Bug 128342

Summary:	Handbook 5.4.2 "Configuring X11" should suggest using window manager for screen resolution
Product:	Documentation	Reporter:	Thomas Beery <tbeery>
Component:	Books & Articles	Assignee:	Marc Fonvieille <blackend>
Status:	Closed FIXED
Severity:	Affects Only Me
Priority:	Normal
Version:	Latest
Hardware:	Any
OS:	Any

Description Thomas Beery 2008-10-24 15:40:01 UTC

Handbook section 5.4.2, "Configuring X11" says"
 
"As of version 7.3, Xorg can often work without any configuration file by simply typing at prompt:

% startx

If this does not work, or if the default configuration is not acceptable, then X11 must be configured manually. ....."

In my case a screen resolution of 1280x1024 at 60Hz on analog was desired. Startx gave a resolution of 1024x768. It was much easier to start XFce and change the resolution using the "Display Settings" tool than to edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf .

Fix: 

Change Handbook section 5.4.2 "Configuring X11" to read:

..

% startx

If the default configuration is not acceptable, continue with the installation of Gnome, KDE, or XFce and try to set resolution/frequency using the appropriate tool. If this does not work or "startx" does not display anything at all, then X11 must be configured manually.
How-To-Repeat: Matrox M400 board, broken i2c/ddc, 1280x1024 @ 60Hz desired.

Comment 1 Marc Fonvieille freebsd_committer

2008-10-24 17:43:28 UTC

Hello,

And what about people using just a window manager and not a desktop
environment?

I'd rather have see a note:

-
If this does not work, or if the default configuration is not
acceptable, then X11 must be configured manually.

Note: Desktop environments like GNOME, KDE or XFce have tools allowing
the user to easily set the screen parameters such as the resolution.  So
if the default configuration is not acceptable and you planned to
install a desktop environment then just continue with the installation
of the desktop environment and use the appropriate screen settings tool.

Configuration of X11 is a multi-step process. The first step is to build
an initial configuration file. As the super user, simply run:

etc.
-

-- 
Marc

Comment 2 Marc Fonvieille freebsd_committer

2008-10-25 18:11:30 UTC

Responsible Changed
From-To: freebsd-doc->blackend

Grab this PR.  I'll work on it.

Comment 3 Marc Fonvieille freebsd_committer

2008-10-28 07:56:37 UTC

State Changed
From-To: open->closed

I committed the suggestion I did in the trailing message.  Thanks for 
the help.

Comment 4 dfilter service freebsd_committer

2008-10-28 07:56:41 UTC

blackend    2008-10-28 07:56:33 UTC

  FreeBSD doc repository

  Modified files:
    en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/x11 chapter.sgml 
  Log:
  Add a note mentioning many X11 parameters can be directly and easily set
  from desktop environments such as GNOME, KDE, etc.
  
  Discussed with: Thomas Beery <tbeery@lanl.gov>
  PR:             docs/128342
  
  Revision  Changes    Path
  1.190     +15 -2     doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/x11/chapter.sgml
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