On Wed, Aug 17, 2005 at 11:01:51PM -0400, Jim Cornette wrote: >> Lokrin wrote: >> >> >>> Applications --> System tools -->> New Login >> >> >>> This will let you open different users for different consoles. >> >>> There are items like sound that don't work well on the new login, >> >>> but it is handy for running KDE or XFCE in one console and Gnome in >> >>> the other. >> >> >> The command-line version of this (for those who are into such >> >> things) might be "X :1 -query <machinename> -once". I say "might >> >> be" because I just tried this on my newly-installed FC4 system, and >> >> got (1) a blank screen with a little X in the middle, and (2) error >> >> messages when I went back to the original screen (with >> >> control-alt-F7). >> >> That is because you are launching X without a windowmanager. (KDE, >> GNOME, XFCE). Startx is a script that sets up things and also launches >> your preferred window manager. X by itself does what you were seeing and >> is normal. Well .... On all the systems where I've used this before, "X :1 -query <machinename>" launches whatever graphical login screen would be presented on <machinename> if one were sitting in front of its console. And when I do this now, after making the changes described above and making the additional change to VTAllocation in gdm.conf (as described in another post), "X :1 -query localhost" launches .... well, it's not the "normal" graphical login screen, but it's *a* graphical login screen. Based on comments in gdm.conf, I think this must be gdmlogin, where gdmgreeter is the "normal" graphical login. >> >> I also tried it from a text console, with the same >> >> result. So I tried your GNOME-GUI way, described above, and that >> >> didn't work either, though the symptoms were slightly different -- >> >> blank screen with a cursor at the top, very similar to what was >> >> happening with the text consoles before I applied the "copy >> >> libvgahw.a from an FC3 system" fix discussed recently in this list. >> >> If one version of X, (either launched from the startx script or from a >> display manager (gdm, kdm, xdm) there is probably an issue not related >> to libvgahw.a >> Yes, I think so too. I now think that this problem was either (1) me not realizing that the new session was on vt9 and not vt8, or (2) the fact that apparently starting gdmflexiserver immediately puts vt7 in "screensaver" mode (blank screen, pressing return brings up screensaver's "enter password to unlock" prompt). >> >>>>>> The properties in the command is the command >> >> >> >> >> Update / some mysteries solved: >> >> >> >> (*) On my system gdmflexiserver starts a second graphical session, >> >> but on virtual terminal 9, not 8. (*) "X :1 -query localhost -once" >> >> also does *something* with virtual terminal 9, but whatever it is >> >> is not a huge success -- I get a blank screen with a little "X" in >> >> the middle. >> >> Explained above. you launched the server with no manager. I don't think so. I think this had to do with such sessions being disabled (via settings in gdm.conf, see next paragraph), since when I made the change to enable them, and also set VTAllocation=false, it started working as I thought it should, and as it has on other systems I've used. >> >> (*) The following lines appear in /etc/X11/gdm/gdm.conf: >> >> >> >> [xdmcp] # Distributions: Ship with this off. It is never a safe >> >> thing to leave # out on the net. Setting up /etc/hosts.allow and >> >> /etc/hosts.deny to only # allow local access is another alternative >> >> but not the safest. # Firewalling port 177 is the safest if you >> >> wish to have xdmcp on. # Read the manual for more notes on the >> >> security of XDMCP. #Enable=false >> >> >> >> I *think*, but I'm not sure, that all of this started working >> >> better when I changed "#Enable=false" to "Enable=true". Based on >> >> the comments, it does seem that "X :1 -query" won't work without >> >> this change. >> >> >> >> I never adjusted anything in gdm.conf manually. But you don't use "X :1 -query", right? >> >> >> >> Further questions: >> >> >> >> (*) Why do these second X sessions use virtual terminal 9 rather >> >> than 8? >> >> I couldn't answer the why. I noticed this behavoir on one of the many >> computers that I setup with Fedora. Most computers that I tried were F8 >> for the second instance of X. Interesting. This changed for me after I set VTAllocation=false in gdm.conf. >> >> (*) Why does "X :1 -query" still not work? >> >> It does work. This is X w/o a window manager. See above. >> >> (*) Where is the "-query" option to "X" documented, anyway? It >> >> doesn't seem to be in the man page for the "X" command. >> >> The thought never crossed my mind until your query. I'll have to >> investigate if it is even a legitimate option. Google "X :1 -query", and/or look at comments in gdm.conf (search for "-query"). It may not be well-documented, but it appears to be legit. -- blm
