2 questions:

1) How do I get Linux to run a particular command each time it boots up? Specifically, I want it to run 'xmodmap -e "pointer = 1 2 3 6 7 4 5"' because, for some reason, whenever I start a new X session, it acts as if that command has not been run (and I don't have use of my mouse wheel).

2) How do I exit an X session and go completely to the command line? I know that if I'm on the command line, I can type "startx" to begin a session, but I can't find the opposite command. And all logging out does is put me back to the X login screen.

Thanks.

1) that's not suitable to run on boot, you need to run that when X loads, which a significant difference. create a faile called /home/you/.xsession and add the line to it there.

2) assuming you're in an X startup, i.e. you choose your name grpahically then you'll probaly just want to press ctrl+alt+F1toF6 to get a fulll terminal. to actually quit X itself though form level 5, run "init 3" and tehn exit as normal, you'll then be left on a console login.

1) Try putting it at the end of rc.local or .xsession
2) switch back to the CLI where you started it from - eg "Ctrl + F1" Then kill it "Ctrl + C" You can also switch to runlevel 5 - this should start the gui "init 5" Then to shut down the GUI "init 3".

i think instead of changing the properties everytime you boot up..it would be better if you used the control center to modify your mouse settings to recognise your wheel mouse..my wheel mouse settings are for eg: PS/2 wheel mouse..

as for your second question: oyu want to boot into the command mode...you can change the init level to 3 (it must be 5 right now ) in your /etc/inittab file....

(do a man inittab to understand what different init levels mean)

What is X ?

think of it as "windows".. the pointy click system that gnome / kde sits on top of

When you say "control center," what are you referring to?

I've already edited my /etc/X11/XF86Config file to make use of the 7 buttons my mouse has (4 buttons, plus the wheel button, plus the 2 wheel directions), and running xmodmap is the only way to let X know which two "buttons" refer to the Z-axis. I just put the command into a .xsession file. Let's see if it works....

there is a system tool..control center that you can access from the "start" button of your desktop....
it is something like your control panel in windows....
makes life a lot easier...

I've tried editing both my .xsession and rc.local files, and neither do the trick. I still need to manually run "xmodmap." And I haven't been able to, btw, discover some sort of mouse config option through X. The only thing I can find resembling that in RH9 is the ability to switch actual brands of mice, and whether or not I want to emulate a 3-button mouse. Gah.

I thought either .xsession or .xinitrc was the way to go too




Have a look at
/etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc
it's got some references to files that should help
(or even put it in there)