X Power Tools

Table of Contents

Preface

Part I. The X Server

1. Introduction to the X Window System

      1.1 The X Window System

      1.2 The History of X

      1.3 The Renaissance: New X Versus Old X

      1.4 X by Any Other Name

      1.5 Seven Layers of an X-based GUI

      1.6 Where Is the Server?

      1.7 Why Windows Look and Act Differently
      1.8 Toolkits and Desktop Environments

      1.9 The Role of Freedesktop.org

      1.10 Display Hardware

      1.11 Displays, Screens, and Xinerama

      1.12 Display Specifications

      1.13 TCP/IP Ports

      1.14 Local Connection Mechanisms

      1.15 Server Extensions

      1.16 Where to Draw the Line: Kernel Versus User-Space Drivers

2. Starting a Local X Server

      2.1 One Size Doesn't Fit All

      2.2 Virtual Terminals

      2.3 Starting a Raw X Server Manually

      2.4 Using a Display Manager to Start the X Server

      2.5 Enabling or Disabling the Display Manager at Boot Time

      2.6 What Started the Display Manager?

      2.7 Starting Multiple X Servers Using a Display Manager

      2.8 Starting Additional X Servers on Demand Using   a Display Manager

      2.9 Starting an X Server with Clients Only When Needed

      2.10 Switching VTs from the Shell Prompt

      2.11 Starting X Within X

      2.12 No Mouse!

      2.13 Bailing Out: Zapping X

      2.14 Terminating X Automatically

3. Basic X.org Configuration

      3.1 What Is There to Configure?

      3.2 Why Only root Can Configure the X Server

      3.3 Places Your Configuration Could Hide

      3.4 Let the X Server Configure Itself

      3.5 The xorg.conf Configuration File

      3.6 Optional Sections in the xorg.conf Configuration File

      3.7 Configuring the Pointer Device

      3.8 Configuring a Two-Button Mouse

      3.9 Configuring a Mouse with a Scrollwheel

      3.10 Configuring a Synaptics TouchPad

      3.11 Enabling DPMS

      3.12 Configuring Video Card Driver Options

      3.13 LightSteelBlue and Other Color Names

      3.14 Configuring a Monitor's Scan Rates

      3.15 Reading Server Log Files

      3.16 Configuring the Default Depth of a Screen

      3.17 Configuring the Resolution of a Screen

4. Advanced X.org Configuration

      4.1 Multi-Screen Configuration

      4.2 Xinerama Configuration

      4.3 Differences Between Multi-Screen and Xinerama Modes

      4.4 Positioning Screens

      4.5 Overlapping Xinerama

      4.6 Scrolling Virtual Screens and Xinerama

      4.7 Using Multiple Outputs from One Video Card

      4.8 Parallel Pointing Devices

      4.9 Parallel Keyboards

      4.10 Using X with GPM or MOUSED

5. Using the X Server

      5.1 Interacting with the X Server

      5.2 Changing Resolution On-the-Fly

      5.3 Changing the Resolution and the Screen Size Dynamically

      5.4 Using the Middle Mouse Button

      5.5 Using the Clipboard

      5.6 Keyboard Focus

      5.7 Keyboard and Mouse Grabs

Part II. X Clients

6. X Utility Programs

      6.1 The Unused Toolbox

      6.2 Determine the Display Configuration

      6.3 Getting Window Information

      6.4 Viewing Server Settings

      6.5 Control That Bell!

      6.6 Adjusting the Keyboard Repeat Rate

      6.7 Adjusting the Mouse Acceleration

      6.8 Playing with the Lights

      6.9 Killing a Rogue Client

      6.10 Examining Part of the Display in Detail

      6.11 Script a Screen Dump

      6.12 Preventing the Screen from Blanking During Presentations

      6.13 Eye Candy: xscreensaver

      6.14 Redrawing the Screen

7. Running X Clients

      7.1 Running X Clients

      7.2 Background Operation

      7.3 Geometry

      7.4 Split Personality: Running Nongraphical Applications

8. Session Managers, Desktop Environments,            and Window Managers

      8.1 X and Desktop Environments

      8.2 Session Managers

      8.3 Virtual Desktops

      8.4 Starting GNOME

      8.5 Starting KDE

      8.6 Starting Xfce

      8.7 Using a Window Manager Alone

Part III. Colors, Fonts, and Keyboards

9. Color

      9.1 RGB and Other Color Systems

      9.2 Visuals

      9.3 Gamma

      9.4 Color Management Systems

10. Core Fonts: Fonts the Old Way

      10.1 Old Fonts Versus New Fonts

      10.2 Configuring the Font Path

      10.3 Using a Font Server

      10.4 Font Names

      10.5 Installing and Removing Fonts

11. Pango, Xft, Fontconfig, and Render: Fonts            the New Way

      11.1 Client-Side Fonts

      11.2 Adding and Removing Fonts Manually

      11.3 Adding and Removing Fonts Using GNOME

      11.4 Adding and Removing Fonts Using KDE

      11.5 Fontconfig Font Names

      11.6 Fontconfig Utilities

      11.7 Installing the Microsoft Fonts

      11.8 Rendering Options

12. Keyboard Configuration

      12.1 Keyboards and XKB

      12.2 The Location of XKB Files

      12.3 XKB Components

      12.4 Selecting an XKB Keymap Using Rules

      12.5 Using Keyboard Groups

      12.6 Setting the Keymap in the xorg.conf File

      12.7 Setting the Keymap from the Command Line

      12.8 Setting the Keymap Using a Keyboard Configuration File

      12.9 Compiling Keyboard Maps

      12.10 Viewing or Printing a Keyboard Layout

Part IV. Using X Remotely

13. Remote Access

      13.1 Network Transparency

      13.2 Displaying on a Remote Server

      13.3 Enabling Remote Sessions

      13.4 Accessing a Remote Session on a Specific Host

      13.5 Accessing a Remote Session on Any Available Host

      13.6 Accessing a Remote Session from a List of Available Sessions

      13.7 The Three Challenges of Remote Access

      13.8 Host-Based Access Control

      13.9 xauth and Magic Cookies

      13.10 The X Security Extension

      13.11 Low-Bandwidth X (LBX)

      13.12 X Tunneling with SSH

      13.13 Using Public Keys with SSH

      13.14 Using Passphrase Protection of SSH Keys

      13.15 OpenSSH and the SECURITY Extension

14. Using VNC

      14.1 The VNC System

      14.2 So Many VNC Versions!

      14.3 Xvnc Basics

      14.4 The vncserver Script

      14.5 Using the VNC Viewers

      14.6 Using Standing VNC Servers

      14.7 Configuring the Xvnc Web Server

      14.8 Customizing the VNC Java Applet Web Page

      14.9 Starting VNC On Demand Using xinetd

      14.10 Starting VNC On Demand Using inetd

      14.11 Using the Java Applet with On-Demand VNC Servers

      14.12 Accessing VNC Securely Using SSH

      14.13 Embedding an X Application in a Web Page

      14.14 Using KDE and Gnome Remote DesktopAccess Tools

      14.15 Using the VNC Extension to the X.Org Server

      14.16 Using VNC to Share a Presentation

      14.17 Bypassing a Firewall

Part V. Special Configurations

15. Building a Kiosk

      15.1 What Is a Kiosk, and Why Do I Want One?

      15.2 Selecting Kiosk Hardware

      15.3 Configure X for a Kiosk

      15.4 Controlling the Keyboard

      15.5 Controlling the Mouse

      15.6 Starting a Single Fullscreen Application

      15.7 Network Status Monitoring

      15.8 Using xscreensaver to Reset a Kiosk

      15.9 Refining the Kiosk Appearance

      15.10 Putting It All Together: Scripting a Kiosk

      15.11 Booting a Kiosk

      15.12 Creating a Video Wall

Index