From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Mon Sep 22 11:33:26 2003 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 2D31016A4E4 for ; Mon, 22 Sep 2003 11:33:26 -0700 (PDT) Received: from anon.securenym.net (anon.securenym.net [209.113.101.100]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 9D3A543FF5 for ; Mon, 22 Sep 2003 11:33:24 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from dincht@securenym.net) Received: (from root@localhost) by anon.securenym.net (8.11.7/8.11.7) id h8MIUn106565 for freebsd-questions@freebsd.org.filtered; Mon, 22 Sep 2003 13:30:49 -0500 (CDT) Message-Id: <200309221830.h8MIUn106565@anon.securenym.net> X-Securenym: dincht From: "C. Ulrich" To: Fredrik =?ISO-8859-1?Q?Carl=E9n?= In-Reply-To: References: Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Organization: The Peter Jennings Fan Club Mime-Version: 1.0 Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2003 14:29:34 -0400 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-MIME-Autoconverted: from quoted-printable to 8bit by anon.securenym.net id h8MITYg06457 cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: XFree86 configuration process X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2003 18:33:26 -0000 On Mon, 2003-09-22 at 06:28, Fredrik Carlén wrote: > Hello! I would like one of two things (inclusive OR, down below!): > - A pointer such as an URL to a resource where the details of the X server > and configuration is explained in an understandable way, > > Or > > - An explanation as to how to use the xf86cfg tool so the end product is a > usable graphic interface. > > I have installed FreeBSD now for about 5 years on different machines, and > I find that later it has become increasingly difficult to configurate X. > For me, it's more or less a trial-and-error process (if this doesn't work, > then does *this*?, etc...) I admit that I don't understand X very well. I > don't see why I would have to, either. Unfortunately, knowing how XFree86 works is still pretty much required knowledge for anybody setting up a UNIXish machine. Rather than mess with fussy GUI configuration apps (which have almost never worked for me), I highly recommend learning the XF86Config so you can simply modify it by hand. There are good references all around that explain in detail the format of XF86Config that can be found for free on the net or bought in dead-tree format. The good news is that the XF86Config file isn't terribly difficult to understand once you've got the hang of it. Your best bet is to take a generic XF86Config file that shipped with the OS (or have a fancy GUI configuration tool create one) and then hack that one by hand until everything works. > Now, I "$ startx" and, fine, my fluxbox Window Mangler came up once. Then > it didn't want to start. *When* it started, I had 1600xSomething in > screen resolution. *Not* what I wanted...I don't know, I am about to give > up in favour maybe of something as pusillanimous as Red Hat :) > > /Fredrik Carlén, Stockholm, Sweden. Sounds like you've got some additional issues with your system. However, simply swithing to another OS isn't likely to solve all of your problems since Red Hat and other mainstream Linux distros use XFree86 too. If you go to another OS, do so because you want a different feature set than FreeBSD provides (such as ease of setup) rather than because you can't get XFree86 to work. Whatever path you take, good luck! C. Ulrich -- http://bityard.net