[SOLVED] xdpyinfo: unable to open display ""

sotsiak · 2018-05-13 18:27:50

Hello, I installed Arch for the first time on my system (I want to learn more about Linux), I use the Arch Wiki to help me proceed with the setup. I am a total newbie.

Right now I'm in the step of installing a display server and a window manager.

I installed the xorg group and xorg-xinit package, nvidia (I'm using a gtx 970) and openbox.
I setup xorg using the nvidia-xconfig command which produced a xorg.conf file. Also enabled the persistenced service.
I created a .xinitrc file to run openbox.

When using the startx command, openbox is launched and I see a grey screen and the menu (it works fine).
Now I want to set the DPI according to the wiki and maybe experiment a little bit but the xdpyinfo command produces the error "unable to open display """.
I googled and searched a little bit, i tried some commands, setting the display variable with various ways, all to no avail.

Could someone point me to the right direction? Probably I missed something but I don't know how to proceed.

Here is my xorg.conf file in case it helps:

# nvidia-xconfig: X configuration file generated by nvidia-xconfig
# nvidia-xconfig:  version 396.24  (buildmeister@swio-display-x64-rhel04-13)  Thu Apr 26 01:13:52 PDT 2018

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier     "Layout0"
    Screen      0  "Screen0"
    InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
    InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
EndSection

Section "Files"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    # generated from default
    Identifier     "Mouse0"
    Driver         "mouse"
    Option         "Protocol" "auto"
    Option         "Device" "/dev/psaux"
    Option         "Emulate3Buttons" "no"
    Option         "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    # generated from default
    Identifier     "Keyboard0"
    Driver         "kbd"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Monitor0"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "Unknown"
    HorizSync       28.0 - 33.0
    VertRefresh     43.0 - 72.0
    Option         "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device0"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen0"
    Device         "Device0"
    Monitor        "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth    24
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Last edited by sotsiak (2018-05-13 19:26:51)

loqs · 2018-05-13 18:38:07

Welcome to the arch linux forums sotsiak. I would suggest removing /etc/X11/xorg.conf as generated by nvidia-xconfig as unneeded and in many cases causes breakage.
Where are you running xdpyinfo? What is the output of `printenv DISPLAY`?

sotsiak · 2018-05-13 19:03:47

Hello!

I removed the xorg.conf file. Question: Do I need to create a simple one myself, as defined in the wiki, or leave it at that?

I run the xdpyinfo command from the terminal that starts by default at boot. I tried both as root and user.

"printenv DISPLAY" doesn't show anything.

jasonwryan · 2018-05-13 19:07:22

xdpyinfo can only be run from X, not the console.

loqs · 2018-05-13 19:09:34

Unless there is something you know needs to be configured for X you do not need a configuration it will be handled via autodetection.
edit:
As general advice if something fails as a normal user do not immediately try it again as root.

Last edited by loqs (2018-05-13 19:10:28)

sotsiak · 2018-05-13 19:24:59

Oh, I got it, thank you both! I used xterm and it worked.
What a useless topic I created

Arch Linux

#1 2018-05-13 18:27:50

[SOLVED] xdpyinfo: unable to open display ""

#2 2018-05-13 18:38:07

Re: [SOLVED] xdpyinfo: unable to open display ""

#3 2018-05-13 19:03:47

Re: [SOLVED] xdpyinfo: unable to open display ""

#4 2018-05-13 19:07:22

Re: [SOLVED] xdpyinfo: unable to open display ""

#5 2018-05-13 19:09:34

Re: [SOLVED] xdpyinfo: unable to open display ""

#6 2018-05-13 19:24:59

Re: [SOLVED] xdpyinfo: unable to open display ""

Board footer