[2024-feb-29] Sad news: Eric Layton aka Nocturnal Slacker aka vtel57 passed away on Feb 26th, shortly after hospitalization. He was one of our Wiki's most prominent admins. He will be missed.

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slackbook:xwindow_system [2012/09/08 20:21 (UTC)] – [What Is (And Isn't) X] updated section to match original text and formatting mfillpotslackbook:xwindow_system [2012/09/12 21:05 (UTC)] – updated code block to syntax highlighting mfillpot
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 ===== Configuring the X Server ===== ===== Configuring the X Server =====
  
-Once upon a time, configuring X was a difficult and painful process that caused the magic smoke to come gushing out of hundreds of monitors. Today X is a lot more user friendly. In fact, most users will not need to configure X at all, Slackware will simply figure out all the proper settings on its own. There are, however, still some computers that X can't properly auto-configure and will need a little bit of work on your part.+Once upon a time, configuring X was a difficult and painful process 
 +that caused the magic smoke to come gushing out of hundreds of 
 +monitors. Today X is a lot more user friendly. In fact, most users will 
 +not need to configure X at all, Slackware will simply figure out all 
 +the proper settings on its own. There are, however, still some 
 +computers that X can't properly auto-configure and will need a little 
 +bit of work on your part.
  
-Once upon a time, the X configuration file was located at ///etc/X11/xorg.conf//, and if you create a file there, X will honor whatever settings you place within it. Fortunately, with X.Org 1.6.3 an ///etc/X11/xorg.conf// does not even need to be present for X to generate a working display. If for whatever reason, you need to make configuration changes to X, try to avoid using this file; it's antiquated and inflexible. Rather, the ///etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/// directory is where you should put such tweaks. Any file you place within that directory will be read when X starts up. This allows you to split-up your configuration into more easily manageable parts. For example, here's my ///etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/synaptics.conf// file for my laptop. 
  
-<code>+Once upon a time, the X configuration file was located at 
 +''/etc/X11/xorg.conf'', and if you create a file 
 +there, X will honor whatever settings you place within it. 
 +Fortunately, with **//X.Org 1.6.3//** an 
 +''/etc/X11/xorg.conf'' does not even need to be 
 +present for **//X//** to generate a working display. 
 +If for whatever reason, you need to make configuration changes to X, 
 +try to avoid using this file; it's antiquated and inflexible. Rather, 
 +the ''/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/'' directory is where you 
 +should put such tweaks. Any file you place within that directory will 
 +be read when X starts up. This allows you to split-up your 
 +configuration into more easily manageable parts. For example, here'
 +my ''/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/synaptics.conf'' file for my 
 +laptop. 
 + 
 + 
 +<file>
 darkstar:~$ cat /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/synaptics.conf darkstar:~$ cat /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/synaptics.conf
 Section "InputDevice" Section "InputDevice"
Line 67: Line 88:
     Option          "VertTwoFingerScroll"   "0"     Option          "VertTwoFingerScroll"   "0"
 EndSection EndSection
-</code>+</file>
  
-By placing such options in individual files, you can easily manage your X configuration by sections.+ 
 +By placing such options in individual files, you can easily manage your 
 +X configuration by sections.
  
 ===== Choosing a Window Manager ===== ===== Choosing a Window Manager =====
  
-Slackware Linux includes many different window managers and desktop environments. Window managers are the applications responsible for painting application windows on the screen, resizing these windows, and similar tasks. Desktop environments include a window manager, but also add task bars, menus, icons, and more. Slackware includes both the KDE and XFCE desktop environments and several additional window managers. Which you use is entirely your own decision, but in general, window managers tend to be faster than desktop environments and more suitable to older systems with less memory and slower processors. Desktop environments will be more comfortable for users accustomed to Microsoft Windows.+Slackware Linux includes many different window managers and desktop 
 +environments. Window managers are the applications responsible for 
 +painting application windows on the screen, resizing these windows, and 
 +similar tasks. Desktop environments include a window manager, but also 
 +add task bars, menus, icons, and more. Slackware includes both the KDE 
 +and XFCE desktop environments and several additional window managers. 
 +Which you use is entirely your own decision, but in general, window 
 +managers tend to be faster than desktop environments and more suitable 
 +to older systems with less memory and slower processors. Desktop 
 +environments will be more comfortable for users accustomed to Microsoft 
 +Windows.
  
-The easiest way to choose a window manager is xwmconfig(1), included with Slackware Linux. This application allows a user to choose what window manager to run with startx. 
  
-{{ :slackware:setup_xwmconfig_cl.png?550 |}}+The easiest way to choose a window manager is 
 +**//xwmconfig//**(1), included with Slackware Linux. 
 +This application allows a user to choose what window manager to run 
 +with **//startx//**.  
 + 
 + 
 +{{ :slackbook:xwmconfig.png?550 |}}
  
 ===== Setting Up A Graphical Login ===== ===== Setting Up A Graphical Login =====
  
-By default, when you boot your Slackware Linux system you are presented with a login prompt on a virtual terminal. This is more than adequate for most people's needs. If you need to run commandline applications, you may login and do so right away. If you want to run X, simply executing startx will do that for you nicely. But suppose you almost exclusively use your system for graphical duties like many laptop owners? Wouldn't it be nice for Slackware to take you straight into a GUI? Fortunately, there's an easy way to do just that.+By default, when you boot your Slackware Linux system you are presented 
 +with a login prompt on a virtual terminal. This is more than adequate 
 +for most people's needs. If you need to run commandline applications, 
 +you may login and do so right away. If you want to run X, simply executing 
 +**//startx//** will do that for you nicely. 
 +But suppose you almost exclusively 
 +use your system for graphical duties like many laptop owners? Wouldn't 
 +it be nice for Slackware to take you straight into a GUI? Fortunately, 
 +there's an easy way to do just that.
  
-Slackware uses the System V init system which allows the administrator to boot into or change to different runlevels, which are really just different "states" the computer can be in. In fact, shutting down the computer is really only a case of changing to a runlevel which accomplishes just that. Runlevels can be rather complicated, so we won't delve into them any further than necessary. 
  
-Runlevels are configured in inittab(5). The most common ones are runlevel 3 (Slackware's default) and runlevel 4 (GUI). In order to tell Slackware to boot to a GUI screen, simply open /etc/inittab with your favorite editor of choice. (You may wish to refer to one of the chapters on vi or emacs at this point.) Near the top, you'll see the relevant entries.+Slackware uses the System V init system which allows the administrator 
 +to boot into or change to different runlevels, which are really just 
 +different //"states"// the computer can be in. In fact, shutting down the 
 +computer is really only a case of changing to a runlevel which 
 +accomplishes just that. Runlevels can be rather complicated, so we 
 +won't delve into them any further than necessary. 
 + 
 + 
 +Runlevels are configured in ''inittab''(5). 
 +The most common ones are 
 +runlevel 3 (Slackware's default) and runlevel 4 (GUI). In order to tell 
 +Slackware to boot to a GUI screen, simply open 
 +''/etc/inittab'' with your 
 +favorite editor of choice. (You may wish to refer to one of the 
 +chapters on **//vi//** or 
 +**//emacs//** at this point.) Near the top, you'll 
 +see the relevant entries.  
 + 
 + 
 +<file>
  
-<code> 
 # These are the default runlevels in Slackware: # These are the default runlevels in Slackware:
 #   0 = halt #   0 = halt
Line 99: Line 162:
 # Default runlevel. (Do not set to 0 or 6) # Default runlevel. (Do not set to 0 or 6)
 id:3:initdefault: id:3:initdefault:
-</code>+</file>
  
-In this file (along with most configuration files) anything following a hash symbol # is a comment and not interpreted by init(8). Don't worry if you don't understand everything about inittab, as many veteran users don't either. The only line we are interested in is the last on above. Simply change the 3 to a 4 and reboot. 
  
-<code>+In this file (along with most configuration files) anything following a 
 +hash symbol # is a comment and not interpreted by init(8). Don't worry 
 +if you don't understand everything about inittab, as many veteran users 
 +don't either. The only line we are interested in is the last on above. 
 +Simply change the 3 to a 4 and reboot. 
 + 
 + 
 +<file> 
 # These are the default runlevels in Slackware: # These are the default runlevels in Slackware:
 #   0 = halt #   0 = halt
Line 115: Line 185:
 # Default runlevel. (Do not set to 0 or 6) # Default runlevel. (Do not set to 0 or 6)
 id:4:initdefault: id:4:initdefault:
-</code>+</file> 
 + 
 +====== Chapter Navigation ====== 
 + 
 +**Previous Chapter: [[slackbook:process_control|Process Control]]** 
 + 
 +**Next Chapter: [[slackbook:printing|Printing]]** 
  
 ====== Sources ====== ====== Sources ======
 <!-- If you copy information from another source, then specify that source --> <!-- If you copy information from another source, then specify that source -->
- * Original source: [[http://www.slackbook.org/beta/]] +  * Original source: [[http://www.slackbook.org/beta]] \\
 <!-- Authors are allowed to give credit to themselves! --> <!-- Authors are allowed to give credit to themselves! -->
-<!-- * Originally written by [[wiki:user:xxx | User X]] -->+  * Originally written by Alan Hicks, Chris Lumens, David Cantrell, Logan Johnson
 <!-- * Contrbutions by [[wiki:user:yyy | User Y]] --> <!-- * Contrbutions by [[wiki:user:yyy | User Y]] -->
  
 slackbook:xwindow_system ()