My requirement is a little different from this one in that I would like to launch a window manager for each of two non-root users upon boot.
For testing, first I prepare the following lines in .xinitrc and/or .xsession in home directories of user2 and user3 like so:
#!/bin/sh
exec icewm
Then I manually login to virtual console as user2 or user3 or open an xterm window and type this command:
xinit -- /usr/bin/Xvfb :3 -cc 4 -screen 0 1024x768x16
This does the job - icewm and Xvfb run behind the scene.
Now I want to automate the login and command xinit on boot. However none of the following approaches work:
Either manually type these two commands as root or place them in /etc/rc.local:
su -l user2 -c xinit -- /usr/bin/Xvfb :3 -cc 4 -screen 0 1024x768x16
No protocol specified
IceWM: Can't open display: :0. X must be running and $DISPLAY set.
start-stop-daemon --start -u user2 -g user2 -b --pidfile /tmp/pid --exec /usr/bin/xinit -- -- Xvfb :3
ps ax
[Xorg] <defunct>
Helps will be greatly appreciated!
[Edit after testing alex.d.'s approach]
File /home/user2/.xsession:
#!/bin/bash
export DISPLAY=localhost:3
export XAUTHORITY=$HOME/.Xauthority
exec icewm
Issue this command as root:
su -l user2 -c /usr/bin/startx -- /usr/bin/Xvfb :3 &
I get this:
hostname: Name or service not known
xauth: (stdin):1: bad display name "example.com:2" in "add" command
IceWM: Can't open display: localhost:3. X must be running and $DISPLAY set.
xinit: giving up
xinit: unable to connect to X server: Connection refused
xinit: server error
xauth: (argv):1: bad display name "example.com:2" in "remove" command
Any idea? Please!