With your XF86Config file configured, you're ready to fire up the
X server and give it a spin. First, be sure that /usr/X11R6/bin
is on your path.
The command to start up XFree86 is
startx
xinit (in case you're used to using xinit
on other UNIX systems).
This command will start the X server and run the commands found in the
file .xinitrc in your home directory. .xinitrc is just a
shell script containing X clients to run. If this file does not exist,
the system default /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/xinit/xinitrc will be used.
A standard .xinitrc file looks like this:
#!/bin/sh
xterm -fn 7x13bold -geometry 80x32+10+50 &
xterm -fn 9x15bold -geometry 80x34+30-10 &
oclock -geometry 70x70-7+7 &
xsetroot -solid midnightblue &
exec twm
xterm clients, an oclock,
and set the root window (background) color to midnightblue.
It will then start up twm, the window manager. Note that twm
is executed with the shell's exec statement; this causes the
xinit process to be replaced with twm. Once the twm
process exits, the X server will shut down. You can cause twm
to exit by using the root menus: depress mouse button 1 on the desktop
background---this will display a pop up menu which will allow you to
Exit Twm.
Be sure that the last command in .xinitrc is started with exec,
and that it is not placed into the background (no ampersand on the end of
the line). Otherwise the X server will shut down as soon as it has
started the clients in the .xinitrc file.
Alternately, you can exit X by pressing ctrl-alt-backspace
in combination. This will kill the X server directly, exiting the window
system.
The above is a very, very simple desktop configuration. Many wonderful
programs and configurations are available with a bit of work
on your .xinitrc file.
For example, the fvwm window manager will
provide a virtual desktop, and you can customize colors, fonts,
window sizes and positions, and so forth to your heart's content.
If you are new to the X Window System environment, we strongly suggest
picking up a book such as The X Window System: A User's Guide.
Using and configuring X is far too in-depth
to cover here. See the man pages for xterm, oclock, and
twm for clues on getting started.
This document is copyright 1996 by Eric S. Raymond. You may use, disseminate, and reproduce it freely, provided you:
These restrictions are intended to protect potential readers from stale or mangled versions. If you think you have a good case for an exception, ask me.
This document was originated by Matt Welsh in the dim and backward abysm of time. Thanks, Matt!