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X Window Management
Because this appendix is a Linux text command reference, this section addresses only tools that you can call from a command-line interface. However, many of the tools in this section require a GUI such as GNOME or KDE. Several important tools are available to help you configure the GUI, as well as the GNOME and KDE desktop environments. Red Hat is also creating a series of GUI tools that enable you to administer just about every part of Linux.
X Window Configuration
There are two basic tools for configuring the Linux GUI: xf86config and redhat-config-xfree86. You can run either tool from the regular command-line interface. Both tools are designed to help you edit the main X Window configuration file, /etc/X11/XF86Config. Alternatively, you can always edit this file directly in a text editor such as vi. You’ll find more information on each of these options in Chapter 15.
xf86config
While xf86config is not included in Red Hat Linux 9, it is a standard tool that you can use if you download another version of the XFree86 server from www.xfree86.org. When you run xf86config, you can configure serveral different components, as described in Table A.16. Note that you don’t have to have every possible bit of information.
Data | Options | Requirement/Default |
|---|---|---|
Mouse | Nine different protocol types available | Microsoft protocol |
Third Button | Chord Middle (for a Logitech mouse with three buttons or a mouse with a clickable scroll wheel) | No |
Simulate Middle Button | Eumlate3Buttons (when you click both the right and left buttons simultaneously, this simulates a middle button command in the GUI) | No |
Mouse Device | Device name | /dev/mouse |
Keyboard | 25 options | Generic 101-key PC (choice 1) |
National Layout | By country | Must make a selection; U.S. English is most standard |
Variant Name | Create your own label | Default label = us |
XKB Options | If you want special keys, type y | No |
Monitor Horizontal Sync | You can select or type in a special rate | 31.5MHz |
Monitor Vertical Refresh | You can select or type in a special rate | 50–70KHz |
Identifier | Monitor label | “My Monitor” |
Video Card Database | Type y for preconfigured cards | No |
Video Card Memory | Memory in KB | 256KB |
Identifier | Video card label | “My Video Card” |
Color Depth | 1–24 bits | Configured for 8, 16, and 24 bits |
redhat-config-xfree86
One of the advantages of redhat-config-xfree86 is that you can start it from the command-line interface. It’s functionally similar to the older XF86Setup tool; it probes your system and opens menus in a minimal GUI configuration. And you don’t have to make so many choices with redhat-config-xfree86; unlike with xf86config, you don’t need to make decisions on input devices (a mouse and a keyboard). Based on what you know about your video card and monitor, you can configure a number of items, as described in Table A.17.
Data | Options |
|---|---|
Resolution | 640¥480 through 1920¥1440. |
Color Depth | 8 bit (256 Colors), 15 bit or 16 bit (Thousands of Colors), and 24 bit (Millions of Colors). |
Monitor Type | Configurable by make/model; generic versions available. Can also set Horizontal Sync and Vertical Refresh Rate; in some cases, probing is allowed. |
DPI | Click the Set DPI button and you can enter the height and width of your monitor. |
Video Card | Configurable by make/model. You can set memory; some cards can be probed. You can select a different driver. If your card was detected, special options may be added; you can add other options for XF86Config. In some cases, it’s also possible to enable 3D acceleration; however, Linux support for 3D often lags the hardware release from the video card manufacturer. |
GUI Administration Tools
Linux provides several other GUI-based administrative tools. Many are in the redhat-config-* series; they’re available only if you’ve installed the corresponding RPM packages. Most of the tools listed in Table A.18 are discussed in more detail in Chapters 15 and 19. Most won’t work unless you’re already in a GUI such as GNOME or KDE. However, you can start them from a terminal window in a GUI using the tool name shown in the table.
Tool | Description |
|---|---|
ethereal | A network traffic analyzer; see Chapter 22. |
gfloppy | A tool for formatting 3.5- or 5.25-inch floppy disks. |
hwbrowser | A tool that reads detected hardware on your computer. |
nautilus | A GNOME file manager. |
redhat-config-bind | A DNS Server configuration tool; closely related to redhat-config-bind-gui. |
redhat-config-date | A date/time zone configurator; can synchronize with an available NTP server (both commands start the same tool). |
redhat-config-time | |
redhat-config-httpd | A tool for configuring the Apache Web server via /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf. |
redhat-config-keyboard | A basic keyboard configurator. |
redhat-config-kickstart | A tool for configuring a Kickstart file; see Chapter 05. |
redhat-config-language | A tool that allows you to select the default from the languages you’ve installed. |
redhat-config-mouse | A tool for configuring Linux for your mouse or pointing device; if you have a serial mouse, you can set the port. It’s the GUI version of mouseconfig. |
redhat-config-network | A tool that allows you to configure existing network devices, /etc/hosts, /etc/resolv.conf; different profiles allow for different configurations, such as docking ports. The text version is redhat-config-network-tui. |
redhat-config-network-druid | A tool for configuring new network adapters, including telephone modems; a.k.a. the Internet Configuration Wizard. |
redhat-config-nfs | An NFS server configuration tool. |
redhat-config-packages | A basic RPM package management tool; you can install or remove packages by groups, or individual RPMs. Successor to gnorpm. |
redhat-config-printer | A printer configuration tool, equivalent to printconf; see Chapter 25 for more information; closely related to redhat-config-printer-gui; the text mode version is redhat-config-printer-tui. |
redhat-config-proc | A kernel tuner; changes are written to /etc/sysctl.conf, and used in /proc files. |
redhat-config-rootpassword | A tool that allows changes to the root password. |
redhat-config-samba | A tool to configure shared directories on a Samba server. |
redhat-config-securitylevel | An iptables firewall configurator; it’s the GUI version of lokkit. |
redhat-config-services | A graphical front end for chkconfig; controls active services in different runlevels. |
redhat-config-soundcard | A tool that probes for and lists detectable sound cards; if you need to customize settings, use sndconfig or edit /etc/modules.conf directly. |
redhat-config-users | A user and group management tool; frond end for editing the main user and group files in /etc: passwd, group, shadow, gshadow. |
redhat-config-xfree86 | Previously discussed; successor to Xconfigurator. |
redhat-logviewer | A tool that opens log files from /var/log. |
switchdesk | A tool that allows you to switch between available GUIs; normally GNOME, KDE, and twm. |
