How to start with X?

[Ilya Anfimov]

On Wed, Jan 22, 2020 at 06:26:32PM +0100, Emanuele Petriglia wrote:
> Hi!
> 
> I would like to learn how to create a C graphical application without
> using some toolkit for hobby. I know that there are two main libraries:
> Xlib and xcb. The first is old but has a lot of documentation, the
> second is newer but less documented than the first. So I was thinking to
> learn Xlib and then xcb.
> 
> I found this book about Xlib: "XLIB Programming Manual" of Adrian Nye
> published on 1994. I do not found any other recent book. Is it good to
> start with Xlib even is it old?

 Good day!

 The Xlib programming manual is a good book, but it is definitely
based on "X Window System Protocol" (X Consortium standard).
 There are a lot of direct and indirect  references  to  concepts
and  behavior,  described  in the protocol standard. In fact, the
"Xlib" book is very incomplete if viewed alone.

 So, I think, that it is better  to  read  protocol  standard  at
first.   There  is  no need to memorize byte values and structure
alignments, as the Xlib have a good constants and structures  for
that. But most concepts described only there.

 btw,  "proto" book (it is usually named proto.pdf or proto.ps in
X sources) is a good material even for those who write  apps  for
X11  using toolkits. As well as ICCCM book (Inter-Client Communi-
cations Conventions Manual).