[i3-discuss] xsession vs xinitrc using startx from console

[Alexander Beerhoff]

Dear i3 mailing list user member,
I'm a newbie of *nix system (debian buster). I run i3 using startx from
console where, as far I know, I need to put the command exec /usr/bin/i3 in
.initrc: in this case I have timeout error (in log file) executing
gnome-terminal, cannot exit i3 clicking on yes buttom after $mod+shift+e
and cannot open many application as default file viewer, while firefox,
lilyterm works.
Adding a .xsession file with same contents of .xinitrc solved these
problems.
Someone can gives me some hints why this happens? It the right behaviour?

Thanks for attention and best regards.

--
Umi sukoschi
Niwa ni izumi no
Ko no ma ka na

[Casper]

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[Oliver Kraitschy]

Hi Alexander,

coming from Arch Linux I also used a .xinitrc when I switched to Debian on
the desktop. But I had some issue (I think it was something about mounting
external volumes with thunar) and then discovered that in Debian one
should use .xsession instead of .xinitrc - see `man startx` for example.
And that indeed solved my issue back then. I don't know the exact
difference (apart from what is mentioned in the startx manpage) but it
certainly doesn't hurt to use .xsession.

Greetings,
Oliver

[Alexander Beerhoff]

I'm inclined to forget man pages are more reliable than googling.
In fact from startx man page:
Note that in the Debian system, what many people traditionally put in the
.xinitrc file should go in .xsession instead; this permits the
same X environment to be presented whether startx, xdm, or xinit
is used to start the X session. All discussion of the .xinitrc file in
the xinit(1) manual page applies equally well to .xsession. Keep in
mind that .xinitrc is used only by xinit(1) and completely ignored by
xdm(1).

Post by Oliver Kraitschy
Hi Alexander,
coming from Arch Linux I also used a .xinitrc when I switched to Debian on
the desktop. But I had some issue (I think it was something about mounting
external volumes with thunar) and then discovered that in Debian one
should use .xsession instead of .xinitrc - see `man startx` for example.
And that indeed solved my issue back then. I don't know the exact
difference (apart from what is mentioned in the startx manpage) but it
certainly doesn't hurt to use .xsession.
Greetings,
Oliver