Logging in via X in multiple places

Thomas Charron twaffle at gmail.com
Tue Feb 6 14:49:40 EST 2007


On 2/6/07, Paul Lussier <p.lussier at comcast.net> wrote:
>
> Hi all,
>
> When logging into a UNIX/X system via (g,k,x)dm, said session manager
> writes "stuff" to your ~/.Xauthority file using xauth (which seems to
> be it's own sort of black magic).
> In an environment where your homedirectory is NFS mounted, logging
> into multiple systems at their X-based consoles can be problematic,
> since each X session is going to clobber your One True ~/.Xauthority
> file.
> Has anyone here had and/or solved this problem?  And if you've solved
> it, please explain how :) I can think of a few different work-arounds,
> all of which avoid actually understanding xauth, which, given the user
> of mine currently having this problem, might be a good thing :)

  *** WARNING - UNTESTED GUESS AHEAD ***

  I *believe* the .Xauthority file can be modified via the XAUTHORITY
environmental variable.  You could somehow massage the (g,k,x)dm
manager to change that environmental variable into something that
includes your host, display, etc....

  Can't test it right now, but you have alot more experience with
these sorts of black magic then I, so maybe it'll point you in a
direction.  *shrug*
-- 
-- Thomas


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