Re: switching window managers and session managers - update-alternatives ?
Jerry_Bash@spectral-sys.com wrote:
I have a question about switching between kde and other window
managers (blackbox, fluxbox, ion, etc).
I am interested in learning what is the preferred or intended method
of switching between kde and other 'more traditional' window managers
in Debian.
If you're using the gdm or kdm login manager, you can pick which
environment you want when you log in.
Otherwise, you can set the default environment with "update-alternatives
--config x-session-manager".
Otherwise you can configure the default environment for your specific
user by editing ~/.xinitrc.
I realize that kde is termed a session manager in Debian and the
others are more 'traditional' window managers.
I'm not sure of the exact definitions, but I tend to think of KDE and
Gnome as Windowing Environments or Desktop Environments rather than
Session Managers, although the update-alternatives system mentioned
above seems to disagree with me. They typically include a login manager
(session manager), and a window manager, and a file browser, as well as
a host of little applets (clocks, taskbars, control panels, etc).
In looking through the files in /etc/X11/Xsession.d, it appears to me
that the window manager / session manager that is started is
determined by the file 50xfree86-common_determine-startup. If a
x-session-manager exists, it is used; if not, an x-window-manager file
is checked, and if it exists, it is used. If neither of these exists,
a terminal is started.
I have found that I can select among different window managers, using
update-alternatives --config x-window-manager, and among different
session managers using a similar command for x-session-managers, but
how do I select whether I want it to start a session, or use a window
manager?
Oh, you already understand most of this.
I am using xdm on the system currently, and it doesn't give the user
an option as I believe is the case with some other login screens. I
am also interested in eliminating the graphical login as well, and
logging in initially to a console and starting x from there. I would
appreciate advice on the intended way of switching window managers /
session managers with that configuration (ie, using startx) as well.
In that case, "apt-get --purge remove xdm", followed by editing your
~/.xinitrc, like so:
echo "icewm" > ~/.xinitrc
Here's my current file:
westk[@westkent]:/home/westk:> cat .xinitrc
#sawfish &
#icewm
#gnome-session
startkde
#flwm &
#blackbox &
#fvwm95 &
#larswm &
#fvwm95
#xterm
#gnome-panel &
#twm
#wmaker
#xfwm
--
Kent
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