Gentoo Websites Logo
Go to: Gentoo Home Documentation Forums Lists Bugs Planet Store Wiki Get Gentoo!
Bug 323013 - Need to emerge xterm and twm
Summary: Need to emerge xterm and twm
Status: VERIFIED INVALID
Alias: None
Product: [OLD] Docs on www.gentoo.org
Classification: Unclassified
Component: Other documents (show other bugs)
Hardware: All Linux
: High normal (vote)
Assignee: Docs Team
URL: http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/xorg-con...
Whiteboard:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2010-06-06 23:36 UTC by Chuck Wegrzyn
Modified: 2010-06-07 06:27 UTC (History)
0 users

See Also:
Package list:
Runtime testing required: ---


Attachments

Note You need to log in before you can comment on or make changes to this bug.
Description Chuck Wegrzyn 2010-06-06 23:36:40 UTC
I installed a new Gentoo system getting through the x86 Handbook without any difficulty (this is the 4th system I have installed and always use the current docs and follow them to the letter). 

I then got to the X Server configuration HOWTO and ran into a problem. I couldn't get startx to work at all. I found out that twm and xterm were missing. When I emerged them startx worked like a charm!


Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1.Follow X86 Handbook
2.Follow X Server Configuration HOWTO
3.Do startx

Actual Results:  
The X server failed to start.

Expected Results:  
I expected the X Server HOWTO to work and allow the X window system to startup.

I did the following to get it to work:

1) Xorg -configure
2) emerge twm xterm
3) mv /root/xorg.conf.new /etc/X11/xorg.conf
4) startx
Comment 1 nm (RETIRED) gentoo-dev 2010-06-07 04:14:03 UTC
You need to read the document again. It already has a section on temporarily installing xterm and twm just to check that startx works. There's also another section on using the -retro flag to make sure that something comes up on the screen.

Not a bug; closing.
Comment 2 Chuck Wegrzyn 2010-06-07 06:27:32 UTC
I'm sorry but the documentation on startx comes after you say what to do and says that a black screen might show up. In fact the document says the following:

"If you haven't yet installed a window manager, all you'll see is a black screen. Since this can also be a sign that something's wrong, you may want to emerge twm and xterm only to test X."

In fact you don't see a black screen - X just doesn't start at all and gives a number of errors. This sounds like you MIGHT need them when you really do need them. (I've tried it on two different systems just to make sure - one using ATI and the other Nvidia).

And the order in the document is all wrong - you ought to make it a requirement to install twm and xterm if you are sre going to use startx, and it should be in a section when you are talking about testing it out!

Order and clarity are everything or is this another "Gentoo" - the user be damned notion?