[Newbie]XF86 4.2.0 /etc/ttys ?

[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

 



On Mon, 1 Apr 2002 22:31:47 -0800 (PST)
Peter Leftwich <Hostmaster@Video2Video.Com> wrote:

> Sorry, my XFree86 4.2.0 woes revisited... Can a couple of you post
> sample lines from your /etc/ttys files that show either the "off"
> console method or the "xdm -session -nodaemon etc" method please?
> 
> My /etc/ttys file currently has some commented-out seemingly junk
> lines:

> #ttyv7  "/usr/X11R6/bin/xdm -nodaemon -error
> /usr/X11R6/xdm_errors.log" xterm on secure

> #ttyv8  "/usr/X11R6/bin/xdm -error /usr/X11R6/xdm_errors.log -session
> startkde" xterm   off secure

I use:

ttyv8   "/usr/X11R6/bin/xdm -nodaemon" xterm on secure

I'm disturbed that your ttyv8 line above doesn't say "-nodaemon", but
that can be specified in the xdm-config file or the Xresources file. 
The default configuration file is in /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/xdm, but the
normal way with FreeBSD 4.x and XFree86 4.x is for that path to be a
symlink to /etc/X11/xdm, so all your configuration lives under /etc
where it belongs (and all log files live under /var where they belong). 
"man xdm" explains all the xdm configuration.  "man ttys" explains the
/etc/ttys file.  Note that the word "off" in the fourth field disables
the line as if it's commented out.

> And what's all this I hear about CTRL-Alt-F# to change from console to
> X?

Try it, you'll like it.  ;-)

> And what's this I hear about using wrapper if you are non-root?  Once
> the startx script or the XFree86 binary is run from the command line,
> is the user taken automatically into a GUI environment, or must the
> user then*change* to the virtual console/screen on which the X-server
> is running?

The X server needs root permissions to open its log file and the
display, keyboard, and mouse.  An Xserver is a big, complex program, so
it's not a good idea to give it setuid.  Xwrapper is a small, simple
program that is given setuid so it can open those things, then it gives
up root permission and starts the Xserver, passing it the files already
opened.

But that's only an issue if you want users to be able to start the X
server themselves.  Since you have the multiple virtual terminals (see
Ctl+Alt+Fn above) there's no need for that.  If you turn xdm "on" in
/etc/ttys, then init will start xdm which then will start the X server,
all running as root.  xdm takes care of all the permission switching
stuff, so there's no need for Xwrapper.

-- 
Remember, more computing power was thrown away last week than existed in
the world in 1982.  -- http://www.tom.womack.net/computing/prices.html




[Index of Archives]     [XFree86]     [Xfree86 Xpert]     [X.org]     [IETF Annouce]     [Security]     [Bugtraq]     [Yosemite]     [MIPS Linux]     [ARM Linux]     [Picture Sharing]     [Linux Security]     [Linux RAID]

  Powered by Linux