xinit(X)                      06 January 1993                       xinit(X)


 Name

    xinit - X Window System initializer

 Syntax


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


 Description

    The xinit program is used by startx(X) to start the X Window System
    server and a first client program.  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  This assumes there is a program named X in the current search
       path.
    _________________________________________________________________________

    Programs that are run by .xinitrc and .xserverrc should be run in the
    background if they do not exit right away, so that they do not prevent
    other programs from starting up.  The last program started from these
    scripts, usually a window manager or terminal emulator, should be run in
    the foreground so that the script does not exit and cause xinit to exit.

 Options


    [client] options  specifies an alternate client and command line options

    [--[server] [display] options]
                      specifies an alternate X server command line.  If
                      server is omitted, xinit runs the default server.  If
                      display is omitted, xinit runs the server on the
                      default screen, ``:0''.  xinit passes options as argu-
                      ments to the server command (see Xsco(X)).  The server
                      information must be specified before other options.

    Both the client program name and the server program name must begin with
    a slash ``/'' or a period ``.''.  Otherwise, they are treated as argu-
    ments 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.

 Environment


    DISPLAY   default host and display number

    XINITRC   specifies an init file containing shell commands to start up
              the initial windows.  By default, .xinitrc in the home direc-
              tory 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


 Examples

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

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

    xinit -- /usr/bin/X11/Xsco :1
              starts the Xsco server on an alternate display.

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

    xinit -e widgets -- ./Xsco -l -c
              uses the command ./Xsco -l -c to start the server and appends
              the arguments -e widgets to the default xterm command.

    xinit /usr/ucb/rsh fasthost cpupig -display ws:1 --  :1 -a 2 -t -5
              starts a server named X on display 1 with the arguments -a 2 -t
              5.  It then start a remote shell on the machine fasthost in
              which it runs 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 &
       mwm

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

       #!/bin/sh
       . /usr/local/lib/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 /usr/local/lib/site.xinitrc -- /usr/bin/X11/Xsco :1


 See also

    startx(X), X(X), Xsco(X), xterm(X)