Arch Linux

whoops

Member

Registered: 2009-03-19

Posts: 891

[solved] start x without startx/.xinitrc ("custom call from tty")

Hi!

I'm currently experimenting with wine & other stuff and I'd like to start X without all my usual .xinitrc-stuff, just a terminal or fullscreen wine app or something. Can't figure the syntax out though and/or find the right docu/manpage.

I'd like to use it somehow like this, in case somebody gets what I'm trying to refer to with those "pseydo-commands":
$ xinit -- terminal
( run only terminal, no .xinitrc!) or even
$ xinit -- wine start blubb.exe
If something like that is possible it'd be my favourite method:
$ X terminal :1 & exec terminal :2
( and yes: I need to read more background stuff on how X works, I'm at it. )

Could someone give me a few working/easy example line and/or point me to the right manpage? Couldn't find (or didn't recognize) the things I need in man xinit/startx/X/Xorg...

(Also if someone knows where to find a good tutorial on how to move X-clients around, put server on a monitor or modify it so it doesn't use a monitor and start another X-server and other chaotic stuff like that to play with - that's not a priority of mine ATM but I think that would help me understand how things work. There's no documentation that can teach me more/faster than messing up my Desktop with random "experiments" )

thx!

Last edited by whoops (2009-06-13 16:20:34)

thayer

Fellow

From: Vancouver, BC

Registered: 2007-05-20

Posts: 1,560

Website

Re: [solved] start x without startx/.xinitrc ("custom call from tty")

Easiest method is probably:

mv ~/.xinitrc ~/.xinitrc.orig
echo 'xterm &' > ~/.xinitrc
startx

Once you're done experimenting, just move your old xinitrc back.

---

thayer williams ~ cinderwick.ca

whoops

Member

Registered: 2009-03-19

Posts: 891

Re: [solved] start x without startx/.xinitrc ("custom call from tty")

Hmh, yes, that's what I was trying to avoid - somehow just feels wrong, moving system files around and stuff instead of finding the right way to call X... Although considering that it's really quite easy I guess I'll go with it for a while, until I get to know the "proper" command line, so thanks!

Still - if anyone's used to doing that stuff by calling X or something with a command line: example pls!

looking at man xinit again (I already figured that one out... not... some hours ago, but another look can't hurt)

SYNOPSIS
       xinit [ [ client ] options ... ] [ -- [ server ] [ display ] options ... ]
[...]
If no specific client program is given on the command line, xinit will look for a file in the user's home directory called .xinitrc  to  run  as  a
       shell script to start up client programs.
[...]
EXAMPLES
[...]
 xinit -geometry =80x65+10+10 -fn 8x13 -j -fg white -bg navy
               This will start up a server named X, and will append the given arguments to the default xterm command.  It will ignore .xinitrc.

That would make me think, that just writing "xinit terminal" should do the job, but it just doesn't. And if the Example provided does what it says, I can't figure out which of the parameters makes .xinitrc be ignored. They all look like they just belong to xterm (which is standard behaviour if neither .xinitrc nor anything else is executed).

hmh...

moljac024

Member

From: Serbia

Registered: 2008-01-29

Posts: 2,676

Re: [solved] start x without startx/.xinitrc ("custom call from tty")

It needs the full path:

xinit /usr/bin/xterm

Last edited by moljac024 (2009-06-13 16:05:48)

---

The day Microsoft makes a product that doesn't suck, is the day they make a vacuum cleaner.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
But if they tell you that I've lost my mind, maybe it's not gone just a little hard to find...

whoops

Member

Registered: 2009-03-19

Posts: 891

Re: [solved] start x without startx/.xinitrc ("custom call from tty")

Wah, right, that's impossible!

So, looking at my bash history, I tried about every combinations of "[exec something][|][startx][X][xinit][full_path][program][--][-something][--confic=?][:1][&][&&][exec something]" but that very basic one... would have never figured that one out, I was already seeing myself browsing the xorg sourcecode and getting crazy over it or something, so thanks!

Maybe I should start "thinking less random"

Last edited by whoops (2009-06-13 16:19:58)

FallenWizard

Member

From: Vienna/ Austria

Registered: 2007-12-10

Posts: 99

Re: [solved] start x without startx/.xinitrc ("custom call from tty")

Use xlaunch, it's in AUR.

Last edited by FallenWizard (2009-06-13 17:16:23)