Dev1 Galaxy Forum / 'Drop to terminal' question

Re: 'Drop to terminal' question

dummy@example.com (Altoid) — Thu, 24 Sep 2020 14:15:33 +0000

Hello:

Head_on_a_Stick wrote:

... that's right.
... startx command will run whatever desktop environment is symlinked ...
... can be overridden by creating ~/.xsession or ~/.xinitrc, see startx(1) for more on this.

Right.

Head_on_a_Stick wrote:

... Sorry for the delayed response ...

No problem whatsoever.
Thanks a lot for your input.

Cheers,

Re: 'Drop to terminal' question

dummy@example.com (Head_on_a_Stick) — Thu, 24 Sep 2020 08:12:50 +0000

Yes, that's right. Note that the startx command will run whatever desktop environment is symlinked to /etc/alternatives/x-session-manager (or /etc/alternatives/x-window-manager if no session manager is installed) but that can be overridden by creating ~/.xsession or ~/.xinitrc, see startx(1) for more on this.

(Sorry for the delayed response, I pulled a 16-hour shift at $DAY_JOB yesterday.)

Re: 'Drop to terminal' question

dummy@example.com (Altoid) — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 22:48:52 +0000

Hello:

Head_on_a_Stick wrote:

... login screen) will launch the graphical desktop on TTY7 by default ...

Right.

So, when I drop to a terminal via Ctrl+Alt+F1 I will be on TTY1 (or TTYn depending on the Fn used) save for TTY7 which is already running and which I get back to by means of Ctrl+Alt+F7. Yes?

Thanks for the explanation.

Cheers,

Re: 'Drop to terminal' question

dummy@example.com (Head_on_a_Stick) — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 20:15:16 +0000

Altoid wrote:

If I start a terminal with Ctrl+Alt+F1, log in and and then do startx, are there two users (both me) with the same userid or am I being taken to my original desktop?

The startx command will launch a new graphical desktop on the same TTY from which the command is run so if you switch to TTY1 (with ++F1) then the desktop will be run from there. Note that you only need to use +F7 to get back to the original desktop if you're at a console (TTY) screen.

The display manager (the graphical login screen) will launch the graphical desktop on TTY7 by default (unless you're using GDM, which will launch it from TTY2 onwards).

'Drop to terminal' question

dummy@example.com (Altoid) — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 19:52:11 +0000

Hello:

I know that Ctrl+Alt+F1 will drop me to a log-in terminal and that Ctrl+Alt+F7 will get me back to the desktop.
But I don't have much of a clue as to what is happening 'behind the scenes' so to speak.

eg:
How does getting a terminal with Ctrl+Alt+F1 relate to booting to a log-in terminal, logging in, doing startx and opening up a terminal as root?

If I start a terminal with Ctrl+Alt+F1, log in and and then do startx, are there two users (both me) with the same userid or am I being taken to my original desktop?

Rather confused as to how it works.

Thanks in advance,