (usually /usr/lib[64]/lirc/plugins).

## FILES

~/.cache/xmode2.log
  Debug output. Setting the XDG_CACHE_HOME environment variable relocates this file to $XDG_CACHE_HOME/mode2.log

## SEE ALSO

mode2(1)
lirc-lsplugins(1)

The documentation for lirc is maintained as html pages. They are located under html/ in the documentation directory.

## Index

NAME
SYNOPSIS
DESCRIPTION
OPTIONS
RUNNING AS ROOT
DRIVER LOADING
FILES
SEE ALSO

This document was created by man2html, using the manual pages.
Time: 22:22:04 GMT, September 02, 2020