Configuring XTerm

[mer]

I've tried including xrdb ~/.Xresources both in my ~/.xinitrc and in /usr/local/etc/xdg/lxsession/LXDE/autostart but neither seems to work.

Is the line really "xrdb ~/.Xresource"? If so that may be the issue, I think you need either "xrdb -merge $HOME/.Xresources" or "xrdb -load $HOME/.Xresources" Some shells may not expand "~" to "$HOME"

 

[balanga]

Did you try .Xdefaults as well?

Actually that did the trick for me!

 

[Charlie_]

The fact that ~/.Xdefaults works means that xrdb was not executed.

 

[balanga]

I'm relatively new to XTerm, being a longtime LXTerminal user and still finding my way around...

After reading https://docstore.mik.ua/orelly/unix3/upt/ch05_17.htm

I've been 'playing' with the menus and ended up with the cursor keys - up, down, right, left, outputting A B C D.

What have I done wrong and how do I get back to normal?

 

[balanga]

schweikh, I'm trying to copy what you have but fully understand what you do....

Assuming I've copied your codeblock into a file, what do you have in .xinitrc?

Does the above codeblock exist on your system as ~/lib/app-defaults/XTerm?

 

[balanga]

I'm relatively new to XTerm, being a longtime LXTerminal user and still finding my way around...

After reading https://docstore.mik.ua/orelly/unix3/upt/ch05_17.htm

I've been 'playing' with the menus and ended up with the cursor keys - up, down, right, left, outputting A B C D.

What have I done wrong and how do I get back to normal?

I'm not sure what I did, but restarting XTerm restored my settings... Panic over!

 

[schweikh]

schweikh, I'm trying to copy what you have but fully understand what you do....

Assuming I've copied your codeblock into a file, what do you have in .xinitrc?

Does the above codeblock exist on your system as ~/lib/app-defaults/XTerm?

Yes, it is in ~/lib/app-defaults/XTerm

I do not start X11 automatically (no xdm, gdm or similar). I log in on the console, my shell startup has export XAPPLRESDIR="$HOME/lib/app-defaults". Then I may run startx which inherits the XAPPLRESDIR variable. In .xinitrc I simply start a few xterms.
If you use a display manager and start X11 automatically, you should place export XAPPLRESDIR="$HOME/lib/app-defaults" in your .xinitrc prior to starting client programs.

 

[balanga]

Thanks for the explanation schweikh.

I'm trying figure out how to incorporate your XTerm configuration into my setup. Like you, I first log in on the console and run startx to start my Window Manager, LXDE. I start XTerm via /usr/local/etc/xdg/lxsession/LXDE/autostart :-

@lxpanel --profile LXDE
@pcmanfm --desktop --profile LXDE
@xscreensaver -no-splash
xterm -e tmux

Here is my .xinitrc:-

xrdb .Xdefaults
ck-launch-session dbus-launch --exit-with-session startlxde

.Xdefaults:-

xterm*background:    black
xterm*foreground:    cyan
xterm*maximized: true
xterm*metaSendsEscape: true

! xterm*faceName: Liberation Mono:size=10:antialias=false
! xterm*font: 7x13

Assuming I have your ~/lib/app-defaults/XTerm as ~/xtermrc, is there a simple way to include it in my setup:

I did look at xterm(), but my eyes just glazed over after half an hour ... I suspect there is a parameter I may be able add to my xterm invocation to have the desired effect but a lot of trial and error would probably be required. I'm sure a XTerm guru like yourself could suggest something.

 

[schweikh]

Assuming I have your ~/lib/app-defaults/XTerm as ~/xtermrc, is there a simple way to include it in my setup:

No, you can't force xterm to treat an arbitrary file as an xterm-specific resource file not requiring class name prefixes.
You must set XAPPLRESDIR and you must name the resource file XTerm, because the X toolkit looks for a file matching the class name in XAPPLRESDIR.
If you want to go the XAPPLRESDIR way only for xterm and not for other clients, you may do that with a one-shot variable assignment in your autostart:

XAPPLRESDIR=$HOME xterm -e tmux # and make sure $HOME/XTerm exists.

This assumes LXDE runs the autostart commands in a shell and $HOME is set.

 

[balanga]

No, you can't force xterm to treat an arbitrary file as an xterm-specific resource file not requiring class name prefixes.
You must set XAPPLRESDIR and you must name the resource file XTerm, because the X toolkit looks for a file matching the class name in XAPPLRESDIR.
If you want to go the XAPPLRESDIR way only for xterm and not for other clients, you may do that with a one-shot variable assignment in your autostart:

This assumes LXDE runs the autostart commands in a shell and $HOME is set.

Many thanks for this. It works just as you sugested.

I think I will spend the next week studying this goldmine to see how it does what it does.

On thing I don't see is the menu on the top line of the screenshot in your post #15 of this thread. Should I expect to see it?

 

[schweikh]

On thing I don't see is the menu on the top line of the screenshot in your post #15 of this thread. Should I expect to see it?

Does the "Toolbar" entry appear in the "Main Options" menu when you Control-LeftClick? If not, then xterm was not compiled with the TOOLBAR option set.
To do so for all your future xterm port compilations:

echo 'x11_xterm_SET = TOOLBAR SCRNDUMP' >> /etc/make.conf
cd /usr/ports/x11/xterm
make deinstall
make reinstall

 

[balanga]

Fame at last!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N84F2p3t6jQ

 

[balanga]

I avoid the whole startup file and xrdb variance by exporting XAPPLRESDIR=$HOME/lib/app-defaults from within .xinitrc prior to launching xterm. Then in the indicated directory place the resource file $XAPPLRESDIR/XTerm (note capitalization) with just the xterm resources. This avoids the use of xrdb after changing XTerm.

! Values set here may be overridden by xrdb -load .Xresources or xterm command line options.
!
!
! Set TERM to this value (overridden by -tn option).
! Some applications (mutt) refuse to use 256 colors with plain "xterm".
*termName: xterm-256color
! Unlike keyboardtype vt220, sun allows to use shifted function keys.
! *keyboardType: sun breaks nvim function keys (all dead).
*keyboardType: tcap
*sunKeyboard: true
*metaSendsEscape: false
! Default line width (80 + margin for line number in vim).
!*geometry: 85
*geometry: 100
! A decent dark grey default background.
*background: rgb:1/1/1
! A soft beige as the default foreground.
*foreground: rgb:e/a/7
! Display the toolbar with the menu entries.
*toolBar: true
! No toolbar for the small console window started with "xterm -name Console".
Console*toolBar: false
! Increase the number of saved lines.
*saveLines: 1024
! Any shell run in xterm shall be a login shell
! (and thus read /etc/profile and ~/.profile).
*loginShell: true
! Do not copy trailing spaces when selecting.
*TrimSelection: true
*charClass: 33:48,37:48,43-47:48,64:48
! Unicode everywhere, please.
*locale: UTF-8
*vt100.utf8: 1
*utf8Title: true
! The pointer.
*pointerColorBackground: red
*pointerColor: yellow
! The cursor rectangle.
*cursorColor: red
! Distance to first character cell.
xterm.form.vt100.BorderWidth: 1
! Color around vt100 window.
*vt100.borderColor: brown
*allowWindowOps: true

! Fonts & colors for "Main Options", "VT Options", "VT Fonts", "Tek Options" buttons in menu bar.
*menubar.mainMenuButton.font:\
    -misc-fixed-bold-r-normal--18-120-*-*-c-70-iso10646-1
*menubar.mainMenuButton.foreground: rgb:80/80/f0
*menubar.vtMenuButton.font:\
    -misc-fixed-bold-r-normal--18-120-*-*-c-70-iso10646-1
*menubar.vtMenuButton.foreground:   rgb:c0/40/f0
*menubar.fontMenuButton.font:\
    -misc-fixed-bold-r-normal--18-120-*-*-c-70-iso10646-1
*menubar.fontMenuButton.foreground: rgb:f0/80/80
*menubar.tekMenuButton.font:\
    -misc-fixed-bold-r-normal--18-120-*-*-c-70-iso10646-1
*menubar.tekMenuButton.foreground:  rgb:f0/80/80
! Background for all menu bar buttons.
*menubar*background: gray30

! Menu bar background pixmap is a spectrum from blue to red.
*menubar.backgroundPixmap:\
    gradient:horizontal?dimension=250&start=blue3&end=red2
! No 3d look around the spectrum.
*menubar.displayList:

*printAttributes: 3
*printerCommand: cat > xterm.window.html; firefox xterm.window.html

! Give menu bar buttons a 3d look with a one pixel wide border.
*menubar*displayList:\
       fg gray60;\
       lines -1,+0,+0,+0,+0,-1;\
       fg gray10;\
       lines +1,-1,-1,-1,-1,+1

! The menu bar popup menus shall have a 1 pixel wide colored border.
*menubar*SimpleMenu.displayList:\
       fg magenta;\
       lines -1,+0,+0,+0,+0,-1;\
       fg red;\
       lines +1,-1,-1,-1,-1,+1

! Gray pixmap of area to the right of the spectrum.
*form.backgroundPixmap: gradient:vertical?dimension=30&start=gray60&end=gray10

! Switch 3d look when entering/leaving buttons.
*MenuButton.translations:\
 <Enter>: set-values(1, displayList, "fg gray60; lines 1,-1,-1,-1,-1,1;   fg gray10; lines -1,0,0,0,0,-1")\n\
 <Leave>: set-values(1, displayList, "fg gray60; lines -1,+0,+0,+0,+0,-1; fg gray10; lines +1,-1,-1,-1,-1,+1")\n\
 Any <BtnDown>: PopupMenu()
 ! Main menu heading font.
*mainMenu*menuLabel.font: -b&h-lucida-bold-i-*-*-34-*-*-*-*-*-*-15
*mainMenu*menuLabel.foreground: rgb:80/80/f0
! Main menu entries font.
!*mainMenu*font: -adobe-helvetica-medium-r-*-*-14-*-*-*-*-*-*-* !small screen
*mainMenu*font: -adobe-helvetica-medium-r-normal-*-20-*-*-*-*-*-*-15
*mainMenu*backgroundPixmap:\
    gradient:vertical?dimension=800&start=gray10&end=magenta4
*vtMenu*menuLabel.font: -b&h-lucida-bold-i-*-*-34-*-*-*-*-*-*-15
*vtMenu*menuLabel.foreground: rgb:c0/40/f0
*vtMenu*font: -adobe-helvetica-medium-r-normal-*-20-*-*-*-*-*-*-15
*vtMenu*backgroundPixmap:\
    gradient:vertical?dimension=720&start=rgb:10/10/30&end=rgb:0/7/7
*fontMenu*menuLabel.font: -b&h-lucida-bold-i-*-*-34-*-*-*-*-*-*-15
*fontMenu*menuLabel.foreground: rgb:f0/80/80
*fontMenu*font: -adobe-helvetica-medium-r-normal-*-20-*-*-*-*-*-*-15
*fontMenu*backgroundPixmap:\
    gradient:vertical?dimension=670&start=gray10&end=rgb:50/20/20
*tekMenu*menuLabel.font: -b&h-lucida-bold-i-*-*-34-*-*-*-*-*-*-15
*tekMenu*menuLabel.foreground: rgb:80/f0/80
*tekMenu*font: -adobe-helvetica-medium-r-*-*-14-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
*tekMenu*backgroundPixmap:\
    gradient:vertical?dimension=400&start=gray10&end=rgb:20/50/20
*VT100.utf8Fonts.font: -adobe-helvetica-medium-r-*-*-14-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
*SimpleMenu*menuLabel.vertSpace: 10
*SimpleMenu*HorizontalMargins: 32

! A scroll bar to the right, please, but not in "xterm -name Mutt -e mutt",
! or "-name Tin" where they are useless.
*scrollBar: true
Mutt*scrollBar: false
Tin*scrollBar: false
*VT100.rightScrollBar: true
*Scrollbar.thickness: 36
*Scrollbar.backgroundPixmap:\
    gradient:horizontal?dimension=36&start=red4&end=rgb:20/10/10
*VT100.Scrollbar.thumb: vlines2
*VT100.scrollbar.displayList:\
       fg gray30;\
       lines +1,-1,-1,-1,-1,+1;\
       fg gray50;\
       lines -1,+0,+0,+0,+0,-1
*VT100.Scrollbar.background: black
*VT100.Scrollbar.foreground: gray30

! Run 'fc-list :scalable=true:spacing=mono: family' to find the list of
! scalable mono spaced fonts available as the faceName.
! Setting faceName also sets the "TrueType Fonts" option.
!*faceName: Monaco
! Default faceSize
*faceSize: 10
*fontMenu*fontdefault*Label: Default 10pt
*fontMenu*font1*Label: Size 8pt
*fontMenu*font2*Label: Size 9pt
*fontMenu*font3*Label: Size 10pt
*fontMenu*font4*Label: Size 12pt
*fontMenu*font5*Label: Size 15pt
*fontMenu*font6*Label: Size 20pt
*faceSize1: 8
*faceSize2: 9
*faceSize3: 10
*faceSize4: 12
*faceSize5: 15
*faceSize6: 20

! Only highlight the selected text, not the whole line, just like vim does.
*highlightColorMode: true
*highlightColor: rgb:00/33/99
*highlightTextColor: rgb:66/ff/ff
*highlightReverse: false

*boldMode: true
! Text with the underline attribute shall be rendered in italic.
!!!*italicULMode: true
*colorAttrMode: false
!*VT100*colorMode: true  (true by default)
! Bold shall be rendered bold, not colored.
*VT100*colorBDMode: false
! Blink shall be blinking, not colored.
*VT100*colorBLMode: false
! Italic shall be italic, not colored.
*VT100*colorITMode: false
! Reverse shall be reverse, not colored.
*VT100*colorRVMode: false
! Underline shall be underline, not colored. But see italicULMode!
*VT100*colorULMode: false
! In case we do want color instead of actual attributes, e.g. for
! xterm +bdc -ulit -xrm '*VT100*colorULMode:true' -e man xterm
*VT100*colorBD: rgb:50/80/F0
*VT100*colorBL: red
*VT100*colorIT: blue
*VT100*colorRV: green
*VT100*colorUL: rgb:60/F0/F0

! Set to VT125, VT240, VT241, VT330 or VT340 for ReGIS graphics.
*decTerminalID: VT340

! If you use xaw3d you want these to avoid ugly stippled shadows.
*beNiceToColormap:  False
*shapeStyle:        Rectangle

View attachment 17620

I've been using the provided Xterm configuration for a few months, but daredn't change it in case I break something.I would however like to change a few things but not sure how...


When I first start Xterm and press C-left or C-right the menu comes up but is only around 10 chars wide.
Also I would like the default font to be Size 10 Pt. It appears to be set to this value, but whenever I start up I need to adjust the size. Also it doesn't come up in full screen automatically. Before adjusting the font, characters appear with a space between every letter. No really sure how to describe this but after pressing C-right and selecting Size 10 pt the characters appear normal.

It would be great to sort all this out.

 

[schweikh]

The default font size is set with the *faceSize resource (try setting it to 15 to check if it changes), the default font with *faceName.

To avoid any aliases and scripts named xterm and envars setting different resources, run

env -i XAPPLRESDIR=$XAPPLRESDIR DISPLAY=$DISPLAY HOME=$HOME /usr/local/bin/xterm

No idea what's causing the narrow pop up menus. Don't be afraid to change and test variations. Save your original file and you can go back any time.