How do I run a graphical application in a virtual console besides <Alt+F7>?

Question

I want to run R in a virtual console and RCommander in a separate virtual console. Or maybe I want to run a game in a virtual console and shut off the desktop. Or maybe I want to pipe an ssh -x terminal to a virtual console.

How can I tell Virtual Console 3 to open a graphical virtual console in Virtual Console 9?

Answer 1

The "graphical virtual console" you want is an X server instance. You can start a new one as root with

$ X :1

Answer 2

Create a client startup scritp, for example call it ~/myxinitrc:

#!/bin/sh
metacity &
xterm

(I avoid to call it ~/.xinitrc to not interfer with other operations).

Then, assuming you already have a server running on :0 and corresponding to vt7, this is how you can start a server on :1 and vt8. Go to vt1 and execute:

XINITRC=~/myxinitrc xinit -- :1 vt8

from the xterm you get you can start other applications of your preference.