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Opening multiple windows when running X11 in Mac OS X

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Problem:

When logged in to the Mac (either remotely or at the console), mac says it can't find tcsh or xterm when you try opening a new window.

Solution:

Mac stores these executables in different locations than on the Sun. Need to have a "fork" in startup files. The relevant files that need to have a routing option in them are the .xinitrc and .local in the home directory on the Sun. As an example, use the following syntax for routing in .local:

if (`uname` == "Darwin") then
setenv PATH /bin:/sbin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/X11R6/bin/
---------other mac stuff-----
else
-----Sun startup stuff-----
endif

Executables are stored in /bin on Estrella (not /usr/local/bin as on the Sun ... hence the mac complaint of not being able to find xterm). Other unix executables (tcsh etc.) are in /usr/X11R6/bin/ . With these changes, you should able to open multiple windows. A sample .xinitrc that works on Darwin can be found in /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc on Estrella. If you already have a custom .xinitrc on the Suns(for example if you're running a different window manager other than CDE on the Sun), you may need to perform the same re-routing as on the .local file.

 

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