Arch Linux

grimiandr

Member

From: Linz, Austria

Registered: 2019-12-01

Posts: 8

Question on xinit configuration for i3wm

Hi, I am tryint to install i3 on my Arch Linux running on a VirtualBox VM.

I started reading the i3 section which leaded me to the xinit section.

I would like also to understand, if this step is fine:

• 1. Open the

  ~/.xinitrc

• 2. Go to the bottom and write the following

  exec i3

and also if the way I am proceeding further is fine as well: I have to edit the copy of the

/etc/X11/xinit/xserverrc

file inside the current user's home. There's inside already something like

exec /usr/bin/Xorg -nolisten tcp "$@"

inside, and I guess that I have to change that to

exec /usr/bin/Xorg -nolisten tcp "$@" vt$XDG_VTNR

and then type

startx

By running that, I have probably something running, but I am not sure if it's i3 since by some videos if i3, it seems to be something totally different

Thanks!

V1del

Forum Moderator

Registered: 2012-10-16

Posts: 25,405

Re: Question on xinit configuration for i3wm

You can ignore  and not copy xserverrc,  you need a copy of xinitrc in your home dir. What you have to do to said copy of .xinitrc is comment/remove the twm xclock and similar lines at the end as well as the existing exec line so that your exec i3 works out. In doubt post all the files you've copied and adjusted

grimiandr

Member

From: Linz, Austria

Registered: 2019-12-01

Posts: 8

Re: Question on xinit configuration for i3wm

Ok cool. So you mean to kill everithing inside .xinitrc and leave just exec i3 right? Or have I misunderstood what you mean? Btw it seems to be working, but I am just curious if I did everithing good and clean.

Btw, as requested, this is my actual .xinitrc, which differs just for the last line (this is the ~/.xinitrc).

userresources=$HOME/.Xresources
usermodmap=$HOME/.Xmodmap
sysresources=/etc/X11/xinit/.Xresources
sysmodmap=/etc/X11/xinit/.Xmodmap

# merge in defaults and keymaps

if [ -f $sysresources ]; then







    xrdb -merge $sysresources

fi

if [ -f $sysmodmap ]; then
    xmodmap $sysmodmap
fi

if [ -f "$userresources" ]; then







    xrdb -merge "$userresources"

fi

if [ -f "$usermodmap" ]; then
    xmodmap "$usermodmap"
fi

# start some nice programs

if [ -d /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d ] ; then
 for f in /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d/?*.sh ; do
  [ -x "$f" ] && . "$f"
 done
 unset f
fi

twm &
xclock -geometry 50x50-1+1 &
xterm -geometry 80x50+494+51 &
xterm -geometry 80x20+494-0 &
exec xterm -geometry 80x66+0+0 -name login
exec i3

And then the not needed ~/.xserverrc

#!/bin/sh
exec /usr/bin/Xorg -nolisten tcp "$@" vt$XDG_VTNR

Last edited by grimiandr (2019-12-09 12:27:20)

Trilby

Inspector Parrot

Registered: 2011-11-29

Posts: 30,526

Website

Re: Question on xinit configuration for i3wm

Please read the wiki.

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"UNIX is simple and coherent" - Dennis Ritchie; "GNU's Not Unix" - Richard Stallman