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ninetyfourbit

Member

Registered: 2014-07-17

Posts: 3

[SOLVED][xinitrc] Startx only starts WM, not following commands

# ~/.xinitrc

# start awesome wm
exec awesome &&

# xterm transparency
[ -n "$XTERM_VERSION" ] && transset-df -a >/dev/null &&

# xterm colours
[[ -f ~/.Xresources ]] && xrdb -merge  ~/.Xresources

When I use the startx command, it starts my WM but does not set the transparency for xterm or merge the ~/.Xresources file.

I've tried setting the WM at the end of the file, but it still does not work. To clarify, the WM still runs but the transparency or colours are not set.

Last edited by ninetyfourbit (2014-07-17 17:55:36)

oliver

Member

Registered: 2007-12-12

Posts: 448

Re: [SOLVED][xinitrc] Startx only starts WM, not following commands

I may be way off here but && is a logical AND but only if the previous command executes successfully... so I think it's waiting for the PID of 'exec awesome' to be reported before it can move on.

In other words, try dropping the second & when it appears as the last thing on a line

# ~/.xinitrc

# start awesome wm
exec awesome &

# xterm transparency
[ -n "$XTERM_VERSION" ] && transset-df -a >/dev/null &

# xterm colours
[[ -f ~/.Xresources ]] && xrdb -merge  ~/.Xresources

Single & = background (i.e. move on to the next statement regardless of exit code or whether it's still running)

edit - not the right answer (see post below) :-)  but hopefully still useful

Last edited by oliver (2014-07-17 14:24:42)

karol

Archivist

Registered: 2009-05-06

Posts: 25,440

Re: [SOLVED][xinitrc] Startx only starts WM, not following commands

'exec <wm name>' has to be the last line, as explained in the wiki.

ninetyfourbit

Member

Registered: 2014-07-17

Posts: 3

Re: [SOLVED][xinitrc] Startx only starts WM, not following commands

I've changed the ~/.xinitrc to match oliver's and moved 'exec awesome' to the end of the file. This allows the colors but still does not allow the transparency in Xterm.

Taking another look at the wiki for xterm transparency, I noticed it was to be added to ~/.bashrc. I've done so but the transparency still does not set.

Could it be due to the fact that I'm using the opensource drivers? (xf86-video-nouveau)

## EDIT

I've switch from Xterm to URXVT. Transparency works just fine. Many thanks. Marking as solved.

Last edited by ninetyfourbit (2014-07-17 17:55:26)

alphaniner

Member

From: Ancapistan

Registered: 2010-07-12

Posts: 2,810

Re: [SOLVED][xinitrc] Startx only starts WM, not following commands

I think the open source drivers should suffice, but some sort of compositing support is necessary:

First of all, for transparency to work in X you have to have a X-server with
XComposite extension working. transset-df is not a program that creates
transparency, it's a program that sets properties for windowses. These properties
must then be supported by the underlaying X-server. Im not going to go through
how to get xcomposite working, but if you can already set transparency with xorg's
transset then you can also do it with transset-df.

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But whether the Constitution really be one thing, or another, this much is certain - that it has either authorized such a government as we have had, or has been powerless to prevent it. In either case, it is unfit to exist.
-Lysander Spooner