X Configuration: .Xdefaults



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X Configuration: .Xdefaults

The behaviors, fonts, and colors for X Windows System applications are set by configuration lines in the .Xdefaults file in your home directory. Many applications also follow the defaults which are set in the directory /usr/lib/X11/app-defaults. But the .Xdefaults file will override them. Each line in the .Xdefaults files configures an attribute of an X program. For example,   


program*attribute: setting Generic line in .Xdefaults. xterm*background: LightSkyBlue3 Set background color for xterm.

Notice that when you make a change in your .Xdefaults file, you may not see the change immediately because the .Xdefaults file is usually read only when the X server starts up (particularly in the latest releases of X). To have your changes take effect immediately without your having to kill and restart X, you must tell X to reread your configuration file. You do that by going to your home directory and issuing the Unix command:

% xrdb -load .Xdefaults   	Reload  configuration (dot) file.    



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Next: X Startup: .xinitrc Up: Personalizing X Windows Previous: Personalizing X Windows