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Re: unusable X setup after new install....



On Mon, Aug 11, 2003 at 11:44:40AM +0200, Bruno Boettcher wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> i just boostrapped a machine into debian to show how nice this is in
> confront to suse, and am loosing some face here.... :(
> 
> it took some time to get X to start, that part is now a little bit
> solved, but now when i log in with gdm it starts up a gnome env but
> without a windowmanager!!!

GNOME has it's own system of deciding which WM to run, which is separate
to Debian's x-window-manager alternative.
/usr/share/doc/gnome-session/README.Debian explains how to configure
this system.

Also, if you start a window manager in GNOME, then "save session", exit,
and start it again, then your window manager should start up fine.

> strange thing, i configured the default windowmanager with
> update-alternatives --config x-window-manager..... just to confirm it:
>  update-alternatives --config x-window-manager
> 
> There are 3 alternatives which provide `x-window-manager'.
> 
>   Selection    Alternative
> -----------------------------------------------
> *     1        /usr/bin/fvwm2
>       2        /usr/bin/metacity
>  +    3        /usr/bin/sawfish
> 
> nevertheless even if this is ugly, on startup there's one xterm firing
> up, so i typed in the windowmanager by hand... e.g. sawfish...

If you choose the "Debian" session from GDM's Session menu, then
whichever WM you've enabled here will be used.

> surprise, the xterm, even if it seems to be emtpy (= no shell) has
> actually one in it... the command responded....

Can you see what you type?

> i had postponed that one, until i had a proper windowmanager installed,
> but the problem remains.... all xterms are empty, even if they respond
> to commands.... so i suppose that there's some additional font problem?

Do other terminals work?  Try running "gnome-terminal&" from these
xterms and see if they show up ok.

> that's all just too strange.... i use debian flawlessly since years....
> but as it seems the install procedure of debian still sucks as hell.... 
> 
> so i really would love to present something at least usable by a noob:
> - login through gdm or xdm without the message there is no windowmanager

If you use xdm (or GDM's Debian Session), and configure your ~/.xsession
as /usr/share/doc/gnome-session/README.Debian explains, then this will
work fine.  Or, if you save a session running a GNOME-compliant window
manager, and use GDM's default GNOME session, then it should work, too.

-- 
Rob Weir <rweir@ertius.org> | mlspam@ertius.org  |  Do I look like I want a CC?
Words of the day:      BCCI Montenegro mailbomb World Trade Center Blowfish spy

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