Arch Linux

dogberry

Member

Registered: 2007-02-07

Posts: 8

xterm error problem

Using the Arch Beginners Guide I have installed Arch. When settitng up xorg, I edited /etc/xorg.conf and on testing with X -config /etc/X11/xorg.conf I got the cursor x as I should. However, when I invoke xterm I get the error message:

xterm Xt error: Can't open display:
xterm: DISPLAY is not set

I have searched the forum and haven't found a solution for this.

Any help would be much appreciated.

torkjel

Member

Registered: 2007-11-12

Posts: 13

Re: xterm error problem

You are aware that X needs to be running before you can start xterm, right? Sorry if that is an insulting question, this is the newbie corner afterall...

In general, whenever you see that message you need to set the DISPLAY environment variable to point to the address of your X display.

dogberry

Member

Registered: 2007-02-07

Posts: 8

Re: xterm error problem

"There are no stupid questions here!"

Well I almost proved that statement wrong!

When the Beginners' Guide said to "invoke xterm" I took it literally and tried to invoke it from the text environment rather than reading on several paragraphs to see that it means first create and edit .xinitrc and then "invoke xterm" by typing startx. Of course, when I did that all was made right.

torkjel, thanks for the quick answer and no, I am not insulted. I will, however,  try to make my next question conform to the "no stupid questions here" assertion.:)