starting 2 (or more) X displays

[maxd]

I would like to run at least 2 instantiations of X-one for me, one for my wife. But if I go to a second login and run startx I get a fatal error:
"Server is already active for display 0"

How can I start one for display 1 or 2 or ...

I think I saw how to do this before but can't find it.

Thanks, maxd

[wreckd]

i didn't think you could...but you got me intrigued so i looked it up:

google search: multiple instances XFree86

very first item was this which seems to be a hack that would fill your needs. i might have to try this myself sometime...

www.linuxplanet.com/linuxplanet/tutorials/3100/1/ (http://www.linuxplanet.com/linuxplanet/tutorials/3100/1/)

edit:
forgot to mention this article describes using dualhead support in XFree86 4. Instead of getting a big desktop display like xinerama is normally used for, you make two X's. So the upshot is you need two vid cards, two monitors, two keyboards, and two meeces to do what this article describes....i think. i just skimmed it. or you could just log out when you're thru with X....

[ 07 November 2001: Message edited by: wreckd ]

[scanez]

No need for a hack. Go to the second login and run

startx -- :1

That will start a second xserver.

Cheers
SC

Edit: startx -- :2 for a third, startx -- :3 for a fourth, etc.

[ 07 November 2001: Message edited by: scanez ]

[wreckd]

really? well, i'll be...

ok, so maybe that article just applies if you both want to use x at the same time on different screens?

[maxd]

Thanks for the answer.

I tried both 'startx -2' and 'startx :2', but not 'startx -- :2'

-maxd

[nathaniel]

you can buy terminals for very cheap and if all she needs to do is run X play some sound files and run applications a terminal might be what u need. HTey run around $300 up for good ones.
and *nix have a ton of software that is capable of handling it.

NB

[thedexman]

For less than the cost of an actual X terminal you would probably be able to pick up an old 486-Pentium MMX class machine with a decent screen and run it as an X terminal

[anton]

hmm ... this doesn't seem to work for me :( (startx -:2)

[bdg1983]

Are you using 2 hyphens and a space?

[anton]

stupid me ... thx ;) works now :)

[slacker_x]

That's pretty cool

blackbox

window maker

blackbox

window maker

:D