i3 FAQ - Individual question feed

i3 FAQ - Individual question feedhttps://faq.i3wm.org/questions/Frequently asked questions and answers about the i3 window managerenCopyright i3, 2012Sat, 05 Jul 2014 03:19:35 +0000How do xsession, xinitrc and .i3/config play together?https://faq.i3wm.org/question/18/how-do-xsession-xinitrc-and-i3config-play-together/There are three different ways of starting programs after logging in: `~/.xsession`, `~/.xinitrc` and `~/.i3/config` (or the path to your i3 config file). What’s the difference?Mon, 04 Jun 2012 15:56:48 +0000https://faq.i3wm.org/question/18/how-do-xsession-xinitrc-and-i3config-play-together/Comment by Hibou57 for There are three different ways of starting programs after logging in: <code>~/.xsession</code>, <code>~/.xinitrc</code> and <code>~/.i3/config</code> (or the path to your i3 config file). What’s the difference? https://faq.i3wm.org/question/18/how-do-xsession-xinitrc-and-i3config-play-together/?comment=4131#comment-4131Also see this related question: [Session's environment variables](https://faq.i3wm.org/question/4126/sessions-environment-variables/).Sat, 05 Jul 2014 03:19:35 +0000https://faq.i3wm.org/question/18/how-do-xsession-xinitrc-and-i3config-play-together/?comment=4131#comment-4131Answer by mloskot for There are three different ways of starting programs after logging in: <code>~/.xsession</code>, <code>~/.xinitrc</code> and <code>~/.i3/config</code> (or the path to your i3 config file). What’s the difference? https://faq.i3wm.org/question/18/how-do-xsession-xinitrc-and-i3config-play-together/?answer=86#post-id-86Michael has already explained the difference, but I'd like to add a few notes of background (IMHO, it's good to understand how things work step by step): Based on [The X Window User HOWTO](http://tldp.org/HOWTO/XWindow-User-HOWTO/runningx.html): 1. **startx** will start X by first invoking xinit. 2. **xinit** will look for a **~/.xinitrc** file in the user's home directory, to run as a shell script. 3. **xinitrc** is used to set up a suitable X environment, and to launch other programs, a.k.a "clients" that we may want available as soon as X is started. 4. The Window Manager, or desktop environment, is typically the last application started. 5. The other, more common, approach is the "GUI log-in", where X is running before log-in. X includes **xdm** (X Display Manager) for this purpose. 6. Now, **~/.xsession** for **xdm** is the rough equivalent of **~/.xinitrc** for **startx**. 7. Depending on how you start X, either the **~/.xinitrc** or the **~/.xsession** file will be executed by the server. 8. Finally, if you execute **i3wm** from **~/.xinitrc** or **~/.xsession**, then i3wm will read its initial configuration from **~/.i3/config**. 9. Done. Given that, you may like to [maintain single version](http://www.acm.uiuc.edu/workshops/cool_unix/xinitrc.html) of your personal startup script for X: * Create the script **~/.xinitrc** with your initial settings. * Make symbolic link for xdm equivalent: $ ln -s $HOME/.xinitrc $HOME/.xsession Also, [Fluxbox manual](http://fluxbox.sourceforge.net/docbook/en/html/app-setup.html) includes an important explanation too: > When X11 is started, your .xinitrc or .xsession script is run, and > when the script is done, X11 comes down. Let me repeat that, > its important: when .xinitrc is finished, that is when X ends. > It isn't when your window manager exits.*Thu, 07 Jun 2012 15:06:11 +0000https://faq.i3wm.org/question/18/how-do-xsession-xinitrc-and-i3config-play-together/?answer=86#post-id-86Comment by Hibou57 for Michael has already explained the difference, but I'd like to add a few notes of background (IMHO, it's good to understand how things work step by step): Based on <a href="http://tldp.org/HOWTO/XWindow-User-HOWTO/runningx.html">The X Window User HOWTO</a>: <ol> <li>startx will start X by first invoking xinit.</li> <li>xinit will look for a ~/.xinitrc file in the user's home directory, to run as a shell script.</li> <li>xinitrc is used to set up a suitable X environment, and to launch other programs, a.k.a "clients" that we may want available as soon as X is started.</li> <li>The Window Manager, or desktop environment, is typically the last application started.</li> <li>The other, more common, approach is the "GUI log-in", where X is running before log-in. X includes xdm (X Display Manager) for this purpose.</li> <li>Now, ~/.xsession for xdm is the rough equivalent of ~/.xinitrc for startx.</li> <li>Depending on how you start X, either the ~/.xinitrc or the ~/.xsession file will be executed by the server.</li> <li>Finally, if you execute i3wm from ~/.xinitrc or ~/.xsession, then i3wm will read its initial configuration from ~/.i3/config.</li> <li>Done.</li> </ol> Given that, you may like to <a href="http://www.acm.uiuc.edu/workshops/cool_unix/xinitrc.html">maintain single version</a> of your personal startup script for X: <ul> <li>Create the script ~/.xinitrc with your initial settings.</li> <li>Make symbolic link for xdm equivalent: $ ln -s $HOME/.xinitrc $HOME/.xsession</li> </ul> Also, <a href="http://fluxbox.sourceforge.net/docbook/en/html/app-setup.html">Fluxbox manual</a> includes an important explanation too: <blockquote> When X11 is started, your .xinitrc or .xsession script is run, and when the script is done, X11 comes down. Let me repeat that, its important: when .xinitrc is finished, that is when X ends. It isn't when your window manager exits.* </blockquote> https://faq.i3wm.org/question/18/how-do-xsession-xinitrc-and-i3config-play-together/?comment=4128#comment-4128Actually, `~/.xsession` seems to be ignored with a GDM login, so that does not make it an option for Ubuntu users.Sat, 05 Jul 2014 02:12:38 +0000https://faq.i3wm.org/question/18/how-do-xsession-xinitrc-and-i3config-play-together/?comment=4128#comment-4128Answer by Michael for There are three different ways of starting programs after logging in: <code>~/.xsession</code>, <code>~/.xinitrc</code> and <code>~/.i3/config</code> (or the path to your i3 config file). What’s the difference? https://faq.i3wm.org/question/18/how-do-xsession-xinitrc-and-i3config-play-together/?answer=20#post-id-20You have to differentiate between what gets started after you log in but before you start i3: * `~/.xsession` is the way to go when using a login manager (like gdm, kdm, xdm). * `~/.xinitrc` will be used when you use startx The i3 configuration (usually `~/.i3/config`) will of course be used in either case, additionally. So, where should you put your auto-start entries? * If you are setting a background image, you can do that in any place (either before i3 starts or afterwards). * If you are launching a program, you should do that in your i3 configuration so that it will be launched with startup notification support.Mon, 04 Jun 2012 16:00:08 +0000https://faq.i3wm.org/question/18/how-do-xsession-xinitrc-and-i3config-play-together/?answer=20#post-id-20Comment by Hibou57 for You have to differentiate between what gets started after you log in but before you start i3: <ul> <li><code>~/.xsession</code> is the way to go when using a login manager (like gdm, kdm, xdm).</li> <li><code>~/.xinitrc</code> will be used when you use startx</li> </ul> The i3 configuration (usually <code>~/.i3/config</code>) will of course be used in either case, additionally. So, where should you put your auto-start entries? <ul> <li>If you are setting a background image, you can do that in any place (either before i3 starts or afterwards).</li> <li>If you are launching a program, you should do that in your i3 configuration so that it will be launched with startup notification support.</li> </ul> https://faq.i3wm.org/question/18/how-do-xsession-xinitrc-and-i3config-play-together/?comment=4129#comment-4129`~/.xession` seems to be ignored with GDM on Ubuntu 12.04. I tried to define an environment variable with `export FOO=bar` in a newly created `.xession` (there was none), and `echo $FOO` from a terminal displays nothing, which suggests this file is not sourced.Sat, 05 Jul 2014 02:14:46 +0000https://faq.i3wm.org/question/18/how-do-xsession-xinitrc-and-i3config-play-together/?comment=4129#comment-4129