The X Window User HOWTO The X Window User HOWTO Table of Contents The X Window User HOWTO...........................................................................................................................1 by Ray Brigleb, ray@aracnet.com...........................................................................................................1 1.Introduction...........................................................................................................................................1 2.Getting Started......................................................................................................................................1 3.Choosing a Window Manager..............................................................................................................1 4.Working In X........................................................................................................................................2 5.X Startup...............................................................................................................................................2 6.Configuring the Window Manager.......................................................................................................2 7.Fonts and Colors...................................................................................................................................2 8.The X Resources...................................................................................................................................2 9.Clients and Application Tips................................................................................................................3 10.Advanced X Usage.............................................................................................................................3 11.Bibliography and Other Resources.....................................................................................................3 1. Introduction..........................................................................................................................................3 1.1 Other Sources Of Information...........................................................................................................3 1.2 Versions Of This Document..............................................................................................................3 1.3 Feedback And Corrections.................................................................................................................4 1.4 Acknowledgments..............................................................................................................................4 1.5 Copyright...........................................................................................................................................5 10. Advanced X Usage............................................................................................................................5 10.1 Libraries and Compiling X Applications.........................................................................................5 10.2 Basic X Security..............................................................................................................................6 10.3 More About X Authority.................................................................................................................7 11. Bibliography and Other Resources....................................................................................................8 2. Getting Started.....................................................................................................................................8 2.1 The X Window System: History and Architecture............................................................................8 2.2 Anatomy of Your Desktop.................................................................................................................9 2.3 Invoking X Window........................................................................................................................10 2.4 The X Display Manager...................................................................................................................11 3. Choosing a Window Manager...........................................................................................................12 3.1 FVWM And Its Ancestors...............................................................................................................12 3.2 The Wide World of Window Systems.............................................................................................13 3.3 The X Graphical Interfaces..............................................................................................................13 3.4 The X Desktop Environments..........................................................................................................14 3.5 The Flashy Window Managers........................................................................................................15 4. Working In X.....................................................................................................................................16 4.1 Command Line Options...................................................................................................................16 4.2 Display Names.................................................................................................................................17 4.3 XTerm Versus Rxvt, or, Know Thy Terminal Emulator.................................................................18 5. X Startup............................................................................................................................................18 5.1 A Sample Starting Configuration....................................................................................................19 5.2 A More Intelligent Startup...............................................................................................................20 5.3 Getting The Windows Where You Want Them..............................................................................20 6. Configuring the Window Manager....................................................................................................21 6.1 Basic FVWM2 Configuration..........................................................................................................21 6.2 Advanced FVWM2 Configuration..................................................................................................21 6.3 FVWM2 Configuration Shortcuts...................................................................................................22 i The X Window User HOWTO Table of Contents 6.4 FVWM2 Themes.............................................................................................................................22 7. Fonts and Colors................................................................................................................................24 7.1 Fonts Demystified............................................................................................................................24 7.2 Font Aliases and Configuration.......................................................................................................25 7.3 Using Type 1 Fonts in X..................................................................................................................26 7.4 Using TrueType Fonts in X.............................................................................................................26 7.5 Colors...............................................................................................................................................27 8. The X Resources................................................................................................................................28 8.1 X Resources: The Basics.................................................................................................................28 8.2 Inside The X Resource Database With editres................................................................................29 8.3 The Anatomy of X Resources..........................................................................................................30 8.4 Making Your Changes Last With .Xdefaults...................................................................................31 8.5 Your Own User Resource Directory................................................................................................33 9. Clients and Application Tips.............................................................................................................33 9.1 Screen Savers for X.........................................................................................................................33 9.2 Emacs and XEmacs..........................................................................................................................34 9.3 Some Useful Programs and Tricks..................................................................................................35 ii The X Window User HOWTO by Ray Brigleb, [email protected] v2.0, 1 September 1999 This document contains information on configuring the X Window environment for the Linux user, as well as for the beginning system administrator attempting to sort through the many configuration options and details of X Window. A basic knowledge of software configuration and installation