DOTSLASHLINUX

Starting Xorg Server using xinit

In this article I’ll show you how to correctly setup xinit to start your xorg server. I’ll also demonstrate how you can auto startx once logged in a tty.

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1- Installation

Gentoo Linux:

emerge --sync && emerge -av x11-apps/xinit

Void Linux:

xbps-install -Su && xbps-install -S xinit

Arch Linux:

pacman -Syu xorg-xinit

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2- xserverrc

In order to correctly setup xinit, you need to copy the global xserverrc to your home directory and name it as .xserverrc:

cp /etc/X11/xinit/xserverrc ~/.xserverrc

Now, in order to maintain an authenticated session and prevent xauth from complaining about a missing .serverauth file every time you startx, you may need to modify you .xserverrc file. If your .xserverrc file looks like this:

#!/bin/sh
if [ -z "$XDG_VTNR" ]; then
  exec /usr/bin/X -nolisten tcp "$@"
else
  exec /usr/bin/X -nolisten tcp "$@" vt$XDG_VTNR
fi

Then you don’t need to worry about an unautheticated X session, however if it were like this:

#!/bin/sh
exec /usr/bin/X -nolisten tcp "$@"

Then you need to add vt$XDG_VTNR to the end of the command. This states that Xorg has to be started on the same virtual terminal where the login occurred.

#!/bin/sh
exec /usr/bin/X -nolisten tcp "$@" vt$XDG_VTNR

If the problem persists (xauth keeps complaining about missing file /home/user/serverauth), you can edit the startx script with your favorite editor:

vim /usr/bin/startx

Then change enable_xauth=1 to enable_xauth=0 (line 29 here):

#!/bin/sh

#
# This is just a sample implementation of a slightly less primitive
# interface than xinit. It looks for user .xinitrc and .xserverrc
# files, then system xinitrc and xserverrc files, else lets xinit choose
# its default. The system xinitrc should probably do things like check
# for .Xresources files and merge them in, start up a window manager,
# and pop a clock and several xterms.
#
# Site administrators are STRONGLY urged to write nicer versions.
#

unset DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS
unset SESSION_MANAGER
userclientrc=$HOME/.xinitrc
sysclientrc=/etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc

userserverrc=$HOME/.xserverrc
sysserverrc=/etc/X11/xinit/xserverrc
defaultclient=xterm
defaultserver=/usr/bin/X
defaultclientargs=""
defaultserverargs=""
defaultdisplay=":0"
clientargs=""
serverargs=""
vtarg=""
enable_xauth=0 # Change this from 1 to 0
...

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3- xinitrc

As we did with xserverrc, we need to copy the global xinitrc to our home directory and name it as .xinitrc:

cp /etc/X11/xinit/xserverrc ~/.xserverrc

The global xinitrc configuration file (which will be executed if you forgot to make your own in your home directory) has the following:

#!/bin/sh

userresources=$HOME/.Xresources
usermodmap=$HOME/.Xmodmap
sysresources=/etc/X11/xinit/.Xresources
sysmodmap=/etc/X11/xinit/.Xmodmap

# merge in defaults and keymaps

if [ -f $sysresources ]; then







    xrdb -merge $sysresources

fi

if [ -f $sysmodmap ]; then
    xmodmap $sysmodmap
fi

if [ -f "$userresources" ]; then







    xrdb -merge "$userresources"

fi

if [ -f "$usermodmap" ]; then
    xmodmap "$usermodmap"
fi

# start some nice programs

if [ -d /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d ] ; then
 for f in /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d/?*.sh ; do
  [ -x "$f" ] && . "$f"
 done
 unset f
fi

twm &
xclock -geometry 50x50-1+1 &
xterm -geometry 80x50+494+51 &
xterm -geometry 80x20+494-0 &
exec xterm -geometry 80x66+0+0 -name login

Notice lines 51 to 55, these are the only lines that you should edit! These lines indicate that twm, xclock and 3 xterm instances will be started (if installed obviously) once an Xorg session starts.

Since these are very outdated versions of what we intend to use, delete lines 51 to 55 and replace them with your favored session. In our case we love dwm and openbox delete lines 51 to 55 and add this for dwm:

exec dwm

or this for openbox:

exec openbox-session

Please be noted that the program(s) that you intend to start must be installed!

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4- startx

Once you’ve done configuring xinit, you can now start your X session simply by running:

startx

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(Optional) Auto startx at Login

- BASH

If you’re using BASH you can automate the process of startx after logging in by adding this line to your ~/.bash_profile (create this file if it doesn’t exist):

if [[ -z $DISPLAY ]] && [[ $(tty) = /dev/tty1 ]]; then exec startx; fi

- Other Shells

If you’re using dash or even plain sh, then you may want a more portable version of the BASH-exclusive code above, and you’ll need to add it to your ~/.profile (create this file if it doesn’t exist):

if [ -z $DISPLAY ] && [ $(tty) = /dev/tty1 ]; then exec startx; fi