GNOME Display Manager Configuration Files

The primary GNOME display manager configuration file is /etc/gdm/gdm.conf. The first comment at the top of this file is a warning that "this file should not be updated by hand." Any configuration changes should be made to the /etc/gdm/gdm.conf-custom file. In the Gutsy Gibbon release, there was even a backup of /etc/gdm/gdm.conf in the /etc/gdm/factory-gdm.conf file. For more information on the files in the /etc/gdm directory, see Table 12-1. Yes, there are directories in this table, but remember, in Linux, a directory is just a special version of a file.

File in the /etc/gdm

Directory Description

TABLE 12-1

GNOME Display Manager Configuration Files factory-gdm.conf

Stores the default configuration; should be identical to gdm.conf (may be shown as gdm-cdd.conf; not available in the Hardy Heron release)

failsafeBlacklist

Specifies graphics card characteristics that don't work with a VESA driver

failsafeDexconf

Creates an xorg.conf.failsafe configuration file in case of a failure with the X server

failsafeXinit

Initializes the X Window System in case of a failure with the X server

failsafeXServer

Starts a failsafe X server, in case of a failure with the current X server configuration

gdm.conf

Includes the primary GNOME display manager configuration file; changes should be added to gdm.conf-custom

gdm.conf-custom

Adds custom settings to gdm.conf

gdmprefetchlist

Loads key libraries to speed GUI login performance

Init/Default

Includes keyboard and other default GUI settings

locale.conf

Adds language settings

modules/*

Incorporates mouse settings for the GUI

PostLogin/Default

Adds user-defined settings after login, before the GUI desktop is presented to the user

PostSession/Default

Adds user-defined settings after logout

PreSession/Default

Adds user-defined settings after login, after PostLogin/Default is run, before the GUI desktop is presented to the user

XKeepsCrashing

Provides messages even if the BulletProofX files don't work

Xsession

Configures part of the X Window System during the start process

The BulletProofX system is designed to create a graphical screen even when there are certain serious problems with the configuration of the X server. The files associated with the BulletProofX system were first implemented for Ubuntu Linux Gutsy Gibbon. If there's a complete failure in the X Window System, the BulletProofX files start a minimal graphical screen with the displayconfig-gtk utility described in Chapter 11. These configuration files are the failsafe* files described in Table 12-1.

With the Hardy Heron release, the X Server is even more resilient. It's more difficult to create a situation where the BulletProofX system calls the displayconfig-gtk utility. The X Server now works even with certain configuration files missing, or fails completely.

Continue reading here: GNOME Display Manager Configuration File

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