X Power Tools

Chapter 3. Basic X.org Configuration

What Is There to Configure?

An X server manages a number of devices: keyboards, pointing devices, video cards, and monitors. The X server configuration determines how the display will be set up—which devices, in which operating modes, in which combination will be used.

For a simple configuration with one mouse, keyboard, monitor, and video card, using a reasonable resolution and scan rate, configuration is pretty straightforward. In fact, the X server can configure itself in the absence of a configuration file, or it can generate a default a basic configuration file (Section 3.4). But as soon as a special resolution or scan rate is desired or if multiple devices of the same kind are used, the complexity of the configuration can rise quickly. If there are two screens, the server needs to know which is on the left and which is on the right; if there are multiple mice, the server needs to know which ones you want it to manage.

Most distributions automatically generate a reasonable configuration file when they are installed, and also provide graphical tools for adjusting the configuration. However, none of these tools provides complete control over all of the configuration options—and if the display is misconfigured and unusable, it’s hard to bring up a graphical tool to correct the problem!

Tip

This chapter covers the configuration of the X.org server. Since this was forked from the XFree86 server, the configuration process is largely the same for both ...