Please help me understand this turtorial

https://wiki.debian.org/InstallingDebianOn/Thinkpad/Trackpoint

1) Where is this location "~/"
- is this a root folder?
2) I have installed xinput but i don't see .xsessionrc
- do I need to create this folder?
3)

- where do I type this in? do I create a new text file in "~/.xsessionrc," if so then what is the name of the new text file?

 

I can answer your first question.
It's your home folder.

 

1) ~/ is indeed you home folder.

2) while i never needed to touch that file, i would guess it's something that runs when X starts your session.

To check if it's really missing, make sure you can see hidden files (files starting with a . ) with your file manager - 'show hidden files' or something else. Alternatively, in the terminal you can use 'ls -a' to see all files including hidden files.

If it's not there, then i suppose you just make one, and put those instructions in. Any text editor should do.

That example file is executing xinput, so it is likely setting things up for you when you log in.

From xinput's manual:

I wouldn't worry about the deprecated detail. It will probably only matter if/when you upgrade Debian to a new release.

 

Actually this file does nothing. I tried using it to configure my middle button in my trackpoint. I found another way to do it. Im just disappointed that thinkwiki has so much vague/incorrect information about configuring trackpoint + middle button.

 

The location "~/" depends upon what account you are using at the time you issue any command like cd or pushd that would locate the account you are using at the time you issue it.

For example, if you are user ubuntu and issue the command: cd ~/
then you will become located at the directory path: ~ubuntu which is /home/ubuntu

If on the other hand, when you have become root and are using the root account, those same commands would locate you at: ~root which is the directory /root

In other words, the answer to question: 1) Where is this location "~/"
is relative to the home directory of the account you are using when you issue a command to take you there - which can be confirmed by issuing the command: pwd

-- Tom