Re: [gentoo-amd64] Re: Multiple X with multiple Keyboards

[Steve Herber]

I have run multiple X servers on a single computer.  I set one up for my 
wife and another for me.  They were on the same monitor and we used the 
normal control-alt-f7 and f8 to switch between them.

You configure such a system by adding an extra line to the xdm-config
file.  A hint about this is found in the middle of this page:

 	http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/XDM-Xterm/config.htm

I am sure there are other pages that expand upon this idea.

But this does not do what you want.  I think you need to look into the
startx script and create a modified one that points to a second
xorg.conf file that specifies the keyboard, mousse, monitor combination
that you need so that X only uses that hardware.  You will probably need
to figure out how to, in a sense, defeat the plug and play features of
the more recent X servers.

In addition, there is a project, somewhere, to configure a single computer
to support multiple keyboards, videos, and mice, as a way to share the
computer among many concurrent users.  I would spend some time looking
for that project.  It might do exactly what you want.

Good luck,

Steve Herber	herber@×××××.com		work: 206-221-7262
Security Engineer, UW Medicine, IT Services	home: 425-454-2399

On Wed, 30 Nov 2005, Duncan wrote:

> Christian Aistleitner posted <op.s02i0wwfu6j4vy@×××××××××××××××××××.info>,
> excerpted below,  on Wed, 30 Nov 2005 20:27:58 +0100:
>
>> I have several mice, keyboards, and monitors/graphic cards attached to my
>> gentoo ~amd64 machine at once. I created a server layout using all mice,
>> keyboards, and monitors. X (x11-base/xorg-x11-6.8.2-r6) works like a
>> charm.
>>
>> However, I wanted to split the mice, monitors, and keyboards to
>> workplaces. For example the first mouse, the first keyboard and the first
>> Monitor for workplace1 and the rest for workplace2. Both workplaces should
>> allow to operate independently from the other. For example I am logged in
>> and working on workplace1. Them a friend drops by, logs in on workplace2
>> WHILE i am working on workplace1
>>
>> So I separated my xorg.conf into two layouts. One for workplace1 and one
>> for workplace2.
>> However, I could not attach the keyboards to different vt's. Therfore, if
>> I choose to have workplace1 on vt7 and workplace2 on vt8, I can use either
>> workplace1 or workplace2. Not both of them simultaneously.
>>
>> I found several patches for X, but after applying them, X did not compile.
>> I also found the "Backstreet Ruby kernel" mentioned several times --
>> these pages however date back to 2003.
>
> As you saw, X by itself doesn't work the way you intend.  Different
> layouts are for alternate arrangements, but still single X user.  Even
> different VT (virtual terminals) wouldn't do what you want.  That would
> allow you to run two X sessions on the same physical terminal, switching
> between them.
>
> What you want might be more in line with either two X sessions, running an
> X server on your friend's computer, to connect to X clients running on
> yours (while you run your own X server and clients separately), or
> something like the LTSP,  Linux Terminal Server Project, which runs one
> big server and a bunch of thin clients, normally diskless boot, that
> access the main server.  I don't know much about either arrangement, but
> the LTSP home page is http://www.ltsp.org/
>
> That's barely a pointer in (one hopes) the right direction, but that's a
> start. Perhaps someone else has more.
>
> --
> Duncan - List replies preferred.   No HTML msgs.
> "Every nonfree program has a lord, a master --
> and if you use the program, he is your master."  Richard Stallman in
> http://www.linuxdevcenter.com/pub/a/linux/2004/12/22/rms_interview.html
>
>
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>
>
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