| 1 | FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS |
1 | FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS |
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2 | The new selection selects pieces that are too big, how can I select |
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3 | single words? |
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4 | Yes. For example, if you want to select alphanumeric words, you can |
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5 | use the following resource: |
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6 | |
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7 | URxvt.selection.pattern-0: ([[:word:]]+) |
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8 | |
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9 | If you click more than twice, the selection will be extended more |
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10 | and more. |
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11 | |
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12 | To get a selection that is very similar to the old code, try this |
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13 | pattern: |
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14 | |
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15 | URxvt.selection.pattern-0: ([^"&'()*,;<=>?@[\\\\]^`{|})]+) |
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16 | |
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17 | Please also note that the *LeftClick Shift-LeftClik* combination |
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18 | also selects words like the old code. |
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19 | |
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20 | I don't like the new selection/popups/hotkeys/perl, how do I |
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21 | change/disable it? |
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22 | You can disable the perl extension completely by setting the |
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23 | perl-ext-common resource to the empty string, which also keeps |
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24 | rxvt-unicode from initialising perl, saving memory. |
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25 | |
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26 | If you only want to disable specific features, you first have to |
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27 | identify which perl extension is responsible. For this, read the |
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28 | section PREPACKAGED EXTENSIONS in the rxvtperl(3) manpage. For |
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29 | example, to disable the selection-popup and option-popup, specify |
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30 | this perl-ext-common resource: |
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31 | |
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32 | URxvt.perl-ext-common: default,-selection-popup,-option-popup |
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33 | |
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34 | This will keep the default extensions, but disable the two popup |
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35 | extensions. Some extensions can also be configured, for example, |
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36 | scrollback search mode is triggered by M-s. You can move it to any |
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37 | other combination either by setting the searchable-scrollback |
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38 | resource: |
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39 | |
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40 | URxvt.searchable-scrollback: CM-s |
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41 | |
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42 | Isn't rxvt supposed to be small? Don't all those features bloat? |
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43 | I often get asked about this, and I think, no, they didn't cause |
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44 | extra bloat. If you compare a minimal rxvt and a minimal urxvt, you |
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45 | can see that the urxvt binary is larger (due to some encoding tables |
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46 | always being compiled in), but it actually uses less memory (RSS) |
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47 | after startup. Even with "--disable-everything", this comparison is |
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48 | a bit unfair, as many features unique to urxvt (locale, encoding |
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49 | conversion, iso14755 etc.) are already in use in this mode. |
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50 | |
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51 | text data bss drs rss filename |
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52 | 98398 1664 24 15695 1824 rxvt --disable-everything |
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53 | 188985 9048 66616 18222 1788 urxvt --disable-everything |
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54 | |
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55 | When you "--enable-everything" (which _is_ unfair, as this involves |
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56 | xft and full locale/XIM support which are quite bloaty inside libX11 |
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57 | and my libc), the two diverge, but not unreasnobaly so. |
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58 | |
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59 | text data bss drs rss filename |
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60 | 163431 2152 24 20123 2060 rxvt --enable-everything |
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61 | 1035683 49680 66648 29096 3680 urxvt --enable-everything |
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62 | |
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63 | The very large size of the text section is explained by the |
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64 | east-asian encoding tables, which, if unused, take up disk space but |
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65 | nothing else and can be compiled out unless you rely on X11 core |
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66 | fonts that use those encodings. The BSS size comes from the 64k |
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67 | emergency buffer that my c++ compiler allocates (but of course |
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68 | doesn't use unless you are out of memory). Also, using an xft font |
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69 | instead of a core font immediately adds a few megabytes of RSS. Xft |
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70 | indeed is responsible for a lot of RSS even when not used. |
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71 | |
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72 | Of course, due to every character using two or four bytes instead of |
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73 | one, a large scrollback buffer will ultimately make rxvt-unicode use |
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74 | more memory. |
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75 | |
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76 | Compared to e.g. Eterm (5112k), aterm (3132k) and xterm (4680k), |
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77 | this still fares rather well. And compared to some monsters like |
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78 | gnome-terminal (21152k + extra 4204k in separate processes) or |
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79 | konsole (22200k + extra 43180k in daemons that stay around after |
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80 | exit, plus half a minute of startup time, including the hundreds of |
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81 | warnings it spits out), it fares extremely well *g*. |
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82 | |
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83 | Why C++, isn't that unportable/bloated/uncool? |
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84 | Is this a question? :) It comes up very often. The simple answer is: |
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85 | I had to write it, and C++ allowed me to write and maintain it in a |
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86 | fraction of the time and effort (which is a scarce resource for me). |
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87 | Put even shorter: It simply wouldn't exist without C++. |
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88 | |
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89 | My personal stance on this is that C++ is less portable than C, but |
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90 | in the case of rxvt-unicode this hardly matters, as its portability |
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91 | limits are defined by things like X11, pseudo terminals, locale |
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92 | support and unix domain sockets, which are all less portable than |
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93 | C++ itself. |
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94 | |
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95 | Regarding the bloat, see the above question: It's easy to write |
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96 | programs in C that use gobs of memory, an certainly possible to |
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97 | write programs in C++ that don't. C++ also often comes with large |
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98 | libraries, but this is not necessarily the case with GCC. Here is |
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99 | what rxvt links against on my system with a minimal config: |
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100 | |
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101 | libX11.so.6 => /usr/X11R6/lib/libX11.so.6 (0x00002aaaaabc3000) |
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102 | libc.so.6 => /lib/libc.so.6 (0x00002aaaaadde000) |
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103 | libdl.so.2 => /lib/libdl.so.2 (0x00002aaaab01d000) |
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104 | /lib64/ld-linux-x86-64.so.2 (0x00002aaaaaaab000) |
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105 | |
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106 | And here is rxvt-unicode: |
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107 | |
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108 | libX11.so.6 => /usr/X11R6/lib/libX11.so.6 (0x00002aaaaabc3000) |
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109 | libgcc_s.so.1 => /lib/libgcc_s.so.1 (0x00002aaaaada2000) |
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110 | libc.so.6 => /lib/libc.so.6 (0x00002aaaaaeb0000) |
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111 | libdl.so.2 => /lib/libdl.so.2 (0x00002aaaab0ee000) |
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112 | /lib64/ld-linux-x86-64.so.2 (0x00002aaaaaaab000) |
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113 | |
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114 | No large bloated libraries (of course, none were linked in |
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115 | statically), except maybe libX11 :) |
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116 | |
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117 | Does it support tabs, can I have a tabbed rxvt-unicode? |
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118 | rxvt-unicode does not directly support tabs. It will work fine with |
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119 | tabbing functionality of many window managers or similar tabbing |
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120 | programs, and its embedding-features allow it to be embedded into |
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121 | other programs, as witnessed by doc/rxvt-tabbed or the upcoming |
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122 | "Gtk2::URxvt" perl module, which features a tabbed urxvt (murxvt) |
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123 | terminal as an example embedding application. |
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124 | |
| 2 | How do I know which rxvt-unicode version I'm using? |
125 | How do I know which rxvt-unicode version I'm using? |
| 3 | The version number is displayed with the usage (-h). Also the escape |
126 | The version number is displayed with the usage (-h). Also the escape |
| 4 | sequence "ESC [ 8 n" sets the window title to the version number. |
127 | sequence "ESC [ 8 n" sets the window title to the version number. |
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128 | When using the rxvtc client, the version displayed is that of the |
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129 | daemon. |
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130 | |
| 6 | I am using Debian GNU/Linux and have a problem... |
131 | I am using Debian GNU/Linux and have a problem... |
| 7 | The Debian GNU/Linux package of rxvt-unicode contains large patches |
132 | The Debian GNU/Linux package of rxvt-unicode in sarge contains large |
| 8 | that considerably change the behaviour of rxvt-unicode. Before |
133 | patches that considerably change the behaviour of rxvt-unicode. |
| 9 | reporting a bug to the original rxvt-unicode author please download |
134 | Before reporting a bug to the original rxvt-unicode author please |
| 10 | and install the genuine version |
135 | download and install the genuine version |
| 11 | (<http://software.schmorp.de#rxvt-unicode>) and try to reproduce the |
136 | (<http://software.schmorp.de#rxvt-unicode>) and try to reproduce the |
| 12 | problem. If you cannot, chances are that the problems are specific |
137 | problem. If you cannot, chances are that the problems are specific |
| 13 | to Debian GNU/Linux, in which case it should be reported via the |
138 | to Debian GNU/Linux, in which case it should be reported via the |
| 14 | Debian Bug Tracking System (use "reportbug" to report the bug). |
139 | Debian Bug Tracking System (use "reportbug" to report the bug). |
| 15 | |
140 | |
| 16 | For other problems that also affect the Debian package, you can and |
141 | For other problems that also affect the Debian package, you can and |
| 17 | probably should use the Debian BTS, too, because, after all, it's |
142 | probably should use the Debian BTS, too, because, after all, it's |
| 18 | also a bug in the Debian version and it serves as a reminder for |
143 | also a bug in the Debian version and it serves as a reminder for |
| 19 | other users that might encounter the same issue. |
144 | other users that might encounter the same issue. |
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145 | |
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146 | I am maintaining rxvt-unicode for distribution/OS XXX, any |
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147 | recommendation? |
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148 | You should build one binary with the default options. configure now |
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149 | enables most useful options, and the trend goes to making them |
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150 | runtime-switchable, too, so there is usually no drawback to enbaling |
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151 | them, except higher disk and possibly memory usage. The perl |
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152 | interpreter should be enabled, as important functionality (menus, |
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153 | selection, likely more in the future) depends on it. |
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154 | |
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155 | You should not overwrite the "perl-ext-common" snd "perl-ext" |
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156 | resources system-wide (except maybe with "defaults"). This will |
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157 | result in useful behaviour. If your distribution aims at low memory, |
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158 | add an empty "perl-ext-common" resource to the app-defaults file. |
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159 | This will keep the perl interpreter disabled until the user enables |
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160 | it. |
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161 | |
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162 | If you can/want build more binaries, I recommend building a minimal |
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163 | one with "--disable-everything" (very useful) and a maximal one with |
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164 | "--enable-everything" (less useful, it will be very big due to a lot |
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165 | of encodings built-in that increase download times and are rarely |
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166 | used). |
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167 | |
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168 | I need to make it setuid/setgid to support utmp/ptys on my OS, is this |
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169 | safe? |
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170 | Likely not. While I honestly try to make it secure, and am probably |
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171 | not bad at it, I think it is simply unreasonable to expect all of |
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172 | freetype + fontconfig + xft + xlib + perl + ... + rxvt-unicode |
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173 | itself to all be secure. Also, rxvt-unicode disables some options |
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174 | when it detects that it runs setuid or setgid, which is not nice. |
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175 | Besides, with the embedded perl interpreter the possibility for |
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176 | security problems easily multiplies. |
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177 | |
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178 | Elevated privileges are only required for utmp and pty operations on |
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179 | some systems (for example, GNU/Linux doesn't need any extra |
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180 | privileges for ptys, but some need it for utmp support). It is |
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181 | planned to mvoe this into a forked handler process, but this is not |
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182 | yet done. |
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183 | |
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184 | So, while setuid/setgid operation is supported and not a problem on |
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185 | your typical single-user-no-other-logins unix desktop, always |
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186 | remember that its an awful lot of code, most of which isn't checked |
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187 | for security issues regularly. |
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188 | |
| 21 | When I log-in to another system it tells me about missing terminfo data? |
189 | When I log-in to another system it tells me about missing terminfo data? |
| 22 | The terminal description used by rxvt-unicode is not as widely |
190 | The terminal description used by rxvt-unicode is not as widely |
| 23 | available as that for xterm, or even rxvt (for which the same |
191 | available as that for xterm, or even rxvt (for which the same |
| 24 | problem often arises). |
192 | problem often arises). |
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| 44 | |
212 | |
| 45 | URxvt.termName: rxvt |
213 | URxvt.termName: rxvt |
| 46 | |
214 | |
| 47 | If you don't plan to use rxvt (quite common...) you could also |
215 | If you don't plan to use rxvt (quite common...) you could also |
| 48 | replace the rxvt terminfo file with the rxvt-unicode one. |
216 | replace the rxvt terminfo file with the rxvt-unicode one. |
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217 | |
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218 | "tic" outputs some error when compiling the terminfo entry. |
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219 | Most likely it's the empty definition for "enacs=". Just replace it |
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220 | by "enacs=\E[0@" and try again. |
| 49 | |
221 | |
| 50 | "bash"'s readline does not work correctly under rxvt. |
222 | "bash"'s readline does not work correctly under rxvt. |
| 51 | I need a termcap file entry. |
223 | I need a termcap file entry. |
| 52 | One reason you might want this is that some distributions or |
224 | One reason you might want this is that some distributions or |
| 53 | operating systems still compile some programs using the |
225 | operating systems still compile some programs using the |
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| 312 | |
484 | |
| 313 | I use Solaris 9 and it doesn't compile/work/etc. |
485 | I use Solaris 9 and it doesn't compile/work/etc. |
| 314 | Try the diff in doc/solaris9.patch as a base. It fixes the worst |
486 | Try the diff in doc/solaris9.patch as a base. It fixes the worst |
| 315 | problems with "wcwidth" and a compile problem. |
487 | problems with "wcwidth" and a compile problem. |
| 316 | |
488 | |
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489 | How can I use rxvt-unicode under cygwin? |
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490 | rxvt-unicode should compile and run out of the box on cygwin, using |
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491 | the X11 libraries that come with cygwin. libW11 emulation is no |
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492 | longer supported (and makes no sense, either, as it only supported a |
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493 | single font). I recommend starting the X-server in "-multiwindow" or |
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494 | "-rootless" mode instead, which will result in similar look&feel as |
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495 | the old libW11 emulation. |
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496 | |
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497 | At the time of this writing, cygwin didn't seem to support any |
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498 | multi-byte encodings (you might try "LC_CTYPE=C-UTF-8"), so you are |
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499 | likely limited to 8-bit encodings. |
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500 | |
| 317 | How does rxvt-unicode determine the encoding to use? |
501 | How does rxvt-unicode determine the encoding to use? |
| 318 | Is there an option to switch encodings? |
502 | Is there an option to switch encodings? |
| 319 | Unlike some other terminals, rxvt-unicode has no encoding switch, |
503 | Unlike some other terminals, rxvt-unicode has no encoding switch, |
| 320 | and no specific "utf-8" mode, such as xterm. In fact, it doesn't |
504 | and no specific "utf-8" mode, such as xterm. In fact, it doesn't |
| 321 | even know about UTF-8 or any other encodings with respect to |
505 | even know about UTF-8 or any other encodings with respect to |
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| 432 | it gets worse, as rxvt-unicode then uses 8 bytes per screen cell. |
616 | it gets worse, as rxvt-unicode then uses 8 bytes per screen cell. |
| 433 | |
617 | |
| 434 | Can I speed up Xft rendering somehow? |
618 | Can I speed up Xft rendering somehow? |
| 435 | Yes, the most obvious way to speed it up is to avoid Xft entirely, |
619 | Yes, the most obvious way to speed it up is to avoid Xft entirely, |
| 436 | as it is simply slow. If you still want Xft fonts you might try to |
620 | as it is simply slow. If you still want Xft fonts you might try to |
| 437 | disable antialiasing (by appending ":antialiasing=false"), which |
621 | disable antialiasing (by appending ":antialias=false"), which saves |
| 438 | saves lots of memory and also speeds up rendering considerably. |
622 | lots of memory and also speeds up rendering considerably. |
| 439 | |
623 | |
| 440 | Rxvt-unicode doesn't seem to anti-alias its fonts, what is wrong? |
624 | Rxvt-unicode doesn't seem to anti-alias its fonts, what is wrong? |
| 441 | Rxvt-unicode will use whatever you specify as a font. If it needs to |
625 | Rxvt-unicode will use whatever you specify as a font. If it needs to |
| 442 | fall back to it's default font search list it will prefer X11 core |
626 | fall back to it's default font search list it will prefer X11 core |
| 443 | fonts, because they are small and fast, and then use Xft fonts. It |
627 | fonts, because they are small and fast, and then use Xft fonts. It |
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| 449 | Mouse cut/paste suddenly no longer works. |
633 | Mouse cut/paste suddenly no longer works. |
| 450 | Make sure that mouse reporting is actually turned off since killing |
634 | Make sure that mouse reporting is actually turned off since killing |
| 451 | some editors prematurely may leave the mouse in mouse report mode. |
635 | some editors prematurely may leave the mouse in mouse report mode. |
| 452 | I've heard that tcsh may use mouse reporting unless it otherwise |
636 | I've heard that tcsh may use mouse reporting unless it otherwise |
| 453 | specified. A quick check is to see if cut/paste works when the Alt |
637 | specified. A quick check is to see if cut/paste works when the Alt |
| 454 | or Shift keys are depressed. See rxvt(7) |
638 | or Shift keys are depressed. |
| 455 | |
639 | |
| 456 | What's with this bold/blink stuff? |
640 | What's with this bold/blink stuff? |
| 457 | If no bold colour is set via "colorBD:", bold will invert text using |
641 | If no bold colour is set via "colorBD:", bold will invert text using |
| 458 | the standard foreground colour. |
642 | the standard foreground colour. |
| 459 | |
643 | |
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| 515 | URxvt.color14: #73f7ff |
699 | URxvt.color14: #73f7ff |
| 516 | URxvt.color7: #e1dddd |
700 | URxvt.color7: #e1dddd |
| 517 | URxvt.color15: #e1dddd |
701 | URxvt.color15: #e1dddd |
| 518 | |
702 | |
| 519 | How can I start rxvtd in a race-free way? |
703 | How can I start rxvtd in a race-free way? |
| 520 | Despite it's name, rxvtd is not a real daemon, but more like a |
704 | Try "rxvtd -f -o", which tells rxvtd to open the display, create the |
| 521 | server that answers rxvtc's requests, so it doesn't background |
705 | listening socket and then fork. |
| 522 | itself. |
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| 523 | |
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| 524 | To ensure rxvtd is listening on it's socket, you can use the |
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| 525 | following method to wait for the startup message before continuing: |
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| 526 | |
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| 527 | { rxvtd & } | read |
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| 528 | |
706 | |
| 529 | What's with the strange Backspace/Delete key behaviour? |
707 | What's with the strange Backspace/Delete key behaviour? |
| 530 | Assuming that the physical Backspace key corresponds to the |
708 | Assuming that the physical Backspace key corresponds to the |
| 531 | BackSpace keysym (not likely for Linux ... see the following |
709 | BackSpace keysym (not likely for Linux ... see the following |
| 532 | question) there are two standard values that can be used for |
710 | question) there are two standard values that can be used for |
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| 551 | |
729 | |
| 552 | # use Backspace = ^? |
730 | # use Backspace = ^? |
| 553 | $ stty erase ^? |
731 | $ stty erase ^? |
| 554 | $ rxvt |
732 | $ rxvt |
| 555 | |
733 | |
| 556 | Toggle with "ESC [ 36 h" / "ESC [ 36 l" as documented in rxvt(7). |
734 | Toggle with "ESC [ 36 h" / "ESC [ 36 l". |
| 557 | |
735 | |
| 558 | For an existing rxvt-unicode: |
736 | For an existing rxvt-unicode: |
| 559 | |
737 | |
| 560 | # use Backspace = ^H |
738 | # use Backspace = ^H |
| 561 | $ stty erase ^H |
739 | $ stty erase ^H |
