grml-x(1) ========= Name ---- grml-x - create xorg.conf file and start X window system on grml-system Synopsis -------- grml-x [ options ] $windowmanager_you_want_to_use 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 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). 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. ******************************************************************************* Important! Please do **not** run X or grml-x with root permissions! When used in grml live-cd mode running grml-x works as normal user as well (thanks to sudo). Just 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 X server. This allows you to generate a xorg.conf file on harddisk systems as well as on distributions other than grml/Debian. ******************************************************************************* [NOTE] Notice that you do not have to use grml-x to start X server if you already have a working X config file (usually the case on harddisk installations). Just adjust $HOME/.xinitrc to your needs (most common is adjusting the exec line for choosing the according windowmanager) and then run startx to start X server. Options ------- XOPTS='...':: Provide options for startx, see 'man 1 startx'. -composite:: Enable composite extension within /etc/X11/xorg.conf. Disabled by default. -display :: Specify display for use with Xserver. -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:: Display help. -hsync :: Specify horizontal sync frequencies. Use a number like "30-65". -mode x:: Set resolution for X server. -module :: Use 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:: 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 :: 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 -module vesa openbox:: Use vesa-module and start windowmanager openbox. grml-x -hsync "30-65" fluxbox:: Use 30-65kHz for horizontal sync frequency and start windowmanager fluxbox. 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:: 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 <> 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! Bugs ---- Please report feedback, link:http://grml.org/bugs/[bugreports] and wishes link:http://grml.org/contact/[to us]! Author ------ This manual page and grml-x itself have been written by Michael Prokop and are licensed under the GPL v2 or any later version.