open-x11(7)            Mac OS X Darwin ZSH customization           open-x11(7)



NAME
       open-x11  - function that replaces Apple's open-x11 with one that works
       better


SYNOPSIS
       open-x11 program [ args ]


DESCRIPTION
       The open-x11 command runs a program within the environment  of  the  X-
       server  running  in  the current user's session. In this augmented ver-
       sion, the function first opens the X11.app application if it  finds  it
       is  not  already  running.  It then correctly assigns the DISPLAY vari-
       able, permitting Fast User Switching compatibility when hosting several
       simultaneous  X11  users.   If  fink  is  present,  it detects that and
       sources the /sw/bin/init.sh file, setting all of the required  environ-
       ment variables.


USAGE
       The program can be any X11-dependent executable in the PATH, or you can
       provide the entire path.  Unlike the Apple  version,  this  version  of
       open-x11 permits you to give arguments to the program in the usual man-
       ner.  Only one executable can be launched per invokation of open-x11.


EXAMPLES
       open-x11 xeyes runs the 'xeyes' program so that it is able  to  connect
       to the current X server.

       open-x11 rxvt -bg black -fg white -cr grey -ls -geometry 80X25 -colorBD
       yellow -troughColor grey -font 9x15 -sr -scrollColor RoyalBlue3 -inter-
       nalBorder  5  & is an example of a standard unix command that the Apple
       version seems incapable of coping with.


UNSOLICITED ADVICE
       If you set up your environment correctly,  as  is  done  with  zsh-tem-
       plates,  you  can  launch  any X11-based executable in the standard way
       without having to use open-X11.  The function  customize_x11  will  aid
       you in doing this, but all you really need to do is put X11.app in your
       Accounts login items.


HISTORY
       The open-x11 shell script first appeared in Mac OS X 10.3.   I  discov-
       ered  it  didn't  work  right, and that it did a bad job of setting the
       DISPLAY variable and accepting arguments, so I rewrote it.


AUTHOR
       William Scott


MAINTAINER
       W. G. Scott wgscott@users.sourceforge.net



Mac OS X                        August 5, 2005                     open-x11(7)