Building LXDE Distro

[BBOSAK2143]

Few months back, I wrote about leaving Gnome and creating a system based on LXDE. Currently am working on one that is very nice, but it does not completely cut the cord from Gnome. Before I got to present state this distro is in, I ran into permission problems. System would boot in a flash, but refused to reboot and many programs would not run unless used under the Debian heading. Also had no way of booting to the desktop without installing first. I found out LXDM seemed to not be able to carry out all the motions to complete a distro like this, so I then used GDM. The alternative (LIGHTDM) left a bitter taste in my mouth, since I had previously tried updating a Lubuntu OS and Whoopsie refused to update, uninstall or re-install.

Am past that point since GDM is installed, but of course wondering if anyone has beat those two to use LXDM single handedly? Next, there are browsers and some programs that are not using GTK which leaves those programs and browsers looking absolutely disgusting. If you have seen any of my theme work, you know I absolutely deplore plain looks. So any help on that will be greatly appreciated. I have already changed programs that have the option available, but some browsers such as Konqueror and Qupzilla seem to have no option to get to theme used, but only on the LXDE desktop. Of course all my themes are well equiped with gtk-2.0. So, I am confused why these programs and browsers avoid those themes? Synaptic package manager still will not open on the regular heading and only functions under the debian heading. Help with that will also be appreciated.

Other than that, I am severely impressed on how well all is working with this assembly/distro and am planning to do more work on LXDE. Sure at present am a low rated theme creator, but some may still enjoy the looks I have made possible, since I have yet to see anyone else create a close resemblance of gtk-3.0 on a gtk-2.0 desktop. Of course last statement involves using script over pictures. I never use pictures as they create a phony look. I create a more natural appearance. For those that do not know my work, please check Gnome-look for theme Cyana-3DII as it also contains a few pngs for the LXDE desktop for menu and logout. I am really into making LXDE take on a prettier appearance. After all is a quick and efficienct desktop, so shouldn't it look real nice too? I am also hoping, since I did try out this weird invention call LXDE-QT desktop that is not the move in the future. I am sorry, I see that as a major degression. I did not see efficiency or more capability with that type. I sincerely hope a move of that nature will never occur.

After having many issues with any OS have built involving 14.10 and Gnome3.14, I have come to the conclusion if that desktop is not to correct their errors and continue on as a usable desktop, I will no longer create artwork for their systems or use their desktop. I will only use components until such time LXDE contains similar components(programs). I have also heard talk about LXDE starting to use gtk-3.0 and wondering if there is any truth to that? I have a very high regard for LXDE as saved my behind on many distros I have used and made bad mistakes. Although I have become a bit more proficient I still have much to learn. As I move along and learn and hopefully gain some knowledge and advice here, I will do my very best to create things for LXDE. Best wishes to all, and know together we are all going to make LXDE the best possible desktop around!

[BBOSAK2143]

Just an update to let any others know who may be considering building one also. I have fixed the issue about synaptic not working on LXDE along with a few others. Part of the problem is I also have gnome-policykit in there since I figured was needed due to this OS containing a great percentage of gnome programs. Gnome uses pk whereas LXDE used gksudo for programs. So if you are experiencing any of these issues when you go to build, simply go to usr/share/applications and find the file in question open it and change the pk to gksudo. Found this information yesterday on a deep search.

On my search, I came across a few people that would enjoy having either Nemo or Nautilus controlling the desktop for LXDE. So far, I do not see any possibility of changing that aspect, since I could not even add nemo to the panel to open files, which should be simple. I do not understand why the option is available to change in the advanced section of panel preference if it won't respond??? Even though I put nemo %U in the preference still pcmanfm still opens on click. I am not wishing to change the aspect of pcmanfm running the desktop, but do want Nemo to come up at different points. So, my solution was to create this link called home.desktop and this is how is done:
[Desktop Entry]
Name=Home
Type=Application
Comment=Show home directory
Terminal=false
Exec=nemo
Icon=folder_home.png
Encoding=UTF-8

This to me is actually the best alternative. Even when I am using Gnome, I enjoy having the option of two file managers. At points one has a better perspective than the other. So, I just figured would share this to those that may want that icon on the desktop that can be easily clicked and presto, Nemo is there or simply change that line to whatever file manager you prefer. I am still hot on the trail of doing my best to get browsers that do not want to respond to themes, to respond. So, I can still use help on that. Programs and browsers that have the option to change are no issue. Ones that do not, anyone having an idea is greatly welcomed. As said, I want a beautiful desktop that is usable. LXDE is very usable and proficient, now if I can just get the rest of the looks, will be completely pleased.

Eventually, am still looking to break the cord of using gdm or lightdm. I wante LXDM to do the full duty and am betting it can, provided enough information is given to it. Anyone with suggestions on that also welcomed. Remember, whatever I learn as I continue this journey into creating this OS, I will share so others out there considering the same will gain!

[BBOSAK2143]

So far looks as if I am solving my own problems! Next problem up to bat was having ugly Windows 95 looks on some KDE programs and likewise. For those that hate that look and want your theme to conform to what you have in your gtk simply open up synaptic and search for qt4-qtconfig or apt-get install in a terminal. Now if I would have known this gem was out there, I would have moved to LXDE the day I found out. Not sure how many people use Compiz here, but will talk about another issue. In the Ubuntu Official Repos lxpanel has an issue when it comes to transparency selection for the panel. The way to dump this issue is to open up a terminal and sudo add-apt-repository ppa:lubuntu-dev/lubuntu-daily Those developers have the correct panel and what is needed for transparency to work properly and not mess up. Now this will leave you unable to install lxshortcut, but is pretty much superseded by libfm from what I have read.

Both on current and build OS's I had to do the above followed by apt-get-update, then apt-get dist-upgrade. After that I was left with pcmanfm not installed, while lxshortcut was to be removed and lxsession-logout hanging in the balance. Do not get scared. Simply do the update, then you will have to type apt-get install pcmanfm, followed by apt-get install lxsession-logout and will be back in business, enjoying the transparent bottom panel with no issues. Forget lxshortcut and simply apt-get autoremove. QT 4 Settings will appear in preferences in your menu. Simply click on that and click the bottom arrow on the box right of selecte GUI style. There you will find GTK+ which will do the trick for all your programs that are not currently running your gtk choices. All you have to do is go to close your top bar and will give option to save and that is all you have to do is save that setting and you're done.

Now, I am left with a few things that would love to know how to fix so this distro is fairly well set out of the box. See, my brother is no computer genius and counts a lot on my knowledge which is not the greatest and needs severe improvement. So, my last few tasks are to have compiz pre-set and ready. I also do not want the OS to boot to Gnome which is not equiped and only serves to complete pieces LXDM does not currently have. I want GDM to take this OS to the LXDE desktop out of the box. So, I am now in hopes someone out there has this knowledge. You can surely see, I am in no way afraid of sharing what I have learned and am learning. I only hope others on here will do the same for me and everyone here.

Lastly, here's something that may happen to you if you're a compiz user and doing some work with metacity files on your LXDE desktop. You wind up with the cheap upper bar changing places with your metacity choice after you have amended a metacity file incorrectly. LXDE winds up remembering that ill-fated session where you mis-typed something in that file and simply says "You messed up, I am taking over and will give you the default ugly xpm instead of compiz metacity's". This means you are constantly typing compiz --replace in a terminal after the start of your LXDE session. Thankfully, there is an easy cure for this. Simply either go in pcmanfm under view click hidden then find .cache file and delete lxsession or for terminal lovers simply type rm ~/.cache/lxsession. For now is about it, as said am hoping either someone shares a gdm trick for changing to LXDE and preset settings for compiz or you better believe I am going to keep searching for the answers. When I do, I will share them with all here, you can bet on that one!

[BBOSAK2143]

Am still here and hoping someone out there will help???? That is if anyone actually reads these and is willing to answer??? I am in a fix as far as display managers are concerned. I have been through lightdm, nodm, sddm and lxdm after uninstalling gdm and gnome-session. Basically, without gdm I am left with a real disaster area. Upon trying lightdm and going to boot this freshly made distro, it was asking me for a password? I mean am lost on that when the system has yet to be installed is only booting from the image onto Vbox. Next I tried sddm and wouldn't you know is outdated??? Seems is looking for scripts that do not exist, so that is a total dud. Next, I tried LXDM and it did get to the desktop upon clicking "Try without installing". If you click the install Ubiquity will not come up and some distorted screen came up in Vbox that looked as if it said something about updating.

Now compiz pretty much had all its settings I put in the right places which I will go over at another time. I was getting flickering on the screen in Vbox as for some unknown reason even though lightdm was not the DM, it thought it was???? Yes a little box in the middle of the screen asking for a name and password to a new OS that has never been created? I am at a loss why these DM's are looking for name and password when the system has yet to be installed??? Now if I knew where to find the exact script that is describing what should happen, believe me would fix it. Anyway between the flickering, I decided to give an install a try on Vbox. System installed and did reboot where I was greeted by LXDM and Lightdm with Lightdm staggered a few seconds later after I had already put my username and password in. After issuing my name and password twice I was on the desktop. Luckily, compiz settings were perfect. Unfortunately, screen was flickering all over the place. I went into Synaptic and did my best to uninstall Lightdm after a reboot. Result was too many things go removed and now clicking on logout and shutdown left me with no permission to do so????

I have looked high and low for correct information how to install any one of these DM and is very little and most are outdated. NODM refused to get to the desktop and was looking for startlubuntu, which is something I do not have since this is not a lubuntu by any means. Lubuntu's have only a little software and not enough for me to work with. Also no matter what I do with "Whoopsie" it just will not install or uninstall, so that is an option I do not want to look at anymore. Have been there 3 times including today. I have spent the last 3 days in agony trying to get a DM other than Gnome to make this OS work. I know others have to work or why would they be there, right??? Currently, I am building one last build tonight with just LXDM as off the image I removed lightdm and sddm. I know there is still going to be permission problems, so please someone have a heart and guide me to properly getting a DM to work fully with this OS. It contains gnome programs, kde programs and every last policykit from LXDE, KDE and Gnome. Something has got to link all this stuff so it can boot to the LXDE desktop and be installed without typing sudo -s then ubiquity.

From 13.10 til now has been tough with all the changes that have come down and I am not comprehending this fully. I just hope someone on this forum knows how to configure a DM for a Ubuntu-Builder LXDE OS. I am all ears and eyes for getting led in the right direction. So, please someone this is an SOS call.

[Rex Bouwense]

You have to remember that this is a very small forum dealing only with a desktop environment with an even smaller group of active members. Sometimes the guy or gal with the answer that you are looking for may not sign on for a couple of days so have patience please. Hopefully, someone is out there with the answer.

[BBOSAK2143]

Even if I can get some web pages to understand how LXDM works, maybe can get all this fixed. Is not a good sign when someone vastly intelligent as yourself is lost on this issue. I know I write a lot and may not be real professional at points, perhaps hard to understand. Been at building systems for myself for about 2 years now, not the greatest by no means. Still, this is the most difficult scenario. I understand others may be out there to help. At the same time getting the information out, since I am sure there are plenty others as me that just do not like normal distributions since they are always lacking. Those people build just as I do. So many distros out there, but none of them capture exactly as I want my OS to be. Only a few are close. I am very lost on this "whoopsie" program since most programs you can either uninstall, reinstall or dpkg --configure -a. With that program it defies all logic and nothing can be done with it. Least I am lost on it and just wish one of you folks can enlighten me on it?

I know is a small forum, I do not expect answers the minute I submit and figure may take days. I just try to let people know is a very relavant problem. Is not something foolish, like a missing icon or coloring in the wrong spot. This is something that seriously effects the way the entire OS will function. This is also the very first time I have ever used any DM besides GDM to build one of my OS's. Last time I messed with LightDm was back in the days of 12.04 and 12.10. Seems like a lifetime ago. Now that these DM's are no longer using init.d and spread out all over, is very confusing to me. Lastly, I hope I am not upsetting anyone here as is not my intention by no means. I only seek to learn and then help others with the same type situations I have learned from. I severely hope above posts have helped others. I also have done this on another forum that I belong to. It means so much to me when I know I have saved someone from the same heartaches I have gotten myself into. Well, have a few more ideas to fix this mess and when something works, you bet will post. Just would be nice if I can get a few suggestions of where to look.

[BBOSAK2143]

Well, I did so much searching and would make many people's heads spin around and around. End result, I had to take a gamble something that sounded feasible would work. So, here it goes. In the file etc/pam.d/lxdm need to add the two following lines:
session required pam_loginuid.so
session required pam_systemd.so

List this directly under #%PAM-1.0. Did this and presto if user would select install, will go to install. Selects Try before installing gets to the desktop and permissions are there and no error messages. This means Ubuntu installer can be clicked and installation commenced from that point. Also when menu is clicked for logout all the options are there and functional on the logout menu. I see one small error with update manager that claims something has not been initiated. So this is within a few hairs of a complete solution. This Monday will list the error and hopefully someone will know how to fix the rest of this issue. But least is good enough for a install, but compiz is not completely covering the default settings(metacity) I have set for it. So by this I know that not everything has been initiated on the boot.

Now as I promised I would also share what I did to have settings for compiz set so when system boots up all the effects are there minus my upper metacity bar. From an installed system(previous build of this OS) I did all the settings manually, then I click on Preferences on the compiz menu left hand side bottom. Under profile you will see 2 imports and 3rd heading is export. Click on this button and another window will pop up for you to name the file. After you have named it and go to save a small box will have the question do you want to skip default option values while exporting your profile. Click "yes" since you will not need the other settings since is not necessary to put what you need into the files you will edit.

So, with your ######.profile file completed you need to go into etc/compizconfig/config and unity.ini. In the config file you simply change all profile headings to unity. Next you open the unity file and erase the last line that shows the default unity profile, which is my estimation is useless anyway. You then put your profile in and are done on that side. You can't miss the long line and not going to list it. You will easily see the difference of yours and the unity profile I sure. I think that is it but not positive. I could have sworn one more file to change, but I can't seem to find it right now. If I do find it, you can bet will update this. If there was one more all that should be done for it is the same as listed above. As long as your profile replaces the unity type, your settings will be there. For now have to go. Still many things to work on and figure out. This is not a simple LXDE system is a bit more complicated as has most programs any large desktop would have. More information will be following and will be more than happy to share and save aggravation for others.