STARTX(1)          X Version 11 (Release 6.6)           STARTX(1)


     NAME
          startx - initialize an X session

     SYNOPSIS
          startx [ [ client ] options ... ] [ -- [ server ] options
          ... ]

     DESCRIPTION
          NOTE: The startx script supplied with the X11 distribution
          is a sample designed more as a base for customization than
          as a finished product.  Site administrators are urged to
          customize it for their site.  And to update this manual page
          when they do!

          The startx script is a front end to xinit that provides a
          somewhat nicer user interface for running a single session
          of the X Window System.  It is typically run with no
          arguments.

          To determine the client to run, startx first looks for a
          file called .xinitrc in the user's home directory.  If that
          is not found, it uses the file xinitrc in the xinit library
          directory.  If command line client options are given, they
          override this behavior.  To determine the server to run,
          startx first looks for a file called .xserverrc in the
          user's home directory.  If that is not found, it uses the
          file xserverrc in the xinit library directory.  If command
          line server options are given, they override this behavior.
          Users rarely need to provide a .xserverrc file.  See the
          xinit(1) manual page for more details on the arguments.

          The .xinitrc is typically a shell script which starts many
          clients according to the user's preference.  When this shell
          script exits, startx kills the server and performs any other
          session shutdown needed.  Most of the clients started by
          .xinitrc should be run in the background.  The last client
          should run in the foreground; when it exits, the session
          will exit.  People often choose a session manager, window
          manager, or xterm as the ``magic'' client.

     EXAMPLE
          Below is a sample .xinitrc that starts several applications
          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  &
              xbiff  -geometry  -430+5  &
              oclock  -geometry  75x75-0-0  &
              xload  -geometry  -80-0  &


              xterm  -geometry  +0+60  -ls  &
              xterm  -geometry  +0-100  &
              xconsole  -geometry  -0+0  -fn  5x7  &
              exec  twm

     ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
          DISPLAY                  This variable gets set to the name
                                   of the display to which clients
                                   should connect.  Note that this
                                   gets set, not read.

     FILES
          $(HOME)/.xinitrc         Client to run.  Typically a shell
                                   script which runs many programs in
                                   the background.

          $(HOME)/.xserverrc       Server to run.  The default is X.

          <XRoot>/lib/X11/xinit/xinitrc
                                   Client to run if the user has no
                                   .xinitrc file.  <XRoot> refers to
                                   the root of the X11 install tree.

          <XRoot>/lib/X11/xinit/xserverrc
                                   Client to run if the user has no
                                   .xserverrc file.  This is only
                                   needed if the server needs special
                                   arguments or is not named.  <XRoot>
                                   refers to the root of the X11
                                   install tree.

     SEE ALSO
          xinit(1)


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