Lecture #6 The X Window System

Learner Outcomes

• Describe the major components of the X Window system.
• Configure an X server to match the hardware of a system
• Customize an X window login session
• Use X Windows to run clients locally and remotely

Activities

• Use X, xinit, and startx to start an X window session
• Run redhat-config-xfree86 to configure your X server
• Run the xeyes client on your neighbors X server
• Use xwd to take a screen shot of a window

Assignment

• Do lab3
• Take quiz2 using ssh from the CIS191@opus.cabrillo.cc.ca.us account.
• Read Chapter 3 in preparation for Installing the Linux Operating System

Understanding X

1. Overview
   • One of the original open source projects - developed at MIT
   • Handles Fonts Poorly
   • Overly complex
   • Recent improvements to XFree86
2. The Components of X
   1. Server Component
      • most important component
      • controls input devices
      • controls video hardware
      • VGA and hardware specific servers
   2. Client Component
      • clients are what the user sees
      • window manager provides access to individual clients and windows
              e.g. metacity, mwm, twm, sawfish, enlightenment ...
      • file manager - client that acts as a graphical shell allowing access to the file system
      • desktop manager - provides login sessions, authentication, and taskbar support
3. Configuring X
   • Vital part of any Linux Installation
     • XF86Setup
     • xf86config
     • redhat-config-xfree86 (RedHat)
   • Gathering Hardware Information
     1. Monitor
     2. Video card
     3. Mouse
     4. Keyboard
4. Understanding the XF86config File
   • General Format of the File:
     1. File Section
     2. Keyboard Section
     3. Pointer Section
     4. Monitor Section
     5. Graphics Device Section
     6. Screen Section
   • Testing the Configuration
5. Starting an X Window Session
   1. X name given to the graphics server.
   2. startx shell script - usually in /etc/X11
   3. xinit command
   4. xdm command
      • can be run only by root
      • usually used in startup scripts
      • shows graphical logon screen
   5. Window Manager determines look and feel
6. Window Managers
   • AfterStep
   • Enlightenment
   • Fvwm95
   • IceWM
   • Sawfish
   • Window Maker
   • mwm
   • twm
7. Desktop Environments
   • KDE
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   • Gnome
     • The Control Center
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8. GUI File Managers
   • File Manager Features
     • Accomplish same tasks as shell without lengthy commands
     • Have drag and drop support
   • Midnight Commander
   • Nautilus
     • Easy to use visual file manager
     • Use mouse to eliminate excessive key strokes
   • File Managers on KDE
     • KFM
     • Konqueror

   Relevant Commands and Files

   Commands	Files
   X         - starts the X server	/etc/X11/XF86Config
   xinit     - starts the server with an xterm window	/etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc and $HOME/.xinitrc
   startx    - runs the graphic desktop	/etc/X11/xinit/Xclients
   xhost     - grants remote X-client access to server	$HOME/.xauthority
   xwd, xwud   - create and view window dumps
   redhat-config-xfree86- configures X server on RedHat