---
name: "kdm"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "kdm"
version: "4:4.11.13-2"
release: "Debian 8 (Jessie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/kdm"
---

# kdm(1)

KDE Display Manager

## NAME

kdm - KDE Display Manager

## SYNOPSIS

**kdm** \[options\] \[tty\]

## DESCRIPTION

**kdm** is the KDE display manager also known as login manager. It shows a graphical login screen for username and password. After authenticating the user it starts a session.\
 **kdm** can be configured for remote login via XDMCP. XDMCP is the "X Display Manager Control Protocol" which is used to set up connections between remote systems over the network.

**kdm** is a derivative of **xdm**. **man 1 xdm** may provide useful information (requires installed **xdm**). For X-related problems try **man 7x X** and **man 1 startx**.

## OPTIONS

- **-daemon**

  Daemonize even when started by init

- **-nodaemon**

  Don't daemonize even when started from command line

- **-config** *file*

  Use alternative master configuration file

- **-xrm** res

  Override frontend-specific resource

- **-error** *file*

  Use alternative log file

- **-debug** num

  Debug option bitfield:

  0x1   - core log\
   0x2   - config reader log\
   0x4   - greeter log\
   0x8   - IPC log\
   0x10  - session sub-daemon post-fork delay\
   0x20  - config reader post-start delay\
   0x40  - greeter post-start delay\
   0x80  - don't use syslog\
   0x100 - core Xauth log\
   0x400 - valgrind config reader and greeter\
   0x800 - strace config reader and greeter

## FILES

- */etc/kde4/kdm/backgroundrc*

  configuration file with background settings

- */etc/kde4/kdm/kdm.options*

  options for X display manager kdm

- */etc/kde4/kdm/kdmrc*

  the kdm configuration file

- */etc/kde4/kdm/Xaccess*

  access control file for XDMCP connections

- */etc/kde4/kdm/Xreset*

  script to run as root after session exits

- */etc/kde4/kdm/Xsession*

  script to run as user after login of user

- */etc/kde4/kdm/Xsetup*

  script to run as root before the login dialog appears

  this script can be edited to disable or modify the running of **xconsole** on the kdm greeter screen

- */etc/kde4/kdm/Xstartup*

  script to run as root before session starts

- */etc/kde4/kdm/Xwilling*

  output of this script is displayed in the chooser window

## SEE ALSO

[**kdm.options**(5)](/kdm.options/5.md), [**kdmctl**(1)](/kdmctl/1.md), [**startx**(1)](/startx/1.md), [**X**(7x)](/X/7x.md), [**xconsole**(1)](/xconsole/1.md), [**xdm**(1)](/xdm/1.md)

- */usr/share/doc/kdm/README.gz*

  Information about **kdm** and its options

  Full user documentation is available through the KDE Help Center.  You can also enter the URL **help:/kdm/** directly into konqueror or you can run  **khelpcenter help:/kdm/** from the command-line.\

## AUTHORS

```
Steffen Hansen <hansen@kde.org>
Thomas Tanghus <tanghus@earthling.net>
Oswald Buddenhagen <ossi@kde.org>
```

Please use http://bugs.kde.org to report bugs; do not mail the authors directly.

This manual page was written by Holger Hartmann \<Holger\_Hartmann@gmx.de\> for the Debian Project, but may be used by others. Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU General Public License, Version 2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation.

On Debian systems, the complete text of the GNU General Public License can be found in /usr/share/common-licenses/GPL.