Starts the X Server.
X [ -a Number ] [ -auth FileName ] [ -bc | +bc ] [ -bp Color ] [ -broadcast ] [ -bs | -nobs ] [ -c Volume ] [ -cc VisualType [ :Display ] ] [ -class DisplayClass ] [ -co File ] [ -cookie XDMAuthenticationBit ] [ -D File ] [ -d Depth [ :Display ] ] -displayID DisplayID ] [ -damage | +damage ] [ -evie | +evie ] [ -f Number ] [ -fc Font ] [ -fixes | +fixes ] [ -fn Font ] [ -fp Font ] [ -help ] [ -I ] [ -indirect HostName] [ -layer # [ :Display ] ] [ -logo | nologo ] [ -n :Number ] [ -once ] [ -P RowColumn Display } ] [ -pbuffer level [:display name | :display number] ] [ -p Number ] [ -port PortNumber ] [ -query HostName ] [ -r | r ] [ +render | -render ][ -s Number ] [ -secIP [PermissionCode]] [ -secLocal [PermissionCode]] [ -secSMT [PermissionCode]] [ -stereo [:Display]] [ -su ] [ -T ] [ -t Number ] [ -to Number ] [ -v ] [ -vfb ][ -wm ] [ -wp Color ] [ -wrap | [ -wrapx ] [ -wrapy ] ] [ -x ExtensionName ] [ -xkbdir Directory ] [ -xkbmap FileName ] [ [+|-]accessx ] [ -ar1 Milliseconds ] [ -ar2 Milliseconds ] [ -sp FileName ] [ +/- xinerama FileName ]
The X command starts the X Server, a display server that runs on bitmapped terminals. The X Server distributes input and output requests to or from programs located on either the host system or systems connected to it through a network.
End an Enhanced X-Windows session by using the Ctrl+Alt+Backspace key sequence.
You can specify one or more display devices. If none are specified, the default is all. The default configuration order is determined by the adapter slot order. The adapter in the first slot is initialized as the left most screen, the adapter in the second slot is the next screen to the right. To rearrange the layout of the screens, use the -P flag. The -P flag associates the row and column of the device with the device name. You can determine the device name by using the lsdisp command.
The two displays are arranged either vertically or horizontally. The following example shows -P flags specifying a horizontal arrangement:
-P11 ppr0 -P12 ppr1
The 2 in the right position of the second -P flag indicates that the second monitor view is along the x-axis. This produces the horizontal arrangement:
Display Display
1 2
To see two monitors in a vertical arrangement, the -P flags should read:
-P11 ppr0 -P21 ppr1
The 2 in the first position indicates that the monitors are in a vertical configuration along the y-axis:
Display
1
Display
2
In the horizontal configuration, when a mouse is traveling from left to right in Display 1 and reaches the border of Display 1 and 2, the cursor continues into Display 2 at the same y-axis position. When it reaches the edge of Display 2 and the -wrapx flag is set, it appears at the leftmost edge of Display 1 in the same y-axis position. If the -wrapx flag is not set, the mouse stops at the far edge of Display 2.
In a vertical configuration, when the mouse is traveling from top to bottom in Display 1 and reaches the border of Display 1 and Display 2, the cursor continues into Display 2 at the same x-axis position. When the cursor reaches the bottom of the display 2 and the -wrapy flag is set, the cursor appears at the top edge of Display 1 in the same x-axis position. If the -wrapy flag is not set, the mouse stops at the bottom of Display 2.
In addition, information and error messages (for example, a message indicating that an extension not able to load) are listed in the /tmp/xlogfile file. This file can provide useful information in cases when the X Server encounters a problem. This file is re-written every time the X Server is instantiated. This file provides additional error and non-error information but is not a complete error log for the X Server.
When X-Server is started, it comes up using the default color class. Depending on the driver, the X-Server may default to using the PseudoColor or TrueColor class.
The PseudoColor class uses a colormap to display the colors on the screen. Many graphic adapters only support one hardware colormap. In this case, if the default color class is PseudoColor and an application is using a colormap that is different from the default colormap, incorrect colors may be displayed on the screen. Only the window that has focus will display the correct colors. It is advisable to run the X-Server in the TrueColor mode to prevent wrong colors from being displayed on the screen.
The -cc X-Server command flag can be used to bring the X-Server up using the TrueColor class. The /usr/lpp/X11/defaults/xserverrc file can be modified to allow this as shown in the following example.
As a root user, edit the /usr/lpp/X11/defaults/xserverrc file. Update the EXTENSIONS="" variable as shown in the following example:
#------------------------------------------------------------------------- # Start the X server in True Color mode #------------------------------------------------------------------------- EXTENSIONS="$EXTENSIONS -cc 4"
Restart X Server by logging out of CDE and clicking reset.
Item | Description |
---|---|
-a Number | Specifies the acceleration multiplier for mouse movement. For example, a value of 5 causes the cursor to move five times as fast as the mouse. The default is 4 pixels; any value specified must be a positive value greater than 0. |
-auth FileName | Specifies to X the file from which to read the MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) magic cookie. |
-bc | Turns off backward compatibility with Enhanced X-Windows version 1.1. |
+bc | Turns on backward compatibility with Enhanced X-Windows version 1.1. This is the default. |
-bp Color | Specifies a black pixel color for the display. The default is display dependent. |
-bs | Enables backing store support on all screens. Backing store support is disabled by default. |
-c Volume | Specifies key click volume. |
-cc VisualType [:Display] | Specifies the type of visual to use for the root window of
the screen specified by the display name. Not all visual types are
available on all adapters at all depths. The :Display parameter
is optional, but useful when using the multihead option. The :Display parameter
is the name of the display as shown in the lsdisp command.
If no display number or name is supplied, the specified visual is
selected for all screens. To specify the visual type and depth for the default visual, use the -cc and -d flags, respectively. Values for the VisualType parameter are specified as a string or a number as follows:
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-co File | Sets the name of the red, green, and blue (RGB) color database. This is the default flag for the color database. |
-D File | Specifies the full path name of the color definition database file. The default is /usr/lib/X11/rgb. |
-d Depth[:Display] | Specifies the root depth for the screen specified by the
display name. Not all visual types will be available on all adapters
at all depths. The :Display parameter is optional, but useful when using the multihead option and must correspond to the values passed with the -P flag. The :Display parameter is the name of the display as shown in the lsdisp command. In the absence of the :Display parameter, the specified depth is selected for all the selected displays in the multihead option, as specified in the -P flag. |
-damage | Disables the X Damage extension. |
+damage | Enables the X Damage extension. |
-evie | Disables the X Event Interception extension. |
+evie | Enables the X Event Interception extension. |
-f Number | Specifies the beep volume. The default is -1 or medium. The
supported values are as follows:
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-fc Font | Specifies the cursor font for cursor glyphs and cursor masks. The default depends on the operating system and the display. |
-fixes | Disables the X Fixes extension. |
+fixes | Enables the X Fixes extension. |
-fn Font | Specifies the default text font. The default depends on the operating system and the display. |
-fp Font | Specifies the font path. |
-I | Causes all remaining command line arguments to be ignored. (Uppercase i) |
-help | Prints a usage message. |
-layer #[:Display] | Specifies that the default visual should be in the # layer. The :Display parameter is the name of the display as shown in the lsdisp command. Specifying this flag for an adapter that does not have overlays, or has less than 8 bits of overlay, has no effect. Specifying this flag with a # higher than the number of supported layers results in the default visual residing in the default layer of the screen (as if no -layer flag had been used). |
-logo | Turns on the X Window System logo display in the screen saver. There is currently no way to change this from a client. |
-n :Number | Specifies the connection number. Valid values for the Number parameter
are 0 to 255. The default is the next available number. The Number parameter
is used by programs to communicate with a specific X Server. For example,
the command:
specifies that communication to the activated X Server takes place by unix:18 or by Hostname:18. |
-nobs | Disables backing store support on all screens. This is the default. |
nologo | Turns off the X Window System logo display in the screen saver. There is currently no way to change this from a client. |
-once | Instructs the server to exit after the first session ends. Normally, the server starts sessions automatically. |
-PRowColumn Display | Specifies the physical positioning of the displays in a multihead
configuration. The Row parameter indicates the row in which
the display is located. The Column parameter indicates the
column in which the display is located. The Display parameter is the device name of the display as shown in the first column of output from the Isdisp command. The first -PRowColumn Display occurrence on the command line describes screen 0 to the X Server, the second describes screen 1, and so on. The -P flag is for use with multiple head support. |
-pbuffer level [ :display name | :display number ] | Specifies the pbuffer memory allocation level for the
screen specified by :display. This flag is only useful when
used in conjunction with the GLX extension. The level parameter indicates the relative amount of frame buffer memory to be reserved for pbuffers. Specified values must be in the range of [0..2]. A value of 0 indicates that no memory should be reserved for pbuffers. A value of 1 indicates that a low amount of memory should be reserved. A value of 2 indicates that a high amount of memory should be reserved. Not all adapters support pbuffers. For those that do, not all screen configurations support pbuffers. The actual amount of frame buffer memory reserved for pbuffers is device-dependent, and may be influenced by other factors, such as screen resolution or default pixel depth. The :display parameter is optional, but useful when using the multihead option. The :display parameter is the name of the display as shown in the lsdisp command. If no display number or name is supplied, the specified pbuffer width is selected for all screens. |
-p Number | Specifies the time interval, in minutes, between changes of the X Window System logo position. This flag is used with the -s (screen saver timeout) flag to control the blanking of the screen. |
-r | Disables autorepeat. The default is autorepeat enabled. |
r | Turns on autorepeat. |
+render | Enables the X Render extension. By default,
the X Render extension is disabled. Note: X Render Extension can be
activated on the X Server only with GXT135P, GXT145, GXT4500P, and
GXT6500P graphics adapters. To check the available adapter on the
system, run the lsdisp command. Use the -vfb flag with
the virtual frame buffer along with the +render flag.
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-render | Disables the X Render extension. |
-s Number | Specifies the number of minutes to wait before blanking the screen. The default is 10 minutes. If this value is set to 0, the screen-saver is disabled. |
-secIP [PermissionCode] | Sets local access control on the internet socket. The PermissionCode is 3 octal digits which can set read, write, and execute bits. If no PermissionCode is specified after a security flag, then permission is defaulted to 0 for that socket. |
-secLocal [PermissionCode] | Sets access control on the unix socket. The PermissionCode is 3 octal digits which can set read, write, and execute bits. If no PermissionCode is specified after a security flag, then permission is defaulted to 0 for that socket. |
-secSMT [PermissionCode] | Sets access control on the shared memory transport socket. The PermissionCode is 3 octal digits which can set read, write, and execute bits. If no PermissionCode is specified after a security flag, then permission is defaulted to 0 for that socket. |
-stereo [:Display] | Configures the graphics adapter for optimum stereo support
for the screen specified by Display. Supported screens will configure the adapter to provide the best available support for stereo. This may decrease other resources such as texture memory. The actual amount of memory affected is device-dependent, and may be influenced by other factors, such as screen resolution or default pixel depth. The Display parameter is optional, but useful when using the multihead option. The Display parameter is the name of the display as shown in the lsdisp command. If no display number or name is supplied, the -stereo flag pertains to all supported screens. Unsupported screens will ignore the -stereo flag. |
-su | Disables save under support on all screens. |
-T | Disables the Ctrl+Alt+Backspace key sequence that, by default, ends the AIXwindows session and all windows opened from it. |
-t Number | Specifies the mouse threshold. The default is 2 pixels. Acceleration takes effect only if the mouse is moved beyond the mouse threshold in one time interval and only applies to the amount beyond the threshold. |
-to Number | Specifies the number of minutes to elapse between connection checks. The default is 60 minutes. A specified value must be greater than 0. |
-v | Specifies that the display be replaced with the current background color after the time specified by the -s flag expires. By default, if the -v flag is not used, the entire display is painted with the background tile after the time specified by the -s flag expires. |
-vfb | Starts the X Server with Virtual Frame Buffer (VFB), without initializing any graphics adaptor. |
-wm | Forces the default backing store of all windows to have the WhenMapped value. This is a convenient way of applying backing store to all windows. |
-wp Color | Specifies a white pixel display color. The default depends on the display. |
-wrap | Specifies the behavior of the mouse when its hotspot reaches
the left or right border or the top or bottom of any root window.
If this flag is set and the hotspot of the mouse reaches the left
border of the leftmost root window, the mouse is automatically positioned
at the right border of the rightmost root window at the same y position.
Conversely, if this flag is set and the hotspot of the mouse reaches the right border of the rightmost root window, the mouse is automatically positioned at the left border of the leftmost root window at the same y position. If this flag is not set, the mouse stops at the left or right border of any root window. If this flag is set and the hotspot of the mouse reaches the top border of the topmost root window, the mouse is positioned at the bottom border of the bottommost root window at the same x position. Conversely, if this flag is set and the hotspot of the mouse reaches the bottom border of the bottommost root window, the mouse is positioned at the top border of the topmost root window at the same x position. The -wrap flag is for use with multiple head support. |
-wrapx | Specifies the behavior of the mouse when its hotspot reaches
the left or right border of any root window. If this flag is set and
the hotspot of the mouse reaches the left border of the leftmost root
window, the mouse is positioned at the right border of the rightmost
root window at the same y position. Conversely, if this flag is set
and the hotspot of the mouse reaches the right border of the rightmost
root window, the mouse is positioned at the left border of the leftmost
root window at the same y position. If this flag is not set, the mouse
stops at the left or right border of any root window. The -wrapx flag is for use with multiple head support. |
-wrapy | Specifies the behavior of the mouse when its hotspot reaches
the top or bottom border of any root window. If this flag is set and
the hotspot of the mouse reaches the top border of the topmost root
window, the mouse is positioned at the bottom border of the bottommost
root window at the same x position. Conversely, if this flag is set and the hotspot of the mouse reaches the bottom border of the bottommost root window, the mouse is positioned at the top border of the topmost root window at the same x position. If this flag is not set, the mouse stops at the top or bottom border of any root window. The -wrapy flag is for use with multiple head support. |
-x ExtensionName | Specifies that the extension name should be loaded when the server is initialized. This is particularly useful for large extensions, such as the Display PostScript Level 2 (dps). This flag can be specified more than once with multiple extension names. |
-query HostName | Enables Enhanced X-Windows Display
Manager Control Protocol (XDMCP) and sends a Query packet
to the specified host. The -query flag is for use with XDMCP. |
-broadcast | Enables XDMCP and broadcasts BroadcastQuery packets
to the network. The first responding display manager is chosen for
the session. The -broadcast flag is for use with XDMCP. |
-indirect HostName | Enables XDMCP and sends IndirectQuery packets
to the specified host. The -indirect flag is for use with XDMCP. |
-port PortNumber | Specifies an alternative port number for XDMCP. This
flag must be specified before any -query, -broadcast,
or -indirect flags. Normally, the server starts sessions one
after another. This flag causes the server to exit after the first
session ends. The -port flag is for use with XDMCP. |
-class DisplayClass | Sets the value for an additional display qualifier used by XDMCP in
resource lookup for display-specific options. The -class flag is for use with XDMCP. |
-cookie XDMAuthenticationBits | Specifies a private key to be shared between the server and
the manager when testing XDM-AUTHENTICATION-1. The -cookie flag is for use with XDMCP. |
-displayID DisplayID | Allows the display manager to identify each display so that
it can locate the shared key specified by the -cookie flag.
The -displayID flag is for use with XDMCP. |
+/- xinerama | Enable/Disable panoramic screen or Virtual Large Screen (VLS). Allows users to treat all heads in a multihead environment as a large screen. |
Xkeyboard Flags
Item | Description |
---|---|
-xkbdir Directory | Specifies the base directory for the keyboard layout files. |
-xkbmap FileName | Specifies the keyboard description to load on startup. |
[+|-]accessx | Enables (+) or disables (-) AccessX key sequences. |
-ar1 Milliseconds | Sets the length of time in milliseconds that a key must be pressed before autorepeat starts. |
-ar2 Milliseconds | Sets the length of time in milliseconds that should elapse between autorepeat generated keystrokes. |
Security Extension Flags
Item | Description |
---|---|
-sp FileName | Causes the server to attempt to read and interpret FileName as
a security policy file with the format described below. The file is
read at server startup and reread at each server reset. The syntax of the security policy file is as follows. Notation: "*" means zero or more occurrences of the preceding element, and "+" means one or more occurrences. To interpret foo/bar, ignore the text after the /; it is used to distinguish between instances of foo in the next section.
Character sets:
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The semantics associated with the previously described syntax are as follows.
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$X -T -force :0 -vfb -d 32 +render
In
this example, the X Server will use the Virtual Frame Buffer (VFB)
for rendering instead of using the physical graphics adaptor.