Re: xdm -- Starting Multiple Servers

[Joey Hess <joey@kitenet.net>]

Paul Serice wrote:
> I don't know if anyone else who uses xdm to manage multiple Servers
> has run across the problem whereby starting all the servers
> simultaneously can cause all sorts of problems, e.g., some of the
> servers don't start because they are waiting to be told of an
> available screen.

I have! It was originally even worse than that, I had both servers fighting
over video memory, a few times my system's console froze, etc. That
eventually got fixed about 6-9 months ago. Then I still had the problem
you're having. I eventually got it half way workable by only starting one
server, then starting up the other later. I think I actually started both,
then when I needed to get the second server, switched over to the display
it was on and let it run. It's been a while since I did this, so I don't
remember details.

> They way I do it is to copy over /etc/X11/xdm/Xservers so that only
> one server is listed.  Then I start xdm with the start-stop-daemon. 
> Of course, xdm has no problem starting one server, and in about 10
> seconds, the X server is up and running with xdm ready for more.
> 
> So, I oblige by copying over the etc/X11/xdm/Xservers file again, but
> this time I add a second server to the list.  Then I send xdm the
> SIGHUP signal via "kill -SIGHUP `cat /var/run/xdm-pid`".  This tells
> xdm to re-read its configuration files.  It does so, and finds that
> it is now responsible for starting exactly one more server.  Of
> course, xdm has no problem starting one server, and all is well.

That's a bit clumsy. It'd be easier to start one server the usual way,
then for each extra server you want, do "X :n.0 -query localhost". That makes
X connect to the xdm on the localhost, and you don't need to send xdm any
signals.

-- 
see shy jo


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