CSG, Linux files: .xsession

Department of Computing	Imperial College
Linux files: .xsession

This file is executed when you login to an X-terminal. It is used to automatically load your window manager and applications, such as a clock and load monitor.

The current standard .xsession file contains the following lines:


#!/bin/sh

resources=$HOME/.Xresources

if [ -f $resources ]; then
        xrdb -load $resources
fi

NTLOGIN="`xlsatoms -name _HCL_WM_TOPMOST`" >/dev/null 2>&1

if [ "$NTLOGIN" = "" ]; then

        # from somewhere nice

        if [ -x /etc/X11/xinit/Xclients ]; then
                exec /etc/X11/xinit/Xclients
        else
                exec startkde 
        fi

else

        # from NT

        if [ -x /usr/X11/bin/nxterm ]; then
                exec /usr/X11/bin/nxterm
        else 
                exec xterm
        fi

fi

Your .xsession file must be readable and executable:

chmod u+rx .xsession

You might also have a file called .Xresources or .Xdefaults to go with this containing, for example, the following lines:


#ifdef COLOR
*customization: -color
#endif
!oclock*transparent:    true
#ifdef COLOR
oclock*hour:            gray50
oclock*minute:          gray50
#else
oclock*hour:            white
oclock*minute:          white
#endif
oclock*BorderColor:     black
oclock*Background:      black
xterm*allowIconInput:   on
xterm*jumpScroll:       on
xterm*curses:   on
xterm*scrollBar:        on
xterm*scrollInput:      on
xterm*saveLines:        1024
xterm*titleBar: on
xterm*visualBell:       on
xterm*reverseWrap:      on
xterm*font:             *courier-medium-r-normal--12*
xterm*borderWidth:      2
xterm*activeIcon:       on
xterm*foreground:       ivory
xterm*background:       black
Scrollbar.JumpCursor:   True
ingres*font:            7x13
ingres*boldFont:        7x13bold

For further information read the xterm manual page:

man xterm