---
name: "X11::Auth"
section: "3pm"
platform: "linux"
package: "perl-x11-protocol"
version: "0.56-18"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/X11::Auth"
---

# X11::Auth(3pm)

Perl module to read X11 authority files

## NAME

X11::Auth - Perl module to read X11 authority files

## SYNOPSIS

```
  require X11::Auth;
  $a = new X11::Auth;
  ($auth_type, $auth_data) = $a->get_by_host($host, $disp_num);
```

## DESCRIPTION

This module is an approximate perl replacement for the libXau C library and the [**xauth**(1)](/xauth/1.md) program. It reads and interprets the files (usually '~/.Xauthority') that hold authorization data used in connecting to X servers. Since it was written mainly for the use of X11::Protocol, its functionality is currently restricted to reading, not writing, of these files.

## METHODS

### new

```
  $auth = X11::Auth->new;
  $auth = X11::Auth->open($filename);
```

Open an authority file, and create an object to handle it. The filename will be taken from the XAUTHORITY environment variable, if present, or '.Xauthority' in the user's home directory, or it may be overridden by an argument. 'open' may be used as a synonym.

### get\_one

```
  ($family, $host_addr, $display_num, $auth_name, $auth_data)
     = $auth->get_one;
```

Read one entry from the file. Returns a null list at end of file. `$family` is usually 'Internet' or 'Local', and `$display_num` can be any string.

### get\_all

```
  @auth_data = $auth->get_all;
```

Read all of the entries in the file. Each member of the array returned is an array ref similar to the list returned by **get\_one()**.

### get\_by\_host

```
  ($auth_name, $auth_data)
     = $auth->get_by_host($host, $family, $display_num);
```

Get authentication data for a connection of type `$family` to display `$display_num` on `$host`. If `$family` is 'Internet', the host will be translated into an appropriate address by **gethostbyname()**. If no data is found, returns an empty list.

## COMPATIBILITY

The following table shows the (rough) correspondence between libXau calls and X11::Auth methods:

```
  libXau                     X11::Auth
  ------                     ---------
  XauFileName                $ENV{XAUTHORITY}
                             || "$ENV{HOME}/.Xauthority"
  fopen(XauFileName(), "rb") $auth = new X11::Auth
  XauReadAuth                $auth->get_one
  XauWriteAuth
  XauGetAuthByAddr           $auth->get_by_host
  XauGetBestAuthByAddr
  XauLockAuth
  XauUnlockAuth
  XauDisposeAuth
```

## AUTHOR

Stephen McCamant \<SMCCAM@cpan.org\>

## SEE ALSO

[**perl**(1)](/perl/1.md), X11::Protocol, [**Xau**(3)](/Xau/3.md), [**xauth**(1)](/xauth/1.md), lib/Xau/README in the X11 source distribution.