XF86Config

XF86Config

You know how much I love the command line and manually configuring my settings. I use GUI tools where necessary but, for the most part, like to have at least a firsthand understanding of how these configurations work. That means digging into the files themselves, throwing caution to the wind, and making configuration changes by hand until the result is what I’m looking for. It’s my opinion that I get a far better understanding of Linux by first learning the “manual” method.

For the next few days, we’re going to dig into the XF86Config file; the heart of your X Window server. There are, indeed, tools that make this configuration easier. Don’t fool yourself, though. The pretty way isn’t necessarily the way to learn the subtelties of the process. Nor is it the way to make those finely tuned changes that make your system truly your own. Since those two concepts - learning the Linux OS and configuring it meet your needs and tastes - have been at the core of Penguin Shell since its inception, I hope you’ll strap in and come along for the ride the next few days.

For today, a bit of review is in order. You’ll remeber that X Window is a layer of instructions for creating a graphical interface. More importanly, it runs in a way that’s independent of the Linux kernel. If you’re unclear on how that works, try this: in your running Linux system, hit the ctrl-alt-backspace key combination. Your desktop will disappear and, most likely, reappear with a login screen. You’ve just killed and restarted X Window - without killing the running kernel. More evidence of X Window’s independence from the kerel lies in the ctrl-alt-Fx key combination. Go ahead and press ctrl-alt-F1. This time, your desktop goes away without returning. You’ll see a console login screen, from which you can login and perform any command line operation you’d like. To return to the running X Window session, use the ctrl-alt-F7 combination. Your desktop will reappear without complaint. The fact that you can actually run your system from a console window without the aid of a desktop is evidence enough of the independence of X Window from the kernel. That’s an impossibility in the Redmond Giant’s OS. The separation of the two leaves the kernel to do those things it does best, unencumbered by building windows and tracking user interaction.

As you’ve probably guessed, X Window is completely configurable via a simple text file. That file is named XF86Config and can be found in the /etc/X11 directory. It’s a bit daunting to look at. There are lots of entries that seem to make no sense. That is, until you’ve read the upcoming issues of Penguin Shell. We’ll walk through those entries over the next few days, so stay tuned.