NAME

       xinit - X Window System initializer

SYNOPSIS

       xinit [ [ client ] options ... ] [ -- [ server ] [ display ] options ... ]

DESCRIPTION

       The  xinit program is used to start the X Window System server and a first client program on systems that
       are not using a display manager such as xdm(1) or in environments that use multiple window systems.  When
       this first client exits, xinit will kill the X server and then terminate.

       If no specific client program is given on the command line, xinit will look for a file in the user's home
       directory called .xinitrc to run as a shell script to start up client programs.  If no such file  exists,
       xinit will use the following as a default:

            xterm  -geometry  +1+1  -n  login  -display  :0

       If no specific server program is given on the command line, xinit will look for a file in the user's home
       directory  called  .xserverrc  to  run as a shell script to start up the server.  If no such file exists,
       xinit will use the following as a default:

            X  :0

       Note that this assumes that  there  is  a  program  named  X  in  the  current  search  path.   The  site
       administrator  should, therefore, make a link to the appropriate type of server on the machine, or create
       a shell script that runs xinit with the appropriate server.

       Note, when using a .xserverrc script be sure to ``exec'' the real X server.  Failing to do this can  make
       the X server slow to start and exit.  For example:

            exec Xdisplaytype

       An  important point is that programs which are run by .xinitrc should be run in the background if they do
       not exit right away, so that they don't prevent other programs from starting up.  However, the last long-
       lived program started (usually a window manager or terminal emulator) should be left in the foreground so
       that the script won't exit (which indicates that the user is done and that xinit should exit).

       An alternate client and/or server may be specified on the command line.  The desired client  program  and
       its  arguments  should  be  given  as the first command line arguments to xinit.  To specify a particular
       server command line, append a double dash (--) to the xinit command line (after any client and arguments)
       followed by the desired server command.

       Both the client program name and the server program name must begin with a slash (/)  or  a  period  (.).
       Otherwise, they are treated as an arguments to be appended to their respective startup lines.  This makes
       it possible to add arguments (for example, foreground and background colors) without having to retype the
       whole command line.

       If  an explicit server name is not given and the first argument following the double dash (--) is a colon
       followed by a digit, xinit will use that number as the display number instead  of  zero.   All  remaining
       arguments are appended to the server command line.

EXAMPLES

       Below are several examples of how command line arguments in xinit are used.

       xinit   This  will  start up a server named X and run the user's .xinitrc, if it exists, or else start an
               xterm.

       xinit -- /usr/bin/Xvnc  :1
               This is how one could start a specific type of server on an alternate display.

       xinit -geometry =80x65+10+10 -fn 8x13 -j -fg white -bg navy
               This will start up a server named X, and will append the given arguments  to  the  default  xterm
               command.  It will ignore .xinitrc.

       xinit -e widgets -- ./Xorg -l -c
               This  will  use  the  command  ./Xorg  -l -c to start the server and will append the arguments -e
               widgets to the default xterm command.

       xinit /usr/bin/ssh -X fasthost cpupig --  :1 -a 2 -t 5
               This will start a server named X on display 1 with the arguments -a 2 -t 5.  It will then start a
               remote shell on the machine fasthost in which it will run  the  command  cpupig,  telling  it  to
               display back on the local workstation.

       Below  is a sample .xinitrc that starts a clock, several terminals, and leaves the window manager running
       as the ``last'' application.  Assuming that the window manager has been  configured  properly,  the  user
       then chooses the ``Exit'' menu item to shut down X.

               xrdb -load $HOME/.Xresources
               xsetroot -solid gray &
               xclock -g 50x50-0+0 -bw 0 &
               xload -g 50x50-50+0 -bw 0 &
               xterm -g 80x24+0+0 &
               xterm -g 80x24+0-0 &
               twm

       Sites  that  want  to  create  a  common  startup environment could simply create a default .xinitrc that
       references a site-wide startup file:

               #!/bin/sh
               . /etc/X11/xinit/site.xinitrc

       Another approach is to write a script that starts xinit with a specific shell script.  Such  scripts  are
       usually  named  x11,  xstart, or startx and are a convenient way to provide a simple interface for novice
       users:

               #!/bin/sh
               xinit /etc/X11/xinit/site.xinitrc -- /usr/bin/X -br

ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES

       DISPLAY        This variable gets set to the name of the display to which clients should connect.

       XINITRC        This variable specifies an init file containing shell commands to  start  up  the  initial
                      windows.  By default, .xinitrc in the home directory will be used.

FILES

       .xinitrc       default client script

       xterm          client to run if .xinitrc does not exist

       .xserverrc     default server script

       X              server to run if .xserverrc does not exist

SEE ALSO

       X(7), startx(1), Xserver(1), Xorg(1), xorg.conf(5), xterm(1)

AUTHOR

       Bob Scheifler, MIT Laboratory for Computer Science

X Version 11                                       xinit 1.4.2                                          XINIT(1)