Description
-----------
-grml-x creates the configuration file for the X server (X.org) providing
-hardware detection and then starts up X server with the specified window
+grml-x creates the configuration file for the X server (X.org) letting you
+override some options and then starts up X server with the specified window
manager.
Implementation
--------------
-grml-x uses hwinfo for collection hardware related information for further
-processing. It creates the X configuration file /etc/X11/xorg.conf for the X
-server (X.org) and needs root permissions therefore. If a X
-config file is present already, grml-x won't touch the file unless the '-force'
-option or another option which modifies content of the X config file is
-specified. The old config file gets backed up via adding the extension .old
-(available as /etc/X11/xorg.conf.old therefore).
+grml-x depends on the X server to configure itself. It will generate a very
+minimal xorg.conf, or, at your option, write some common options to it.
+If an xorg.conf file already exists, grml-x won't touch the file unless the
+'--force' option is specified.
-Afterwards the 'exec' command in $HOME/.xinitrc gets adjusted to start the provided
-window manager and then startx is executed. If $HOME/.xinitrc does not exist a
-simple default one will be created.
+If you specify a window manager, the x-window-manager alias will be updated.
*******************************************************************************
Important! Please do **not** run X or grml-x with root permissions! When used in grml
switch to an appropriate console where user grml is logged in (for example on
tty5 via pressing Alt-F5).
If you use grml-x on systems other than grml in live mode you can invoke
-it as user root but please use the '-nostart' option to avoid startup
+it as user root but please use the '--nostart' option to avoid startup
X server. This allows you to generate a xorg.conf file on harddisk systems
as well as on distributions other than grml/Debian.
*******************************************************************************
XOPTS='...'::
Provide options for startx, see 'man 1 startx'.
--composite::
- Enable composite extension within /etc/X11/xorg.conf. Disabled by default.
-
--display <number>::
+--display <number>::
Specify display for use with Xserver.
--fallback::
- Copy /etc/X11/xorg.conf.example to /etc/X11/xorg.conf to get X
- running when it won't start otherwise.
-
--force::
+--force::
Force creation of xorg.conf file. This option is also assumed when another
option which needs to be write values to the X config file is provided. The old
X config file (/etc/X11/xorg.conf or /etx/X11/XFree86Config-4) is renamed
via adding the extension .old.
--genmouse::
- Generate generic entry for mouse using /dev/input/mice and auto protocol.
-
--help::
+--help::
Display help.
--hsync <number>::
+--hsync <number>::
Specify horizontal sync frequencies. Use a number like "30-65".
--mode <width>x<height>::
+--mode <width>x<height>::
Set resolution for X server.
--module <name>::
+--module <name>::
Use <name> as module for X server.
--noddc::
- Do not use ddc probing but use static entries for resolution modes.
-
--nohsync::
- Do not activate HorizSync-entry in xorg.conf file.
-
--nostart::
+--nostart::
Do not start X server (useful when you want to generate new xorg.conf
only. Do not forget to use -force option as well if xorg.conf exists
already.)
-
--nosynaptics::
- Do not activate a present Synaptics touchpad but use it only with 'normal' touchpad
- functions.
-
--nosync::
- Do not activate horizontal and vertical sync frequencies. This option is useful
- on many modern computers using a LCD/TFT display. To avoid problems on very old
- monitors this option is not the default.
-
--novref::
- Do not activate VertRefresh-entry in xorg.conf file.
-
--ps2::
- Add an entry for PS/2 mouse in the xorg.conf file.
-
--usb::
- Add an entry for U mouse in the xorg.conf file.
-
--vsync <number>::
+--vsync <number>::
Specify vertical sync frequencies. Use a number like "50-60".
--xinerama::
- Enable Xinerama support - disabled by default. Xinerama is an X server extension
- that allows multiple physical screens to behave as a single screen. With
- traditional multi-head in X11, windows cannot span or cross physical screens.
- Please notice that some window managers are not Xinerama-aware, and so some
- operations like window placement and resizing might not behave in an ideal way.
- This is an issue that needs to be dealt with in the individual window managers
- and not within grml-x or X server.
-
[[X7]]
Usage examples
--------------
-grml-x -mode '1280x1024 1024x768' wmi::
- Use resolutions 1280x1024 and 1024x768 and start windowmanager wmi.
+grml-x --mode '1280x1024 1024x768' wm-ng::
+ Use resolutions 1280x1024 and 1024x768 and start windowmanager wm-ng.
grml-x -module vesa openbox::
Use vesa-module and start windowmanager openbox.
-grml-x -hsync "30-65" fluxbox::
+grml-x --hsync "30-65" fluxbox::
Use 30-65kHz for horizontal sync frequency and start windowmanager fluxbox.
-grml-x -display 8 ratpoison::
+grml-x --display 8 ratpoison::
Use display 8 for Xserver and start windowmanager ratpoison.
-grml-x -xinerama -composite openbox::
- Enable Xinerama setup and composite extension and start windowmanager openbox.
-
-grml-x -nostart -f fluxbox::
+grml-x --nostart -f fluxbox::
Force writing of config file but do not start X server. Please do not forget to
add a window manager as last option because grml-x changes the according
exec-statement in $HOME/.xinitrc.
-XOPTS=\'-depth 16\' grml-x fluxbox::
- Set color depth to 16 bit and start windowmanager fluxbox.
-
Known problems and limitations
------------------------------
Sometimes the X server does not find the correct resolution and/or frequency
-settings for the monitor. Please adjust configuration manually using the -hsync
-and the -vsync options then. Also check out the <<X7,usage examples section>> in
-this manpage and the help output of grml-x running 'grml-x -help'.
-
-The support for the Xinerama extension is brand new within grml-x and has not
-been tested on many boxes but only on systems using the intel driver of current
-X server. Please provide feedback!
+settings for the monitor. Please adjust configuration manually using the --hsync
+and the --vsync options then. Also check out the <<X7,usage examples section>>
+in this manpage and the help output of grml-x running 'grml-x --help'.
Bugs
----