Gnome issues in OpenBSD 4.2

[Shredder]

Hi,

I've installed OpenBSD 4.2 on my rig,

I installed Gnome by using the command:-

pkg_add   ftp://ftp.openbsd.org/pub/OpenBSD/4.2/packages/i386/gnome-desktop-2.18.2p0.tgz

And

pkg_add   ftp://ftp.openbsd.org/pub/OpenBSD/4.2/packages/i386/gnome-session-2.18.2p0.tgz

>>>>>>>>>


When I try to open gnome from CLI using "gnome-session" , I get a error message :-
Code:

Gnome-Session Gtk-WARNING **: cannot open display

So I tried:-

#echo $DISPLAY

And

#export DISPLAY=:0.0

And

#exec gnome-session >> /root/.Xinitrc.conf

But I still get the same error as mentioned above even after trying all the 3 commands mentioned above, I get the same problems when trying form Xterm.

[lvlamb]

Your post is somewhat cryptic.
When you say
When I try to open gnome from CLI using "gnome-session"
did you typed gnome-session on the CLI
or did you echo "exec gnome-session" > .xinitrc
then
startx
?????

Also, IIRC, while GNOME works perfectly well on OpenBSD, the GNOME implementation was said to have been updated (undeadly.org) for XFCE4 to work.

As the OpenBSD implementation of GNOME does not follows the pure GNOME installation with *all* possibly (even rarely) needed dependencies a la FreeBSD, I doubt pkg_add 'ing only *desktop and *session would give you a full working environment.
AFAIK, on OpenBSD, there is no way to install a "Gnome-light" environment with a meta-package.

If you want GNOME, I suggest you install it via the "source", that is
cd /usr/ports/x11/gnome && make install
you can set your mk.conf to preferably use packages when available and end up installing from packages only.
The ports/packages infrastructure of OpenBSD is second to none for installing and upgrading applications. Need to read some man pages.

[Shredder]

I tried "gnome-session" from CLI and I get that gtk error, I did even that echo(My PC starts in CLI always),

I get the same error when running it from xterm(after typing startx).

[s2scott]

Originally Posted by Shredder

...I've installed OpenBSD 4.2 on my rig,

In these gnome regards, wouldn't 4.3 be a better starting point?

[Shredder]

But will I face the same problems even in 4.3?

[jggimi]

Beginning with 4.3, gnome-session comes with a README.OpenBSD which I have replicated here for you:

The OpenBSD/GNOME desktop

* Introduction
The gnome-session package will install a minimal working GNOME desktop.
It provides you with the basic interface (including themes), a control
panel, a terminal, a text editor and a lot more other utilities.

This file will briefly explain to you how to make this experience more
pleasant.

* Installing more packages
If your needs aren't satisfied yet, there are many other packages
you can install. The most important ones will be mentioned by category:

- Communication
* empathy - Telepathy based messenger
* epiphany - lightweight and simple web browser
* evolution - integrated email and PIM software
* gossip - Jabber client

- Accessibility
* dasher - predictive text input system

- Development
* devel-docs - developer documentation
* devhelp - API documentation browser
* gedit-plugins - plugins for Gedit
* zenity - easy-to-script dialogs

- Utilities
* eog - image viewer and categorizer
* evince - document viewer for multiple document formats
* file-roller - archive manager
* gcalctool - desktop calculator
* ggv - frontend for GhostScript
* gucharmap - Unicode character map
* planner - project management
* seahorse - encryption keys manager

* Startup and more documentation
One can log in using the login manager, GDM. Or by using the 'startx' command.
In order to use the latter, add a line like the following to your .xinitrc
or .xsession script: 'exec /usr/local/bin/gnome-session' .

For more information on using OpenBSD packages please refer to:
http://www.OpenBSD.org/faq/faq15.html . For more general information on
using GNOME, please see: http://live.gnome.org/ .

Edit: I should add, I've had no trouble installing gnome in 4.2; I did so for my gnome LiveDVD. But I installed all gnome packages.

[mfaridi]

I have Gnome in OpenBSD 4.2 too without problem.
and it is work good for me.
and I install with

pkg_add -v gnome-session

[Shredder]

@mfaridi,

Could you give me a brief tutorial on how to install Gnome on a fresh OpenBSD installation.

[mfaridi]

After I install Gnome by pkg_add -v
I use this link for start Gnome

http://www.openbsd.org/faq/faq11.html

[Shredder]

After installing gnome-session, how do I start Gnome?

That link you gave is to configure X, but how do you start gnome,
plz give me complete details .

[mfaridi]

go to home directory and make this file

 .xinitrc

and put this line in .xinitrc

 exec gnome-session

and then type

 startx

Gnome will be start
but never forgot before start Gnome config your Xorg

[Shredder]

Thnx dude ,

If I use root account I dont have to make this file rite?

And how do I put "exex gnome-session in xinitrc?

And if I have multiple users should I make .xinitrc in each of their home folders?

[mfaridi]

Please do not use Desktop with root , I think you do not have enough space for start Gnome Desktop with root account

use Touch command for make .xinitrc
and use some editor like VI or nano or mcedit for open that file and put exex gnome-session

you can use echo too for put exex gnome-session in .xinitrc

[mfaridi]

Originally Posted by Shredder

And if I have multiple users should I make .xinitrc in each of their home folders?

I think you have to make xinitrc for each user

but I am not sure

[stukov]

Originally Posted by mfaridi

I think you have to make xinitrc for each user

but I am not sure

Yes you have to. If all your users run graphical user interfaces and this computer is more a desktop than a server, you may also try GDM - this will allow you to boot directly into the graphical user interface and log in from that interface.

[jggimi]

Each user needs .xinitrc in it's home directory to use startx.

If using XDM or GDM, each user needs a .xsession file in its home directory. The .xsession file is used in the same way as the .xinitrc file; in fact they may be the same file, through the use of the ln(1) command.

The "root" user's home directory is /root. A normal user's home directory typically is created in a subdirectory of /home, but the admin may put it anywhere.

Shredder, it seems to me that you need to learn to use a Unix text editor; the most commonly used editors are vi or emacs. The vi(1) program is built in, and there is a subset of the emacs editor also, called mg(1). There are zealots in both camps. I happen to have learned vi many decades ago, so that is what I use. But it matters not what you pick, so long as you learn one of them.

If you'd like to see what a working OpenBSD system with Gnome already installed looks like, I have a LiveDVD of OpenBSD 4.3 with all of Gnome available for download. You can examine .xinitrc and .xsession files (they are the same file on this system), use pkg_info(1) to see what's installed, and see if you like the Epiphany browser or other Gnome tools. If you start the LiveDVD in "graphical" mode it will start XDM for you, if you start in "console" mode you can issue the startx command yourself.

[ocicat]

Originally Posted by Shredder

And if I have multiple users should I make .xinitrc in each of their home folders?

This depends upon whether users need/want customization or whether the defaults are sufficient.

When startx is invoked, the script checks for the presence of ~/.xinitrc (note the period...). If present, this file is executed. If not, /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc is executed (note no period...). In this manner users can customize how X starts by changing the contents of ~/.xinitrc. Note that the default window manager is fvwm(1) as can be found at the bottom of /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.

If you want to change the defaults (window manager, applications started at X's invocation, etc.), edit /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.

For more information, see Section 11 of the FAQ:

http://openbsd.org/faq/faq11.html

[ocicat]

Originally Posted by stukov

Yes you have to.

Not true. As explained above, /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc contains the default configuration for X.

[lvlamb]

Re: xorg.conf.
Wait soem days for the mirrors to get the updates and re-compile xenocara.
You might not need xorg.conf anymore.
http://undeadly.org/cgi?action=artic...panded&count=9

Re: .xinitrc for every user?
Unless you install a display manager (XDM, KDM, GDM).

Re: gnome-session.
Right, checked the Makefile which should have been my first action.

Btw: echo "exec gnome-session" > ~/.xinitrc *not* exex, from one bad typist to the other.

[jggimi]

Let's not confuse .xinitrc/.xsession with xorg.conf.

The former are used to select window managers and startup X applications, the latter configures the X environment.

EDIT: In the case of the recent change to Xorg, a) that is for -current, not -release/-stable, and b) affects keyboard autoconfiguration only, and should have nothing to do with Shredder's query.