The GDM package provides the following different commands in EXPANDED_BINDIR intended to be used by the end-user:
The gdmXnestchooser command automatically gets the correct display number, sets up access, and runs Xnest with -indirect localhost. This way you get an XDMCP chooser provided by your computer. You can also supply as an argument the hostname whose chooser should be displayed, so gdmXnestchooser somehost will run the XDMCP chooser from host somehost inside an Xnest session. You can make this command do a direct query instead by passing the -d option as well. In addition to the following options, this command also supports standard GNOME options.
Xnest command line, default is "Xnest"
Extra options for Xnest, default is no options.
Just run Xnest, no query (no chooser)
Do direct query instead of indirect (chooser)
Run broadcast instead of indirect (chooser)
Run in background
Don't check for running GDM
The gdmflexiserver command which runs flexible (on demand) X servers.
gdmflexiserver lets a user log in once and then quits. This is, for example useful if you are logged in as user A, and user B wants to log in quickly but user A does not wish to log out. The X server takes care of the virtual terminal switching so it works transparently. There is also a flexi server as an Xnest, that is an X server in a window. This is requested by running gdmflexiserver.
If there is more than one server defined with flexible=true, then the user is given a dialog with those choices upon running gdmflexiserver
The gdmflexiserver command option provides a way to send arbitrary commands to GDM and can be used to debug problems or in scripts, although gdmflexiserver does require X to be running.
In addition to the following options, gdmflexiserver also supports standard GNOME options.
Send the specified protocol command to GDM
Xnest mode
Do not lock current screen
Debugging output
Authenticate before running --command
The gdmdynamic command which creates, runs, and removes displays (X servers) on demand.
Some environments need the ability to tell GDM to create and manage new displays on the fly, where it is not possible to list the possible displays in gdm.conf. The gdmdynamic command can be used to create a new display on a particular display number, run all newly created displays, or remove a display. The gdmdynamic command can also be used to list all attached displays, or only attached displays that match a pattern.
One of the following options can be used per instance:
Add a new display configuration. For example, "-a 2=StandardServerTwo" "-a 3=/usr/X11R6/bin/X -dev /dev/fb2"
Release (run) all displays waiting in the DISPLAY_CONFIG state.
Delete a display, killing the X server and purging the display configuration. For example, "-d 3".
List displays via the ATTACHED_SERVERS command. Without a pattern lists all attached displays. With a pattern will match using glob characters '*', '?', and '[]'. For example: "-l Standard*" "-l *Xorg*"
These options can be added to the above:
Verbose mode. Prinr diagnostic messages about each message sent to GDM.
Background mode. Fork child to do the work and return immediately.
Allows the user to select an image that will be used as the user's photo by GDM's face browser, if enabled by GDM. The selected file is stored as ~/.face. This command accepts standard GNOME options.
gdmthemetester takes two parameters. The first parameter specifies the environment and the second parameter specifies the path name or the name of a theme to view. This is a tool for viewing a theme outside of GDM. It is useful for testing or viewing themes. gdmthemetester requires that the system support gdmXnest. Note that themes can display differently depending on the theme's "Show mode". gdmthemetester allows viewing the themes in different modes via the environment option. Valid environment values and their meanings follow:
console - In console mode.
console-timed - In console non-flexi mode.
flexi - In flexi mode.
xdmcp - In remote (XDMCP) mode.
remote-flexi - In remote (XDMCP) & flexi mode.