Installed hexchat - how can I launch it?

[jaydelakay]

Hi there,

I have installed hexchat using macports. Can anyone explain how I can run/start the hexchat application now?

Thanks, JK

[kencu (Ken)]

if you try to run hexchat you get something like this:

 % hexchat

(hexchat:59962): Gtk-WARNING **: 11:26:45.348: cannot open display: 

This software requires an X11 server to display it's windows and UI. You can install MacPorts' version like this (recommended):

% sudo port -v -N install xorg-server

or install XQuartz from their website and use that instead (don't try to use both -- nightmare scenario).

then you have to logout and log back in again for the launch scripts to activate. and then it will (should) work.

[kencu (Ken)]

I find logging out and logging in again sometimes does not allow these X11 applications to launch from the terminal window all the time.

I just run the X11 server directly from /Applications/MacPorts/ and then things usually work.

Sometimes I install xterm and run that from the X11 menu ("Terminal") and then run hexchat or whatever X11 application I want from there.

Usually things straighten themselves out and eventually typing "hexchat" or whatever from the Terminal.app window works.

[kencu (Ken)]

Alternatively, and on newer machines probably better, you can use the "+quartz" UI instead, which is more Mac-like, but slightly less compatible.

To use that, all GTK and X11 software has to be installed as "+quartz".

So you could do something like this:

sudo port -f deactivate active
sudo port -v -N install hexchat +quartz

and then hexchat will work without an X11 server. You can then reactivate / install any other software you want to install.

To make sure things get installed the right way all the time, even if you forget, you can add:

+quartz

to your variants.conf file in ${prefix}/etc/macports

[jaydelakay]

Installing xorg server has done the trick - amazing! Thank you so much kencu!