[comp.unix.ultrix] DECwindows Session manager

dsmith@applga.aa.cad.slb.com (J. Daniel Smith) (06/26/91)

In article <1991Jun25.122442.12089@crl.dec.com> jg@crl.dec.com (Jim Gettys) writes:
>In article <TROST.91Jun24174840@brahma.reed.edu>, trost@reed.edu writes:
>>    setting the correct resource, and the session manager inserts a
>>    sleep of several seconds before starting the user's session.  I
>>    don't need this kind of sleazy cruft.
>
>You don't need to run the DECwindows session manager if you don't want to.

Hows does one go about NOT running the DECwindows session manager?  I
assume it involves setting things up right in /etc/ttys, among other
things. Also, I'm not particularly fond of the "Xprompter" and X
starting automaticlly at login (but I can live with that).  Is there
any reason in particular to run the session manager?  I'm running
Motif instead of DECwindows, if that makes any difference.

Thanks,
   Dan
-- 
===========================================================================
J. Daniel Smith                     Internet: dsmith@applga.aa.cad.slb.com
Schlumberger CAD/CAM                  BITNET: smithdan@msuegr
Ann Arbor, Michigan                   Usenet: uunet!sharkey!applga!dsmith

grunwald@foobar.colorado.edu (Dirk Grunwald) (06/27/91)

re: not running DEC session manager

I used to use 'xdm' and simply commented out the line in /etc/ttys,
but that left a (to me) useless xdm process running on my machine.  I
don't mind the xpompter login because I don't login in very often (I
stay logged in for > 2 weeks usually).

Also, I didn't want to figure out *yet another* way of starting up X.
'xinit', 'xdm' and DEC's xsession all look in different
.Xdefault/.xinit, etc files.

So, I added this to /etc/ttys:

:0 "/usr/bin/login -P /usr/bin/Xprompter -C /usr/local/lib/X11/xdm/Xsession.xprompter" none on secure window="/usr/bin/Xmfb" -fd 75 c 70


Note that I'm on a MFB, but you can make the obvious change. Now,
/usr/local/lib/X11/xdm/Xsession.xprompter contains this:

#!/bin/csh
setenv DISPLAY "unix:0"
exec /usr/local/lib/X11/xdm/Xsession >& /tmp/login-msg.$$

this then starts up my login session as if I was coming through via
'xdm', but doesn't leave the xdm process running.

This appears to work very well.

avolio@decuac.DEC.COM (Frederick M. Avolio) (06/28/91)

For anyone else interested, there are instructions for running without
the session manager and prompter on page 4-12 of the 4.2 release 
notes.

f

yzarn@lhdsy1.chevron.com (Philip Yzarn de Louraille) (06/29/91)

In article <1991Jun26.135128.19270@applga.aa.cad.slb.com> dsmith@applga.aa.cad.slb.com (J. Daniel Smith) writes:
>I'm running Motif instead of DECwindows, if that makes any difference.

No you are not. You are using Motif and the motif window manager within
DECwindows. (Unless, of course, you have booted your machine with the
MIT X11r? server.)
-- 
  Philip Yzarn de Louraille                 Internet: yzarn@chevron.com
  Research Support Division                 Unix & Open Systems
  Chevron Information & Technology Co.      Tel: (213) 694-9232
  P.O. Box 446, La Habra, CA 90633-0446     Fax: (213) 694-7709

chad@oscar.cs.byu.edu (Chad) (06/30/91)

--
In article <1015@lhdsy1.chevron.com>, yzarn@lhdsy1.chevron.com (Philip
Yzarn de Louraille) writes:
||>In article <1991Jun26.135128.19270@applga.aa.cad.slb.com>
dsmith@applga.aa.cad.slb.com (J. Daniel Smith) writes:
|>>I'm running Motif instead of DECwindows, if that makes any
|>difference.
|>
|>No you are not. You are using Motif and the motif window manager
|>within
|>DECwindows. (Unless, of course, you have booted your machine with the
|>MIT X11r? server.)
|>-- 
|>  Philip Yzarn de Louraille                 Internet:
|>yzarn@chevron.com
|>  Research Support Division                 Unix & Open Systems
|>  Chevron Information & Technology Co.      Tel: (213) 694-9232
|>  P.O. Box 446, La Habra, CA 90633-0446     Fax: (213) 694-7709
|>

What is really probably happening is that a DEC X server is running and
the mwm window manager is being used.  This is not "You are using Motif
and the motif window manager within DECwindows."  You can run XUI
(DECwindows), motif, and MIT applications all off the same server.  You
can also run most any window manager.  It is the library that was used
to build the application that specifies which UI the application uses. 
DECs server's are X servers, as is the MIT sample server.  DECwindows is
Digital's name for its X11 product.  It includes, amongst other things,
X servers, a toolkit, a style guide, a session manager, a window
manager, and a set of OOTB applications.  Applications that use the XUI
(or DECwindows) toolbox are DECwindows aplications.

*************************************************************
Chad Leigh 
Brigham Young University / on leave from DEC
chad@yvax.byu.edu /  chad@norge.enet.dec.com
*************************************************************