How to deal with X apps without a Desktop Environment?

General Discussion
1

Hi there!

I’m trying to run at bear minimum on a RPi4 so I didn’t even install a DE for displaying graphical apps. I managed to find the following links on how to run apps on an X server without a DE:

• https://askubuntu.com/questions/310671/start-ubuntu-without-a-desktop-environment-but-start-an-x-application

• https://linuxconfig.org/how-to-run-x-applications-without-a-desktop-or-a-wm

• https://superuser.com/questions/407043/is-it-possible-to-run-graphical-applications-such-as-firefox-without-installing
➜➜ only this one gave me an answer that I could rerpoduce:

Run the X server on root with

$ X

And run the app with

$ DISPLAY=:0  <name of the app>

The Idea here is to see how far I can use graphical text and storytelling editors such as Manuskript and Ghostwriter in order to turn the pi (or any old laptop) into a typewriter.

However I’m missing:

  1. How to set X in full screen??

  2. How to boot up directly on X + the app (like Ghostwriter) while still having the possibility to switch to terminal? (I suppose I’ll always have the option to “ctrl+alt+F2” or “F3” or “F4” etc. to display another tty.