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Revision 1.20 by root, Sat Dec 24 12:55:17 2005 UTC vs.
Revision 1.26 by root, Thu Jan 12 23:11:23 2006 UTC

1FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 1FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
2 The new selection selects pieces that are too big/too small, can I
3 change this?
4 Yes. For example, if you want to select smaller pieces ("words") you
5 can use the following resource:
6
7 URxvt.selection.pattern-0: ([[:word:]]+)
8
9 If you click more than twice, the selection will be extended more
10 and more.
11
12 To get a selection that is very similar to the old code, try this
13 pattern:
14
15 URxvt.selection.pattern-0: ([^"&'()*,;<=>?@[\\\\]^`{|})]+)
16
17 I don't like the new selection/popups/hotkeys/perl, how do I
18 change/disable it?
19 You can disable the perl extension completely by setting the
20 perl-ext-common resource to the empty string, which also keeps
21 rxvt-unicode from initialising perl, saving memory.
22
23 If you only want to disable specific features, you first have to
24 identify which perl extension is responsible. For this, read the
25 section PREPACKAGED EXTENSIONS in the rxvtperl(3) manpage. For
26 example, to disable the selection-popup and option-popup, specify
27 this perl-ext-common resource:
28
29 URxvt.perl-ext-common: default,-selection-popup,-option-popup
30
31 This will keep the default extensions, but disable the two popup
32 extensions. Some extensions can also be configured, for example,
33 scrollback search mode is triggered by M-s. You can move it to any
34 other combination either by setting the searchable-scrollback
35 resource:
36
37 URxvt.searchable-scrollback: CM-s
38
2 Isn't rxvt supposed to be small? Don't all those features bloat? 39 Isn't rxvt supposed to be small? Don't all those features bloat?
3 I often get asked about this, and I think, no, they didn't cause 40 I often get asked about this, and I think, no, they didn't cause
4 extra bloat. If you compare a minimal rxvt and a minimal urxvt, you 41 extra bloat. If you compare a minimal rxvt and a minimal urxvt, you
5 can see that the urxvt binary is larger (due to some encoding tables 42 can see that the urxvt binary is larger (due to some encoding tables
6 always being compiled in), but it actually uses less memory (RSS) 43 always being compiled in), but it actually uses less memory (RSS)
35 72
36 Compared to e.g. Eterm (5112k), aterm (3132k) and xterm (4680k), 73 Compared to e.g. Eterm (5112k), aterm (3132k) and xterm (4680k),
37 this still fares rather well. And compared to some monsters like 74 this still fares rather well. And compared to some monsters like
38 gnome-terminal (21152k + extra 4204k in separate processes) or 75 gnome-terminal (21152k + extra 4204k in separate processes) or
39 konsole (22200k + extra 43180k in daemons that stay around after 76 konsole (22200k + extra 43180k in daemons that stay around after
40 exit, plus half aminute of startup time, including the hundreds of 77 exit, plus half a minute of startup time, including the hundreds of
41 warnings it spits out), it fares extremely well *g*. 78 warnings it spits out), it fares extremely well *g*.
42 79
43 Why C++, isn't that unportable/bloated/uncool? 80 Why C++, isn't that unportable/bloated/uncool?
44 Is this a question? :) It comes up very often. The simple answer is: 81 Is this a question? :) It comes up very often. The simple answer is:
45 I had to write it, and C++ allowed me to write and maintain it in a 82 I had to write it, and C++ allowed me to write and maintain it in a
83 terminal as an example embedding application. 120 terminal as an example embedding application.
84 121
85 How do I know which rxvt-unicode version I'm using? 122 How do I know which rxvt-unicode version I'm using?
86 The version number is displayed with the usage (-h). Also the escape 123 The version number is displayed with the usage (-h). Also the escape
87 sequence "ESC [ 8 n" sets the window title to the version number. 124 sequence "ESC [ 8 n" sets the window title to the version number.
88 When using the urxvtc client, the version displayed is that of the 125 When using the rxvtc client, the version displayed is that of the
89 daemon. 126 daemon.
90 127
91 I am using Debian GNU/Linux and have a problem... 128 I am using Debian GNU/Linux and have a problem...
92 The Debian GNU/Linux package of rxvt-unicode in sarge contains large 129 The Debian GNU/Linux package of rxvt-unicode in sarge contains large
93 patches that considerably change the behaviour of rxvt-unicode. 130 patches that considerably change the behaviour of rxvt-unicode.
101 For other problems that also affect the Debian package, you can and 138 For other problems that also affect the Debian package, you can and
102 probably should use the Debian BTS, too, because, after all, it's 139 probably should use the Debian BTS, too, because, after all, it's
103 also a bug in the Debian version and it serves as a reminder for 140 also a bug in the Debian version and it serves as a reminder for
104 other users that might encounter the same issue. 141 other users that might encounter the same issue.
105 142
143 I am maintaining rxvt-unicode for distribution/OS XXX, any
144 recommendation?
145 You should build one binary with the default options. configure now
146 enables most useful options, and the trend goes to making them
147 runtime-switchable, too, so there is usually no drawback to enbaling
148 them, except higher disk and possibly memory usage. The perl
149 interpreter should be enabled, as important functionality (menus,
150 selection, likely more in the future) depends on it.
151
152 You should not overwrite the "perl-ext-common" snd "perl-ext"
153 resources system-wide (except maybe with "defaults"). This will
154 result in useful behaviour. If your distribution aims at low memory,
155 add an empty "perl-ext-common" resource to the app-defaults file.
156 This will keep the perl interpreter disabled until the user enables
157 it.
158
159 If you can/want build more binaries, I recommend building a minimal
160 one with "--disable-everything" (very useful) and a maximal one with
161 "--enable-everything" (less useful, it will be very big due to a lot
162 of encodings built-in that increase download times and are rarely
163 used).
164
165 I need to make it setuid/setgid to support utmp/ptys on my OS, is this
166 safe?
167 Likely not. While I honestly try to make it secure, and am probably
168 not bad at it, I think it is simply unreasonable to expect all of
169 freetype + fontconfig + xft + xlib + perl + ... + rxvt-unicode
170 itself to all be secure. Also, rxvt-unicode disables some options
171 when it detects that it runs setuid or setgid, which is not nice.
172 Besides, with the embedded perl interpreter the possibility for
173 security problems easily multiplies.
174
175 Elevated privileges are only required for utmp and pty operations on
176 some systems (for example, GNU/Linux doesn't need any extra
177 privileges for ptys, but some need it for utmp support). It is
178 planned to mvoe this into a forked handler process, but this is not
179 yet done.
180
181 So, while setuid/setgid operation is supported and not a problem on
182 your typical single-user-no-other-logins unix desktop, always
183 remember that its an awful lot of code, most of which isn't checked
184 for security issues regularly.
185
106 When I log-in to another system it tells me about missing terminfo data? 186 When I log-in to another system it tells me about missing terminfo data?
107 The terminal description used by rxvt-unicode is not as widely 187 The terminal description used by rxvt-unicode is not as widely
108 available as that for xterm, or even rxvt (for which the same 188 available as that for xterm, or even rxvt (for which the same
109 problem often arises). 189 problem often arises).
110 190
134 214
135 "tic" outputs some error when compiling the terminfo entry. 215 "tic" outputs some error when compiling the terminfo entry.
136 Most likely it's the empty definition for "enacs=". Just replace it 216 Most likely it's the empty definition for "enacs=". Just replace it
137 by "enacs=\E[0@" and try again. 217 by "enacs=\E[0@" and try again.
138 218
139 "bash"'s readline does not work correctly under urxvt. 219 "bash"'s readline does not work correctly under rxvt.
140 I need a termcap file entry. 220 I need a termcap file entry.
141 One reason you might want this is that some distributions or 221 One reason you might want this is that some distributions or
142 operating systems still compile some programs using the 222 operating systems still compile some programs using the
143 long-obsoleted termcap library (Fedora Core's bash is one example) 223 long-obsoleted termcap library (Fedora Core's bash is one example)
144 and rely on a termcap entry for "rxvt-unicode". 224 and rely on a termcap entry for "rxvt-unicode".
255 indeed look correct. 335 indeed look correct.
256 336
257 In that case, select a font of your taste and add it to the font 337 In that case, select a font of your taste and add it to the font
258 list, e.g.: 338 list, e.g.:
259 339
260 urxvt -fn basefont,font2,font3... 340 rxvt -fn basefont,font2,font3...
261 341
262 When rxvt-unicode sees a character, it will first look at the base 342 When rxvt-unicode sees a character, it will first look at the base
263 font. If the base font does not contain the character, it will go to 343 font. If the base font does not contain the character, it will go to
264 the next font, and so on. Specifying your own fonts will also speed 344 the next font, and so on. Specifying your own fonts will also speed
265 up this search and use less resources within rxvt-unicode and the 345 up this search and use less resources within rxvt-unicode and the
550 Mouse cut/paste suddenly no longer works. 630 Mouse cut/paste suddenly no longer works.
551 Make sure that mouse reporting is actually turned off since killing 631 Make sure that mouse reporting is actually turned off since killing
552 some editors prematurely may leave the mouse in mouse report mode. 632 some editors prematurely may leave the mouse in mouse report mode.
553 I've heard that tcsh may use mouse reporting unless it otherwise 633 I've heard that tcsh may use mouse reporting unless it otherwise
554 specified. A quick check is to see if cut/paste works when the Alt 634 specified. A quick check is to see if cut/paste works when the Alt
555 or Shift keys are depressed. See urxvt(7) 635 or Shift keys are depressed. See rxvt(7)
556 636
557 What's with this bold/blink stuff? 637 What's with this bold/blink stuff?
558 If no bold colour is set via "colorBD:", bold will invert text using 638 If no bold colour is set via "colorBD:", bold will invert text using
559 the standard foreground colour. 639 the standard foreground colour.
560 640
615 URxvt.color6: #73f7ff 695 URxvt.color6: #73f7ff
616 URxvt.color14: #73f7ff 696 URxvt.color14: #73f7ff
617 URxvt.color7: #e1dddd 697 URxvt.color7: #e1dddd
618 URxvt.color15: #e1dddd 698 URxvt.color15: #e1dddd
619 699
620 How can I start urxvtd in a race-free way? 700 How can I start rxvtd in a race-free way?
621 Try "urxvtd -f -o", which tells urxvtd to open the display, create 701 Try "rxvtd -f -o", which tells rxvtd to open the display, create the
622 the listening socket and then fork. 702 listening socket and then fork.
623 703
624 What's with the strange Backspace/Delete key behaviour? 704 What's with the strange Backspace/Delete key behaviour?
625 Assuming that the physical Backspace key corresponds to the 705 Assuming that the physical Backspace key corresponds to the
626 BackSpace keysym (not likely for Linux ... see the following 706 BackSpace keysym (not likely for Linux ... see the following
627 question) there are two standard values that can be used for 707 question) there are two standard values that can be used for
640 720
641 For starting a new rxvt-unicode: 721 For starting a new rxvt-unicode:
642 722
643 # use Backspace = ^H 723 # use Backspace = ^H
644 $ stty erase ^H 724 $ stty erase ^H
645 $ urxvt 725 $ rxvt
646 726
647 # use Backspace = ^? 727 # use Backspace = ^?
648 $ stty erase ^? 728 $ stty erase ^?
649 $ urxvt 729 $ rxvt
650 730
651 Toggle with "ESC [ 36 h" / "ESC [ 36 l" as documented in urxvt(7). 731 Toggle with "ESC [ 36 h" / "ESC [ 36 l" as documented in rxvt(7).
652 732
653 For an existing rxvt-unicode: 733 For an existing rxvt-unicode:
654 734
655 # use Backspace = ^H 735 # use Backspace = ^H
656 $ stty erase ^H 736 $ stty erase ^H
682 There are some compile-time selections available via configure. 762 There are some compile-time selections available via configure.
683 Unless you have run "configure" with the "--disable-resources" 763 Unless you have run "configure" with the "--disable-resources"
684 option you can use the `keysym' resource to alter the keystrings 764 option you can use the `keysym' resource to alter the keystrings
685 associated with keysyms. 765 associated with keysyms.
686 766
687 Here's an example for a URxvt session started using "urxvt -name 767 Here's an example for a URxvt session started using "rxvt -name
688 URxvt" 768 URxvt"
689 769
690 URxvt.keysym.Home: \033[1~ 770 URxvt.keysym.Home: \033[1~
691 URxvt.keysym.End: \033[4~ 771 URxvt.keysym.End: \033[4~
692 URxvt.keysym.C-apostrophe: \033<C-'> 772 URxvt.keysym.C-apostrophe: \033<C-'>

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