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linux-unix130.linux.and.unix.ebooks130 linux and unix ebookslinuxLearning Linux - Collection of 12 E

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<NOTE>To simplify the directory structure for XFree86, links to a directory called /usr/X11 usually are created. This directory can then be linked to /usr/X386 and /usr/X11R6. Check your directory structure to determine which links are in place on your system. Also check your PATH environment variable to see which directory is in the search path (if one has been added at all).</NOTE>



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<FONT SIZE=4 COLOR="#FF0000"><B>Choosing an X Server</B></FONT></CENTER></H4>



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<P>Before installing XFree86, you must decide which type of server you will use. The XFree86 servers are drivers for the video system. As a GUI, X uses the video card in your system extensively. Several drivers are available in most XFree86 distribution sets, and the names of the files tend to indicate the video card for which they are designed. For example, you may encounter the following server files in most XFree86 versions:



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XF86_Mono



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Monochrome video card (generic)</FONT>



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XF86_VGA16



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16-color VGA video card (generic)</FONT>



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XF86_SVGA



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Color SVGA video card (generic)</FONT>



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XF86_S3



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Accelerated server for S3-based video cards</FONT>



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XF86_Mach8



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Accelerated server for Mach8 video cards</FONT>



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XF86_Mach32



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Accelerated server for Mach32 video cards</FONT>



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XF86_8514



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Accelerated server for 8514/A video cards</FONT>



</TABLE><P>The generic indications in the preceding list mean that the server has no card-specific instructions; the other servers have card-specific video card requirements. For example, you can use the XF86_S3 server only with video cards using the S3 chipset. Check with your video card documentation (or use a diagnostic utility program) to determine your video card's chipset. Your distribution version of XFree86 will probably have other specific server versions, so check the documentation for compatibility details.



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<P>The generic server drivers work with most cards that provide VGA and SVGA support. However, because the generic driver provides only the basic VGA and SVGA video instructions, any fancy features or extra power your video card may have will not be used. Card-specific servers, on the other hand, enable you to use the full capabilities of fancy video cards.



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<NOTE>Installing an X server with the wrong specific video card driver can cause damage to your system. If you are not sure of the video card chipset, use a generic driver. Most video cards can handle VGA and SVGA generic drivers without a problem. If you're not sure, use generic.</NOTE>



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<P>Most distributions of XFree86 have a default of a standard VGA system prewritten into the configuration files. You can use this default setting without worrying about other configuration items in some cases, but it is better to check the configuration files manually before running XFree86 for the first time.



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<P>To change the server name that XFree86 uses, modify the symbolic link to the file called X under the XFree86 bin directory (such as /usr/X386/bin/X or /usr/X11R6/bin/X). You can change the server at any time by creating a new link to the required server file. For example, if you want to use the SVGA server when your system is currently configured for the VGA server, issue the following commands:



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<FONT COLOR="#000080">rm /usr/X11R6/bin/X



ln -s /usr/X11R6/bin/XF86_SVA /usr/X11R6/bin/X</FONT></PRE>



<P>The first line removes the current link and the second adds the link between XF86_SVGA and X. The directory names for the XFree86 base directory may change, depending on the version of XFree86 you are running (although if they are linked together, it won't matter which you change).



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<FONT SIZE=4 COLOR="#FF0000"><B>Installing XFree86 Manually</B></FONT></CENTER></H4>



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<P>As mentioned earlier in this section, you can install XFree86 without using the installation scripts. You may want to install XFree86 this way if you have to perform installation across directories or place the files in directories other than their default values. Some users like to manually install XFree86 so that they know what is happening at each step. Manually installing XFree86 is a great way to learn the intricacies of the X operating system (although it can be a long operation).



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<P>To manually install the XFree86 distribution software, you must extract the files into the proper directories using the gzip command. The general process is quite simple:



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<LI>Log in as root. You must install XFree86 as the superuser.



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<LI>Create the directory /usr/X386. This directory may already exist on your system as some Linux installation scripts create it.



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<LI>Change to the /usr/X386 directory.



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<LI>For each file in the distribution set, use the gzip utility to extract and install the contents. The general format of the command is



<BR>qzip -dc tarfile | tar xvof -



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<LI>Repeat the process for each file in the XFree86 product set. You must change to each distribution directory manually (on a CD-ROM or different floppy disk, for example) and use gzip on each archive file in that directory.



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<P>The tar utility flags shown in the preceding command line ensure that the original ownership of the files is preserved and that the output is displayed on-screen for you. Once all the XFree86 files have been installed into the correct directories, you can continue with the configuration process.



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<FONT SIZE=4 COLOR="#FF0000"><B>Installing XFree86 Using a Script</B></FONT></CENTER></H4>



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<P>Most users want to automate the installation process. This installation method is faster, requires less interaction from the user, and is much less prone to errors. For this reason, most XFree86 distribution releases either include an installation script or use the Linux setup program.



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<P>When installing using the setup script (or similar utility) supplied with Linux distributions, you are usually prompted as to whether you want to install XFree86 during the initial Linux installation. If you answered affirmatively to this question, the binaries for XFree86 are already installed. If you didn't get prompted for XFree86 installation, it may have been installed automatically. Check the directories /usr/X386/bin or /usr/X11R6/bin for files. If a large number of files exist in either directory, XFree86 was installed for you.



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<P>Just because XFree86 was installed from the distribution media automatically doesn't usually mean you can use it immediately. You should still go through the configuration process using the ConfigFX86 or fx86config utilities, or manually editing the Xconfig or XF86Config file (depending on the version of XFree86). Most automated installations will include default VGA or SVGA preconfigured files, but it's still a good idea to check the contents of the Xconfig or XF86Config file before you try to run XFree86.



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<FONT SIZE=4 COLOR="#FF0000"><B>Using the </B><B>PATH</B><B> Environment Variable</B></FONT></CENTER></H4>



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<P>Put the XFree86 binary directory in your path by using the environment variable PATH or path (depending on the shell). The location of the variable's definition depends on the type of shell you are using and the login you use to run XFree86. In general, you should add either /usr/X386/bin (XFree86 version 2.x) or /usr/X11R6/bin (XFree86 version 3.x) to the path definition statement.



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<P>For example, if you use bash (Bourne Again Shell) for most purposes, a .profile file is read when you log in to set environment variables. If you log in as a user other than root, the .profile file is kept in your home directory. If you use the root login, the .profile may be kept in the root directory or you may be using the default system .profile kept in the file /etc/profile (note the lack of a period when the file is in /etc. This convention is used to show that it is a globally available .profile).



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<P>If the XFree86 bin directory isn't already in the path, add it to the path or PATH variable definition. A .profile file for bash may have the following line after adding the XFree86 directory:



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<FONT COLOR="#000080">PATH=&quot;/sbin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/X11/bin:/usr/openwin/bin&quot;</FONT></PRE>



<P>For C shell users (including tcsh) other than root, the syntax is a little different. The startup file .login or csh.login contains a line defining the path. Adding the XFree86 directory is a matter of tacking it to the definition:



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<FONT COLOR="#000080">set path = ( /sbin /usr/bin /bin /usr/X11/bin /usr/openwin/bin . )</FONT></PRE>



<P>Of course, your exact path definition lines will probably differ. As long as you add the XFree86 bin directory to the path and then log out and back in, the shell should find the proper binary files.



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