Computing Resources in ESCI

Unix Software: System: X Windows (X11R6)

Description

X Windows is the backbone of most Unix Graphical User Interfaces (GUI's). It is often referred to as X Windows, X-Win, X11, or just X.
For the most part, the user doesn't ever run X manually, instead, it is started automatically when you log into a Unix machine. If you are looking to customize your GUI, you are actually probably more interested in customizing the window manager than X itself. However, there are some X features that can be customized by editing various configuration files, most notably .xinitrc or .Xdefaults. These files reside in your home directory (and, because they start with a ., are not displayed when doing a normal ls command; use ls -a to see them. (Do not worry if you only see one of the two files.) PLEASE be sure that you know what you are doing before changing the contents of these files!

Commands

Many of these programs are not really a part of X Windows per se, however, they reside in the /usr/site/X11/bin directory and you may find them useful:

X - the actual X window system software.
Xsun - the version of X used on Sun/Solaris machines.
XsunMono - supports only monochrome screens.
appres [[class [instance]] [-1] [toolkitoptions] - list application resource database.
atobm [ -chars cc ] [ -name variable ] [ -xhot number ] [-yhot number ] [ filename ] - convert an ASCII string to a bitmap.
auto_box - display a rotating cube.
bdftopcf [-option ...] font-file.bdf -convert font from Bitmap Distribution Format to Portable Compiled Format
beach_ball - display a bouncing beach ball.
bitmap [ -options ... ] [ filename ] [ basename ] - create rudimentary bitmaps.
bmtoa [ -chars ... ] [ filename ] - translate a bitmap file to an ASCII string.
constype - determine type(s) of installed framebuffers.
editres [ -toolkitoption ...] - dynamic resource editor for X Toolkit applications.
fs [-config configuration_file] [-port tcp_port] - X font server
fsinfo [-server servername] - font server information utility.
fslsfonts[-options ...] [-fn pattern] - server font list displayer for X font server.
fstobdf -fn fontname [-option ...] - BDF font generator.
ico [-display display] [-geometry geometry] [-r] [-d pat- tern] [-i] [-dbl] [-faces] [-noedges] [-sleep n] [-obj object] [-objhelp] [-colors color-list] - animate an icosahedron or other polyhedreon.
imake [ -Ddefine ] [ -Idir ] [ -Ttemplate ] [ -f filename ] [ -s filename ] [ -e ] [ -v ] - C preprocessor interface to the make utility.
kbd_mode [ -a -e -n -u ] - recover the SUn console keyboard.
kbdtype [-brief] [-kbd device] - print the type of Sun keyboard.
listres [-option ...] - list resources in widgets.
lndir fromdir [todir] - reate a shadow directory of symbolic links to another directory tree.
makedepend [ -Dname=def ] [ -Dname ] [ -Iincludedir ] [ -a ] [ -fmakefile ] [ -oobjsuffix ] [ -pobjprefix ] [ -sstring ] [ -wwidth ] [ - - otheroptions - - ] sourcefile ... - create dependencies in makefiles.
maze [ -S ] [ -r ] [ -g geometry ] [ -d display ] - an automated X11 demo repeatedly creating and solving a random maze.
mkdirhier directory ... - makes a directory heirarchy.
mkfontdir [directory-names] - reate fonts.dir file from directory of font files.
oclock [-option ...] - display time of day.
plbpex [-options] verb_file_name(s) - picture level benchmark program.
puzzle [-option ...] - 15-puzzle game for X.
resize [-u] [-s [row col]] - utility to set TERMCAP and terminal settings to current window size.
sessreg [-w wtmp-file] [-u utmp-file] [-l line-name] [-h host-name] [-s slot-number] [-x Xservers-file] [-t ttys- file] [-a] [-d] user-name - manage utmp/wtmp entries for non-init clients.
showfont [-options ...] [-fn pattern] - font dumper for X font server
showrgb [ database ] - uncompile an rgb color-name database.
startx [ [ client ] options ... ] [ -- [ server ] options ... ] - initialize an X session.
sxpm [-d displayname] [-g geometry] [-hints] [-icon filename] [-s symbol color_name] [-p symbol pixel_value] [-in filename] [-out filename] [-stdin] [-stdout] [-nod] [-rgb filename] - Show an XPM (X PixMap) file and/or convert XPM2 files to XPM version 3.
viewres [-option ...] - graphical class browser for Xt
x11perf [ -option ... ] - X11 server performance test program
x11perfcomp [ -r | -ro ] [ -l label_file ] files - X11 server performance comparison program
xauth [-f authfile] [-vqib] [command arg...] - X authority file utility
xbiff [-toolkitoption ...] [-option ...] - mailbox flag for X
xcalc [-stipple] [-rpn] [-toolkitoption...] - scientific calculator for X
xclipboard [ -toolkitoption ...] [-w] [-nw] - X clipboard client.
xclock [-toolkitoption ...] [-help] [-analog] [-digital] [-chime] [-hd color] [-hl color] [-update seconds] [-padding number] - analog / digital clock for X.
xcmsdb [-option ...] [filename] - Xlib Screen Color Characterization Data utility.
xcmstest [-display displayname] - XCMS test program.
xconsole xconsole[-toolkitoption ...] [-file file-name] [-notify] [-stripNonprint] [-daemon] [-verbose] [-exitOnFail] - monitor system console messages.
xcutsel [ -toolkitoption ...] [-selection selection] [-cut-buffer number] - interchange between cut buffer and selection.
xditview [ -toolkitoption ... ] [ -option ... ] [ filename ] - display ditroff output.
xdm [-config configuration_file] [-daemon] [-debug debug_level] [-error error_log_file] [-nodaemon] [-resources resource_file] [-server server_entry] [-session session_program] [-xrm resource_specification] - X Display Manager.
xdpr [ filename ] [ -display host:display ] [ -Pprinter ] [ -device devtype ] [ option ... ] - ump an X window directly to a printer.
xdpyinfo [-display displayname] - isplay information utility for X.
xedit [ -toolkitoption ... ] [ filename ] - simple text editor for X.
xev [-display displayname] [-geometry geom] [-bw pixels] [-bs {NotUseful,WhenMapped,Always}] [-id windowid] [-s] [-name string] [-rv] - print contents of X events.
xeyes [-option ...] - follow the mouse X demo.
xfd [-options ...] -fn fontname - display all the characters in an X font.
xfontsel [-toolkitoption ...] [-pattern fontname] [-print] [-sample text] [-sample16 text16] [-noscaled] - point & click interface for selecting X11 font names.
xgas [-option ...] - animated simulation of an ideal gas.
xgc [-toolkitoption ...] - X graphics demo.
xhost [[+-]name ...] - server access control program for X.
xinit [ [ client ] options ] [ -- [ server ] [ display ] options ] - X Window System initializer.
xkill [-display displayname] [-id resource] [-button number] [-frame] [-all] - kill a client by its X resource.
xload [-toolkitoption ...] [-scale integer] [-update seconds] [-hl color] [-highlight color] [-jumpscroll pixels] [-label string] [-nolabel] [-lights] - system load average display for X.
xlogo -toolkitoption ...] - X Window System logo.
xlsatoms [-options ...] - list interned atoms defined on server.
xlsclients[-display displayname] [-a] [-l] [-m maxcmdlen] - list client applications running on a display.
xlsfonts [-options ...] [-fn pattern] - server font list displayer for X.
xmag [ -mag magfactor ] [ -source geom ] [ -toolkitoption ... ] - magnify parts of the screen.
xman [ -options ... ] - Manual page display program for the X Window System.
xmh [-path mailpath] [-initial foldername] [-flag] [-toolkitoption ...] - send and read mail with an X interface to MH.
xmkmf [ -a ] [ topdir [ curdir ] ] - create a Makefile from an Imakefile.
xmodmap [-options ...] [filename] - utility for modifying keymaps in X
xon remote-host [-access] [-debug] [-name window-name] [-nols] [-screen screen-no] [-user user-name] [command ...] - start an X program on a remote machine.
xpostit [ -toolkitoptions ... ] [ -options ... ] - X window system Post-it(R) notes.
xpr [ -device devtype ] [ -scale scale ] [ -height inches ] [ -width inches ] [ -left inches ] [ -top inches ] [ -header string ] [ -trailer string ] [ -landscape ] [ -portrait ] [ -plane number ] [ -gray ] [ -rv ] [ -compact ] [ -output filename ] [ -append filename ] [ -noff ] [ -split n ] [ -psfig ] [ -density dpi ] [ -cutoff level ] [ -noposition ] [ -gamma correction ] [ -render algorithm ] [ -slide ] [ filename ] - print an X window dump.
xprop [-help] [-grammar] [-id id] [-root] [-name name] [-frame] [-font font] [-display display] [-len n] [-notype] [-fs file] [-remove property-name] [-spy] [-f atom format [dformat]]* [format [dformat] atom]* - property displayer for X.
xrdb [-option ...] [filename] - X server resource database utility.
xrefresh [-option ...] -refresh all or part of an X screen.
xrlogin [-l username] [-telnet] [xterm options] remote-host - start an xterm that uses rlogin or telnet to connect to a remote host.
xrsh [ -l username ] [ -auth authtype ] [ -screen screen-# ] [ -pass envlist ] [ -debug ] [ -debug2 ] remote-host [ X-command [ arguments ... ] ] - start an X program on a remote machine.
xset xset [-display display] [-b] [b on/off] [b [volume [pitch [duration]]] [[-]bc] [-c] [c on/off] [c [volume]] [[-+]fp[-+=] path[,path[,...]]] [fp default] [fp rehash] [[-]led [integer]] [led on/off] [m[ouse] [accel_mult[/accel_div] [threshold]]] [m[ouse] default] [p pixel color] [[-]r] [r on/off] [s [length [period]]] [s blank/noblank] [s expose/noexpose] [s on/off] [s default] [q] - user preference utility for X.
xsetroot [-help] [-def] [-display display] [-cursor cursor- file maskfile] [-cursor_name cursorname] [-bitmap filename] [-mod x y] [-gray] [-grey] [-fg color] [-bg color] [-rv] [-solid color] [-name string] - root window parameter setting utility for X
xstdcmap [-all] [-best] [-blue] [-default] [-delete map] [-display display] [-gray] [-green] [-help] [-red] [-verbose] - X standard colormap utility.
xterm [-toolkitoption ...] [-option ...] - terminal emulator for X.
xwd -debug] [-help] [-nobdrs] [-out file] [-xy] [-frame] [-add value] [-root | -id id | -name name ] [-icmap] [-screen] [-display display] - dump an image of an X window.
xwininfo[-help] [-id id] [-root] [-name name] [-int] [-children] [-tree] [-stats] [-bits] [-events] [-size] [-wm] [-shape] [-frame] [-all] [-english] [-metric] [-display display] - window information utility for X.
xwud [-in file] [-noclick] [-geometry geom] [-display display] [-new] [-std maptype] [-raw] [-vis vis-type-or-id][-help] [-rv] [-plane number] [-fg color] [-bg color] - image displayer for X.

Documentation

X Windows Web Directory - a long list of links to X-related web pages.
X Glossary - a dictionary of X terms.
X Consortium - the "official" X site.

See Also

X Windows


Questions? Comments? Please contact Mary Cochran.