how to use mcedit from command line

[rickenbacherus]

I've installed Vector Linux which went OK except for the screen size I set which was too small. I reinstalled, got specifics from my monitor manual but my /etc/X11/XF86Config is apparently not right with errors ranging from "no screens selected" to just black screens after I enter "startx". The only way I can edit the /etc/X11/XF86Config is to reinstall Vector. That is of course a nuissance. I have mceditor but I can't figure out how to open a file in it from the command line. I've tried #mcedit /etc/X11/XF86Config. It turns the screen blue, in the upper left hand corner it says "/etc/X11/XF86Config" but there is no text on the screen. I'm not even sure what to search for in order to figure this out myself. The Vector forum is a bit of a ghost town. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

EDIT- in searching I see many references to "just open your XF86Config file in your favorite editor" but that's just it. I think I'm opening it but there isn't anything in the text editor to edit. Am I making any sense?? Also I see "just run your XF86Config file" but what does it mean to "run" a file?

[fancypiper]

The file may have a -4 or be located in /etc/X11/XF86Config (or /etc/X11/XF86Config-4).

Try using Midnight Commander. Navigate to the file you wish to edit in one of the panes, them press F4 to bring up mcedit on that file.

As root, type mc at the command prompt to launch Midnight Commander.

[rickenbacherus]

I got it!
I booted into Mandrake, had a look at the XF86Config file there, that told me what I needed to do. Once i got into Vector again (by choosing the right video driver) I edited my file and VOILA! there I was, I right clicked on the desktop andf selected "update" thinking that it would change the desktop to my settings. It did not. It wasn't until I rebooted that the changes showed up. Is that the standard procedure after you edit a file? You need to reboot every time? I even tried logging out & back in but that didn't do it. I knew I was taking a risk by saving the edited file and NOT changing the name, effectually replacing the XF86Config file with the new one I created. I would have saved it as something else but I don't understand how to make the new file the one that would be used. I'm not even making sense to myself at this point. :D Anyway............now to get my scroll wheel to work. Vector is a bit more exciting than Mandrake.

Thanks for the advice fancypiper.

[fancypiper]

That's in the same file. Here is my mouse configSection "InputDevice"
Identifier "Mouse0"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Device" "/dev/mouse"
Option "Protocol" "IMPS/2" <-check this
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "off"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5" <-check this
EndSection

[rickenbacherus]

And here is mine which is working nicely now.

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Mouse0"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Protocol" "IMPS/2"
Option "Device" "/dev/psaux"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection