The Wanderer wrote:
> Bob Proulx wrote:
> >The Wanderer wrote:
> >>Bob Proulx wrote:
> >>>The 'x-session-manager' is a Debian package specific symlink
> >>>handle that always points to the currently configured window
> >>>manager.
I guess I did say "window manager" there. That isn't precisely
correct. I should have said "desktop session manager" there. Sorry
for the error.
> >>Isn't that 'x-window-manager'?
> >>
> >>At least, I don't have an 'x-session-manager' on my system (tracking
> >>testing, with a few hints of stable and sid), but I do have
> >>'x-window-manager'.
> >
> >Well... I really meant x-session-manager since that is the system default.
> >x-window-manager is something related but different. And then there is also
> >x-terminal-emulator in the complete set.
>
> Okay. It just seemed to me that since there is 'x-window-manager', which
> obviously points to the currently configured window manager, it would be odd for
> an 'x-session-manager' to also - by your words - point to the currently
> configured window manager.
My bad. I am only human. I make mistakes. I didn't even key into
the distinction you had pointed out until this message. I was being
sloppy by calling it a window manager when it is in the possition of
session manager. If I had said session manager it might have made
more sense. But in any case I felt pretty safe recommending that to
the original poster since anyone asking that question is almost
certainly using a desktop session manager.
Debian has created a philosophical layer categorizing the heavy
desktop environment that is bigger than a window manager. A desktop
environment like GNOME or KDE has a whole ecosystem and for them a
window manager is just one program from the set. Conceptually GNOME
or KDE is on one layer by itself. If a desktop environment is used
then it launches a window manager. (GNOME has changed window managers
from one to another in the past.) And the window manager may start up
a terminal emulator. And users are free to avoid any layer and simply
jump on the bus wherever it has slowed down for them.
> And I don't think I've previously heard of a "session manager" in
> this context.
It is something that Debian made up. It sounds better than saying
"large set of heavy and bloated desktop programs". :-) I don't run a
desktop session like GNOME or KDE. Nor LXDE or XFCE either for that
matter. I, and you too apparently, only run the X window system with
a simple window manager.
But I do have it installed for testing. Every so often someone I
support needs help and so I fire up one of the heavy bloats in a vnc
session and then can walk through the menus and try out the solution
before I tell them. Then I can tell them walk down such and such a
menu tree and start up such and such program. Me? I just type in the
name at the command line. But to some people the keyboard is an
unused piece of equipment next to the mouse which is their only input
device that they know how to use.
> >Look in /etc/X11/Xsession.d/* for x-session-manager. On my system:
> >
> > $ find /etc/X11/Xsession.d -type f -exec grep -lh x-session-manager {} +
> > /etc/X11/Xsession.d/55gnome-session_gnomerc
> > /etc/X11/Xsession.d/55awesome-javaworkaround
> > /etc/X11/Xsession.d/50x11-common_determine-startup
>
> On my system:
>
> $ find /etc/X11/Xsession.d/ -type f -exec grep -lh x-session-manager {} +
> /etc/X11/Xsession.d/50x11-common_determine-startup
I was pretty sure you would have x11-common installed. That is the
file I pulled that snippet from. It tries x-session-manager and then
falls back through to other options if that isn't available.
> Also,
> $ locate x-session-manager
> returns no results.
Of course you were not my target audience. :-) I am sure if I had
known then I would have suggested something different. :-)
> >Hopefully that explains what is happening.
>
> It does, thanks.
>
> For what it's worth, I'm not surprised by the existence of another "generic
> name" for defining such alternatives; it's a useful model, and Debian seems to
> have implemented it fairly well, though if it's properly documented I don't know
> where to look to find that documentation (aside from e.g. the
> update-alternatives man page).
I have no idea where it is documented if anywhere. I learned it by
looking through the X system startup scripts. It isn't something that
users really need to know.
Perhaps I should have recommended 'gnome-session' or 'startkde' to
have the user pick what they want explicitly instead?
> The only thing that surprised me was the claim that x-session-manager points to
> the configured window manager, when I already know that x-window-manager does
> that, and when I hadn't heard of a "session manager" in this context.
I was sloppy with my description. Sorry.
> As such, I felt it worth asking the question, just in case that had been a
> brainfart on your part. Since it wasn't, oh well, hopefully no harm done.
Definitely no harm done. Thanks for keeping me honest!
Bob
Attachment:
signature.asc
Description: Digital signature