startxwin.exe no longer exists?

[Erik Soderquist]

<snip>

> Shouldn't the startxwin script check for running instances and delete all
> lock-files related to non-existent instances?  Why must this be a manual
> operation?

I generally recommend against automagic cleanup of lock files from
dead sessions being a general default because that also wipes out
warning that something went wrong.  I do it in my situation because I
have it on (essentially) dumb terminals where the session working is
much more important than knowing something went wrong, and the dumb
terminals are on flaky power, so most of the dead sessions are due to
power failure anyway.

> The prior startxwin.exe "just worked", and this new replacement script is
> clearly creating problems for previously happy CygwinX users, where no
> problems existed before (or, at least the problems weren't visible and
> didn't affect normal use).

I actually have no experience with startxwin; I always called the X
server directly with the options I wanted.  However, I can say that
freeing of lock files is the job of the process that created the lock
files.  If you kill the process, stray lock files are a normal
expectation.

> I would have preferred to have seen startxwin.exe retained, and this new
> script phased in gradually, perhaps as "startxwin_new" in the first release.
> Then, when startxwin_new stabilizes, rename the executable to
> startxwin_old.exe and the script to startxwin. Several updates later,
> quietly remove startxwin_old.exe.
>
> It seems nonsensical to treat all CygwinX users as alpha testers. I'm more
> than willing to help test new features, but not in the dark: Make it very
> clear when significant subsystems are being evolved, and provide a way to
> try the new without losing the old.

The changes were announced, and the announcement already sited in this
thread.  Having read the announcement again, it looks like the
replacement has as one of its goals bringing the X system more in line
with general X and *nix standards, which, as far as I know, has always
been a general goal of the entire Cygwin set of projects.

> For now, can startxwin.exe be restored under some name?
>
> -BobC

That part I can't speak to except perhaps to pull it from an old
version.  I'm not part of the CygwinX team, and have no say in the
matter.

-- Erik

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