Re: xsession file

[bob@proulx.com (Bob Proulx)]

Nguyen, Cuong K. wrote:
> Thanks for you reply, but I have some (maybe very stupid because Debian is
> quite new to me) questions:
> 
> 1. I do not have fvwm2 (not found when type fvwm2 --help as root)

As I said in my note fvwm2 is what *I* use but was only furnished as
an example.  The one you wanted to use for gnome was gnome-session.

Or if x-session-manager, an "alternative" symlink that points to the
installed default window manager, then use it.

  update-alternatives --display x-session-manager

> 2. my default windows manager is gnome, how should it be startkde there?

I listed several possibilities.  Select the one that you want.

> so far, here is what I can do with .xsession
> 
> #!/bin/sh
> 
> exec x-window-manager &
> exec gnome-session

This has several problems.  For one, 'exec' *overlays* and replaces
the currently running shell with the new process.  Therefore following
commands are never run.  The execution of the shell stops at the
'exec'.  Therefore putting it in the background really does not make
sense.

  exec x-session-manager

Plus you have lost the --login option.  If bash is your login shell
then use that as the script interpreter.  

  #!/bin/bash --login

Doing this means that bash will load the login environment files
/etc/profile, .bash_profile, .profile, etc.  Otherwise it won't.  This
usually manifests itself as PATH not being set from your environment
files.

Putting that all together gets you:

  #!/bin/bash --login
  exec x-session-manager

Make sure it is executable or the the X startup will simply feed it to
the 'sh' and won't run the desired shell as a login shell.

> and it works. But one problem arises: when   I logged in, and if I wanted to
> log out, it does NOT log out immediately, but after at least five minutes
> later. Why is that? I guess my .xsession file has problem, but do not know
> how to fix.

Try the corrected version first and then see if the problem persists.
If it was related to the incorrect attempt then it might be fixed by
using a corrected version of the file.

Bob