xrdb - X server resource database utility
xrdb [-option...] [filename]
xrdb program accepts the following options: This option
(or any unsupported option) will cause a brief description
of the allowable options and parameters to be printed.
This option specifies the X server to be used; see X(1X).
It also specifies the screen to use for the -screen
option, and it specifies the screen from which preprocessor
symbols are derived for the -global option. This
option indicates that operation should be performed on the
screen-independent resource property (RESOURCE_MANAGER),
as well as the screen-specific property (SCREEN_RESOURCES)
on every screen of the display. For example, when used in
conjunction with -query, the contents of all properties
are output. For -load, -override and -merge, the input
file is processed once for each screen. The resources
which occur in common in the output for every screen are
collected, and these are applied as the screen-independent
resources. The remaining resources are applied for each
individual per-screen property. This the default mode of
operation. This option indicates that the operation
should only be performed on the screen-independent
RESOURCE_MANAGER property. This option indicates that the
operation should only be performed on the SCREEN_RESOURCES
property of the default screen of the display. This
option indicates that the operation should be performed on
the SCREEN_RESOURCES property of each screen of the display.
For -load, -override and -merge, the input file is
processed for each screen. This option indicates that
changes to the specified properties (when used with -load,
-override or -merge) or to the resource file (when used
with -edit) should be shown on the standard output, but
should not be performed. This option indicates that warning
about duplicate entries should not be displayed. This
option specifies the pathname of the C preprocessor program
to be used. Although xrdb was designed to use CPP,
any program that acts as a filter and accepts the -D, -I,
and -U options may be used. This option indicates that
xrdb should not run the input file through a preprocessor
before loading it into properties. This option indicates
that the symbols that are defined for the preprocessor
should be printed onto the standard output. This option
indicates that the current contents of the specified properties
should be printed onto the standard output. Note
that since preprocessor commands in the input resource
file are part of the input file, not part of the property,
they will not appear in the output from this option. The
-edit option can be used to merge the contents of properties
back into the input resource file without damaging
preprocessor commands. This option indicates that the
input should be loaded as the new value of the specified
properties, replacing whatever was there (that is, the old
contents are removed). This is the default action. This
option indicates that the input should be added to,
instead of replacing, the current contents of the specified
properties. New entries override previous entries.
This option indicates that the input should be merged and
lexicographically sorted with, instead of replacing, the
current contents of the specified properties. This option
indicates that the specified properties should be removed
from the server. This option indicates that the server
should be instructed not to reset if xrdb is the first
client. This never be necessary under normal conditions,
since xdm and xinit always act as the first client. This
option indicates that the contents of the specified properties
should be edited into the given file, replacing any
values already listed there. This allows you to put
changes that you have made to your defaults back into your
resource file, preserving any comments or preprocessor
lines. This option specifies a suffix to be appended to
the filename used with -edit to generate a backup file.
This option is passed through to the preprocessor and is
used to define symbols for use with conditionals such as
#ifdef. This option is passed through to the preprocessor
and is used to remove any definitions of this symbol.
This option is passed through to the preprocessor and is
used to specify a directory to search for files that are
referenced with #include.
The xrdb command is used to get or set the contents of the
RESOURCE_MANAGER property on the root window of screen 0,
or the SCREEN_RESOURCES property on the root window of any
or all screens, or everything combined. You would normally
run this program from your X startup file.
Most X clients use the RESOURCE_MANAGER and
SCREEN_RESOURCES properties to get user preferences about
color, fonts, and so on for applications. Having this
information in the server (where it is available to all
clients) instead of on disk, solves the problem in previous
versions of X that required you to maintain defaults
files on every machine that you might use. It also allows
for dynamic changing of defaults without editing files.
The RESOURCE_MANAGER property is used for resources that
apply to all screens of the display. The SCREEN_RESOURCES
property on each screen specifies additional (or overriding)
resources to be used for that screen. (When there is
only one screen, SCREEN_RESOURCES is normally not used,
all resources are just placed in the RESOURCE_MANAGER
property.)
The file specified by filename (or the contents from standard
input if - or no filename is given) is optionally
passed through the C preprocessor with the following symbols
defined, based on the capabilities of the server
being used: the hostname portion of the display to which
you are connected. the SERVERHOST hostname string turned
into a legal identifier. For example, "mydpy.lcs.mit.edu"
becomes SRVR_my_dpy_lcs_mit_edu. the
same as SERVERHOST . The symbol to use with a Personal
Computer style keyboard from any vendor. Use DECKEYBOARD_PCSTYLE
if you are using a PC-style keyboard such as
the LK443 or LK444. the number of the display on the
server host. the name of the host on which xrdb is running.
the CLIENTHOST hostname string turned into a legal
identifier. For example, "expo.lcs.mit.edu" becomes
CLNT_expo_lcs_mit_edu. the vendor release number for the
server. The interpretation of this number will vary
depending on VENDOR. the X protocol minor version supported
by this server (currently 0). the X protocol major
version supported by this server (should always be 11). a
string literal specifying the vendor of the server. the
VENDOR name string turned into a legal identifier. For
example, "MIT X Consortium" becomes VNDR_MIT_X_Consortium.
A symbol is defined for each protocol extension supported
by the server. Each extension string name is turned into a
legal identifier. For example, "X3D-PEX" becomes
EXT_X3D_PEX. the total number of screens. the number of
the current screen (from zero). the number of significant
bits in an RGB color specification. This is the log base
2 of the number of distinct shades of each primary that
the hardware can generate. Note that it usually is not
related to PLANES. one of StaticGray, GrayScale, StaticColor,
PseudoColor, TrueColor, DirectColor. This is the
visual class of the root window. the visual class of the
root window in a form you can #ifdef on. The value is the
numeric id of the visual. defined only if CLASS is one of
StaticColor, PseudoColor, TrueColor, or DirectColor. A
symbol is defined for each visual supported for the
screen. The symbol includes the class of the visual and
its depth; the value is the numeric id of the visual. (If
more than one visual has the same class and depth, the
numeric id of the first one reported by the server is
used.) The symbol to use with a keyboard such as the
LK401 or LK201 on the Tru64 UNIX operating system. The
symbol to use with a keyboard such as the LK401 or LK201
on the OpenVMS operating system or with VXT. The symbol
to use with a Personal Computer style keyboard such as the
LK443 or LK444. the height of the root window in pixels.
the width of the root window in pixels. the number of bit
planes (the depth) of the root window. the x resolution
of the screen in pixels per meter. the y resolution of
the screen in pixels per meter.
SRVR_name, CLNT_name, VNDR_name, and EXT_name identifiers
are formed by changing all characters other than letters
and digits into underscores (_).
Lines that begin with an exclamation mark (!) are ignored
and may be used as comments.
Note that since xrdb can read from standard input, it can
be used to the change the contents of properties directly
from a terminal or from a shell script.
Generalizes ~/.Xdefaults files.
to figure out which display to use.
The default for no arguments should be to query, not to
overwrite, so that it is consistent with other programs.
X(1X), Xlib Resource Manager Documentation, Xt Resource
Documentation
Bob Scheifler, Phil Karlton, rewritten from the original
by Jim Gettys
xrdb(1X)
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