Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

Hello fellow N900'ians!!

I have easy debian running - its groovy!
The "big" windowing systems are available for download - BUT will they work?

There is no "real" option to reboot, therefor seems like there is no way to switch to Gnome or such?

Please someone proove me wrong!!

I'd love to try out some other WM's but I have a low internet connection (VERY low monthly downloads).

Space it not an issue - dedicated 8GB SD.
Speed is not an issue - Maemo is great, this is for fun.
Also my SoC is blazing fast and highly clockable ;) :D

Please help.......

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

Hi trips, GNOME KDE are not really window managers are they? they are desktop enviroments that require a window manager.

if you want to start a different window manager through debian chroot you can. This is how I would do it for example with jwm (not a big window manager but the same applies)

run Debian chroot
the result is this
URL=http://img43.imageshack.us/i/screenshot2010042401510.png/]http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/409...0042401510.png

but you have to force keyboard focus. there is a thread somewhere that eplains how to do so:

hope this helps

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

i have a big problem i think....


errror were encountered while processing:
desktop-base

E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

it happens when i try to install any windowing sys.
xfce via synaptic it happens

using the above two examples it happens in chroot

does anyone know to fix this?

PPLLEEAASSEE!!!!

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

I often ignore error messages until they cause a problem : P

OK I just installed xfce desktop enviroment through debian chroot. Boy it took a long while for it to download and unpackage everything but it did work.
here is xfce on the n900

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/5...0042405235.png

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

same as above but instead of the twm lines use

sudo apt-get install xfce4

xfce-session --display=:1

can I ask why you wish to use another window manager or desktop enviroment? If its purely cosmetic and you don't like the look of debian LXDE you can customise it to look more fimiliar eg this is how I have it

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/9...0042315211.png

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

easy debian works great and it's one of a must have app on N900. it came with Openoffice and more

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

i have and use easy debian. its great.

CUE:
maybe im missing something or a gtk package?

i did the xfce4 as you said - got as far a the same error as before.

i use xfce-session. didnt work untill i did xfce4-session BUT its now having a GTK issue... :(

gtk warning: cannot open display: 1
i tried many different combinations. i used --display alone and it kind of worked. had xfce is now starting image then a pop up but nothing more because it has no window to work in.....

as for why am i doing it? i really just want to see if it can be done. im so excited about what you done - devistated that its not working.

i did the 'xnest' example u supplied.. i got a window opened with a lot of black/white dots and an 'X' cursor but went no further. mouse worked..

i dont see how im doing it so wrong when "we" are all using the same software... maemo & easy debian.

:( im devistated...

Edit: xfce4-session --display=:0
that works but does not bring up a windows... :( :eek:

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

What I wouldn't mind seeing, is E17 in easy Debian.

Just a thought.

slaapliedje

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

CUE:
Is (easy deban's) CHROOT separate maemo xterm?
I'm going to reflash my N900 including the eMMC completely ad start again.
This desktop-base issue and GTK warning*** is wrong.

Have you installed anything extra? Maybe in Easy Debian? Something like Devel tools or ..... ? (I'm a linux NOOOOOOOOB!!!)
Sorry to annoy you!
I really am!
Also! You LXDE setup looks SUPERB!

I just want to be able to play with what I want... You're is great - Mine is missing something important - Just NO CLUE what it could be...
Which is why I'm taunting you.. Please help.

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

sorry for not replying sooner trips but you don't need to reflash. hope you haven't reflashed yet, I had to get some sleep, as you could probably tell from the screenshots it was 5am. : )

yes debian chroot is an "app" that installs with easy-debian it should just bring up an xterminal. you shouldn't be missing anything since I haven't really installed anything extra for easy debian.

the GTK error is usually a result of inputing the display name incorrectly. You need to use display :1. display :0 shows nothing because it's what maemo is currently using display :1 is telling it to use the nested X session (the black and white dots with a cursor). so leave that black and white screen open go back to debian chroot and type.

xfce4-session --display=:1

with the equal sign and the colon 1. you should see that in the xnest window xfce starts to load.

hope this helps.

@slaapliedje

that's a great idea, for screen realestate.

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

I'm pretty sure Gnome or KDE would be unusably slow, just keep that in mind.

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

Thank you so much for your help!!!!!!!!!!

I decided to flash the device anyhow..

How do you start LXDE (Easy Deb) after you tested the windows managers for me?

I could not boot lxde again. Each time I tried to start it I clicked 'ok' then it dropped to the desktop..

I'm definitely no linux user :(

I use Mint Linux (Community build - XFCE) which is setup perfectly for me right away.

I'm very, very sorry for the annoying questions.


Ahhhhh...

How did you customise your lxde to look so good?
Looks SOO different!

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

Your questions are not annoying at all. I'm more than happy to help, as are most people on these forums.

Never had that problem with Debian LXDE afterwards. find the "app" called "close debian" run it, then try again. Perhaps that will solve it.

As for changing the look of LXDE. I just changed the panel settings and theme, adjusting things there.

To change the two panels (bars) click and hold on it then a menu will appear with "panel settings" where you can change its position, size, etc.

The other settings you can find by clicking on the icon with blue squares then

preferences>appearance
and
preferences>Openbox configuration manager

edit: ok the problem with LXDE not showing just happened after I started playing around, trying to get fullscreen xnest. Had to just restart the phone and everything was fine again. One thing I did notice though was that something (probably xfce) broke the fn key in LXDE the fn key seems to act as return instead.

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

Thank you so much!
My lxde looks completely different now.
I will upload a photo of it sometime soon.
It's beautiful! I even changed the lxdemenu (start button) icon.
I plan on changing it again if I can remember how I did it.
I want to put a gnome foot on it. Exactly like: http://svn.gnome.org/svn/gnome-icon-...start-here.png

How did you manage to fix the 'fn' key issue?
I have that same problem. I was trying an apt-get but could not get the "-". Had to use copy and paste.

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

to change the icon it should be under panel settings then click on the "panel applets" tab. then select something like "menu" in that list (don't remember the exact name), then click "edit". you should be able to give a path for the new image you want to use (the gnome foot).

I didn't really know how to fix the fn key specifically. "Fix LXDE kbd" did'nt help since I think it's only for keyboard focus. What I did was I used "close debian" then deleted the image in the MyDoc directory and used "Deb img install" to reinstall the image and got my fn key back, took a while since you have to redownload the large file again.

hopefully qole (the person who created easy debian) can help you if you don't want to redownload the large file and just want the fn key back, because I unfortunatly do not know how.

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

Sorry I didn't see this earlier... Cue, instead of running Xnest, I suggest you use Xephyr (which is what I use).

Take a look at the /usr/bin/xephwm5 script (in the chroot) to see how I run LXDE in a second display. You can modify that script to use any other desktop environment you like.

LXDE really is the best that I've found. Gnome is too heavy, KDE doesn't have tap-and-hold right-click support, and IceWM and xfce4 just aren't as nice (in my opinion).

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

I would prefer xfce4 than lxde:
+ it is more (or easier) to customize
+ it supports gnome-panel-applets
+ it has preview in filemanager
- booting is nearly as fast as lxde
http://www.students.uni-mainz.de/mki...601-193036.png

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

Could you please post how you have managed to get XFCE working in Easy Debian?

I've tried to install the meta-package xfce4, edit xephwm5 to make startxfce4 the WMEXEC variable and then launch it, but it gave me a black screen after the xfce4 splash screen was finished. I also couldn't get back to maemo by pressing ctrl-back, I had to shutdown the device.

By editing xephwm (not xephwm5) I got xfce working, but unfortunately it didn't run fullscreen, like you have managed to do.

Thanks in advance,
-iDont

Edit: Nevermind, I found my error:
Changing only the WMEXEC variable in /usr/bin/xephwm5 doesn't work. You should create a new file in /usr/bin (like /usr/bin/startxfce1) containing: "DISPLAY=:1 startxfce4". Then you'll change WMEXEC in /usr/bin/xephwm5 from startlxde1 to startxfce1.
Enjoy your XFCE desktop :D

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

iDont:

I was just about to suggest that solution, I'm glad you got it figured out.

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

An tutorial to use KDE4, or GNOME, or...would be great. :)

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

Qole please need help/intructions on using e17 on easy debian.... Thanks

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

KDE4 and GNOME are too slow to run via easy debian.

Just install Ubuntu (MohAG's thread - easy to install) which has Gnome by default and KDE can be installed.

It will lag out and be too slow to run with Easy Deb.

e17 - apt-get install e17.

Just make sure it's ported to armel first, then just use the above posts to get it to boot.

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

• Open Debian chroot
• Edit file sources.list (vim /etc/apt/sources.list)
• Uncomment line 8 (deb http://http.us.debian.org/debian sid main contrib non-free), save and close
• Run "apt-get update"
• Run "apt-get install e17"
• In /usr/bin create a file named "starte17" containing "DISPLAY=:1 enlightenment_start" (vim /usr/bin/starte17, insert text, save and close) and make it executable ("chmod +x starte17")
• Edit the file xephwm5 (vim /usr/bin/xephwm5) and change WMEXEC="startlxde1" to WMEXEC="starte17"
• Exit Debian chroot
• Edit debian-lxde (vim /usr/bin/debian-lxde) and apply the same change (change WMEXEC="startlxde1" to WMEXEC="starte17")
• Start Easy Debian and enjoy!

If you have any problem feel free to ask :p

P.s.: I suggest to re-comment sid repo in sources.list after successfull installation of e17...
P.p.s.: it seems to work pretty well, but I can't get keyboard focus :(

EDIT
Temporary workaround for keyboard focus: while in Easy Debian, press power button (short press), start phone application, access menu and then launch "Fix LXDE kbd". Now you have keyboard fully functional and you can press ctrl+back to return to Maemo :).

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

@Maddog
I tried what you explain here but as soon as I try to open it it closes after the Keyboard "warning"... really don't know what to do, :(

Thanks and sorry if this is a noob question, :D

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

Sorry, maybe I forgot a step: you have to make starte17 executable (as root: "chmod +x starte17"). If it doesn't work, try launching Easy Debian in xterm (as normal user: "debian-lxde") and tell me what you see.

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

This is probably very offtopic, but has anyone succeded installing a different WM for Maemo 5?
Like the IceWM for N810.

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

There's a topic on forums in which someone managed to run openbox, but there was some issues with statusbar, another way is booting KDE 3.5 compiled for 810 but it probably leads to reflash to get Maemo back working.

You can also run easydebian DE on display 0 (Maemo).

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

I am not really interested in installing a DE, but only a WM.
Hopefully somebody gets it working someday. I'ts not that I don't like Hildon, I just love to be able to do whatever I like.

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

Definately with you on the 'do whatever I like' front. I would love to port an alternate window manager to maemo (hate DE's). The only one I've used in years though is DWM and I'm very limited in C ): Rio from Plan 9 would be interesting with a touch screen...

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

Just install iceWM from debian repos, and :
But for further usage, you need how to make shortcuts to your apps, so you're able too boot them from icewm, not only from terminal.

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

I tried this, and got
How do i keep hildon-desktop from restarting before icewm starts?

EDIT:
worked for me.

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

How do you make shortcuts? I thought since you're chrooted you wouldn't be able to interact with files/binaries and such outside of the environment. I've only ever used chroot for gentoo installs and fixing problems from a livecd though. Thanks for the heads up guys

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

i have easy debian installed on my mmc problem is that when ever i visit any flash content i.e youtube the browser crashes :confused:
i am nOOb so dont know about this stuff but one thing i can say is flash was working then i installed debian before, when i was on pr1.2...

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

Are you talking about the default web browser? Nothing should have changed... someone else may be able to shed light on it

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

is anyone willing to give a solution???

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

I tried to help and you never answered my question. Is it the default web browser? What are you on now, 1.2 or 1.3? Have you installed tweak flash plugin?

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

every browser @ debian crashes
i am on pr 1.3
i have installed tweak flash plugin @ maemo

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

Yes the Flash plugin in Easy Debian (a hacked version from the long gone days of Maemo 4) no longer seems to work under PR1.3. I am not skilled in these things; I cannot hack the Maemo 5 flash plugin to work under Debian.

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

any instruction how to boot ubuntu on easy debian with gnome???

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

Has anyone managed to make conky work on easy debian lxde desktop background? If yes. please tell how
what I succeeded to achieve is getting conky to work in a window after running "conky" in easy debian terminal.

Re: Easy-Debian - GNOME, KDE OR XFCE? Available - but do they work?
 

There's lots of guides on the internet. Easy debian should be just like a regular linux os so you could follow most instructions. I can't remember how conky works, it may have something to do with your .xinitrc?