xinit(1)

NAME

   xinit - X Window System initializer

SYNOPSIS

   xinit  [  [  client ] options ... ] [ -- [ server ] [ display ] options
   ... ]

DESCRIPTION

   The xinit program is used to start the X Window  System  server  and  a
   first  client  program  on systems that are not using a display manager
   such as xdm(1) or in environments that  use  multiple  window  systems.
   When  this  first  client  exits, xinit will kill the X server and then
   terminate.

   If no specific client program is given on the command line, xinit  will
   look  for a file in the user's home directory called .xinitrc to run as
   a shell script to start up client programs.  If no  such  file  exists,
   xinit will use the following as a default:

        xterm  -geometry  +1+1  -n  login  -display  :0

   If  no specific server program is given on the command line, xinit will
   look for a file in the user's home directory called .xserverrc  to  run
   as  a  shell  script  to  start up the server.  If no such file exists,
   xinit will use the following as a default:

        X  :0

   Note that this assumes that there is a program named X in  the  current
   search  path.  The site administrator should, therefore, make a link to
   the appropriate type of server on the machine, or create a shell script
   that runs xinit with the appropriate server.

   Note,  when  using  a  .xserverrc script be sure to ``exec'' the real X
   server.  Failing to do this can make the X server  slow  to  start  and
   exit.  For example:

        exec Xdisplaytype

   An important point is that programs which are run by .xinitrc should be
   run in the background if they do not exit  right  away,  so  that  they
   don't prevent other programs from starting up.  However, the last long-
   lived program started (usually a window manager or  terminal  emulator)
   should  be  left in the foreground so that the script won't exit (which
   indicates that the user is done and that xinit should exit).

   An alternate client and/or server may be specified on the command line.
   The  desired  client  program  and its arguments should be given as the
   first command line arguments to xinit.  To specify a particular  server
   command  line,  append  a  double  dash  (--) to the xinit command line
   (after any  client  and  arguments)  followed  by  the  desired  server
   command.

   Both  the  client  program  name and the server program name must begin
   with a slash (/) or a period (.).  Otherwise, they are  treated  as  an
   arguments to be appended to their respective startup lines.  This makes
   it possible to add arguments (for example,  foreground  and  background
   colors) without having to retype the whole command line.

   If  an  explicit  server  name  is  not  given  and  the first argument
   following the double dash (--) is a colon followed by  a  digit,  xinit
   will  use  that  number  as  the  display  number instead of zero.  All
   remaining arguments are appended to the server command line.

EXAMPLES

   Below are several examples of how command line arguments in  xinit  are
   used.

   xinit   This  will  start  up  a  server  named  X  and  run the user's
           .xinitrc, if it exists, or else start an xterm.

   xinit -- /usr/bin/Xvnc  :1
           This is how one could start a specific type  of  server  on  an
           alternate display.

   xinit -geometry =80x65+10+10 -fn 8x13 -j -fg white -bg navy
           This  will start up a server named X, and will append the given
           arguments  to  the  default  xterm  command.   It  will  ignore
           .xinitrc.

   xinit -e widgets -- ./Xorg -l -c
           This  will  use the command .Xorg -l -c to start the server and
           will append the arguments  -e  widgets  to  the  default  xterm
           command.

   xinit /usr/ucb/rsh fasthost cpupig -display ws:1 --  :1 -a 2 -t 5
           This  will  start  a  server  named  X  on  display  1 with the
           arguments -a 2 -t 5.  It will then start a remote shell on  the
           machine  fasthost  in  which  it  will  run the command cpupig,
           telling it to display back on the local workstation.

   Below is a sample .xinitrc that starts a clock, several terminals,  and
   leaves   the  window  manager  running  as  the  ``last''  application.
   Assuming that the window manager has been configured properly, the user
   then chooses the ``Exit'' menu item to shut down X.

           xrdb -load $HOME/.Xresources
           xsetroot -solid gray &
           xclock -g 50x50-0+0 -bw 0 &
           xload -g 50x50-50+0 -bw 0 &
           xterm -g 80x24+0+0 &
           xterm -g 80x24+0-0 &
           twm

   Sites  that  want  to  create a common startup environment could simply
   create a default .xinitrc that references a site-wide startup file:

           #!/bin/sh
           . /etc/X11/xinit/site.xinitrc

   Another approach is to write a script that starts xinit with a specific
   shell  script.   Such  scripts are usually named x11, xstart, or startx
   and are a convenient way to  provide  a  simple  interface  for  novice
   users:

           #!/bin/sh
           xinit /etc/X11/xinit/site.xinitrc -- /usr/bin/X -br

ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES

   DISPLAY        This  variable  gets  set  to the name of the display to
                  which clients should connect.

   XINITRC        This variable specifies an init  file  containing  shell
                  commands  to  start up the initial windows.  By default,
                  .xinitrc in the home directory will be used.

FILES

   .xinitrc       default client script

   xterm          client to run if .xinitrc does not exist

   .xserverrc     default server script

   X              server to run if .xserverrc does not exist

SEE ALSO

   X(7), startx(1), Xserver(1), Xorg(1), xorg.conf(5), xterm(1)

AUTHOR

   Bob Scheifler, MIT Laboratory for Computer Science

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