Re: Potato Broke My X
Brad {HYPERLINK mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED][EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Another important change in the xfree86-common package is that all
support for the /etc/X11/window-managers file has been removed. Window
managers should now use the alternatives system. You may want to check
that the /usr/bin/x-window-manager symlink is valid. The command
update-alternatives --auto x-window-manager will reset that symlink
That fixed it... I had no sym link as described. I created one and used the
update-alternatives command as you suggest. Now KDE loads just fine. Thanks for
the help.
-- Jim
Re: Potato Broke My X
Quoting Brad ([EMAIL PROTECTED]): This is no longer true; Xsession no longer checks /etc/X11/window-managers at all. You've either not updated xfree86-common to the latest version, or didn't overwrite /etc/X11/Xsession when you did. I believe this change occurred in 3.3.6-4, but i could be mistaken. You're absolutely right, I haven't updated. As I said: In the middle of February, I installed potato/frozen on a machine and it still uses /etc/X11/window-managers (which is a TEXT file) to decide which window manager to run. I'm quite happy with 3.3.6-3 which works. It's a pathfinder for sorting out any problems with running potato before I upgrade my production machines. I won't bother moving from 3.3.6-3 until I stop seeing frequent posts from people with screwed up /etc/alternatives links. Sorry if I confused anybody who's got confused links.. Cheers, -- Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tel: +44 1908 653 739 Fax: +44 1908 655 151 Snail: David Wright, Earth Science Dept., Milton Keynes, England, MK7 6AA Disclaimer: These addresses are only for reaching me, and do not signify official stationery. Views expressed here are either my own or plagiarised.
Re: Potato Broke My X
On 7 Mar 00, kmself@ix.netcom.com wrote: On Mon, Mar 06, 2000 at 08:20:46PM -0800, Jim Varney wrote: Updating my Potato system a few days ago with dselect broke my X windows. X starts up with the herringbone and shows a single shell window and prompt. X is working. However your window manager or desktop (what do you usually use?) isn't firing up. startx -- 1.startx.log 21 You were right. If I type 'kde' at the shell prompt KDE starts up. Found a broken link at /usr/lib/X11/xinit that was pointing to /etc/X11/xinit/xserverrc. Don't know why but the Debian upgrade wiped out the xserverrc file. Brad [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: X is working fine. However, no window manager is being started. Try update-alternatives --display x-window-manager, possibly the alternatives system got stuck in manual mode and is pointing to a window The alternatives database has no entries under x-window-manager. Maybe the cleanest fix is to just reinstall X? Thanks for taking the time to help. -- Jim
Re: Potato Broke My X
On Wed, Mar 08, 2000 at 01:20:37AM -0600, Brad wrote: snipped Another important change in the xfree86-common package is that all support for the /etc/X11/window-managers file has been removed. Window managers should now use the alternatives system. You may want to check that the /usr/bin/x-window-manager symlink is valid. The command It was a valid link. Well, technically it was. Turns out that /usr/bin/x-window-manager was pointing to /etc/alternatives/x-window-manager which in turn was pointing to /etc/X11/window-managers Once I realized that and changed the link in the alternatives directory to point at the window manager I wanted to use, things started working again. Thank you for getting me pointed in the right direction - without your pointer it's doubtful I would have figured that one out. update-alternatives --auto x-window-manager will reset that symlink to auto mode if for some reason it is manual (on my system it for some reason was stuck in manual mode pointing to twm, which had been uninstalled). I checked and it is in auto. However, something puzzles me: HAL9000:~# update-alternatives --display x-window-manager x-window-manager - status is auto. link currently points to /usr/bin/blackbox /etc/X11/window-managers - priority 50= this line and ... slave x-window-manager.1.gz: /usr/share/man/man1/blackbox.1.gz Current `best' version is /etc/X11/window-managers. = this line Could the two lines I marked above have something to do with what happened? I tried: HAL9000:~# update-alternatives --config x-window-manager There is only 1 program which provides x-window-manager (/etc/X11/window-managers). Nothing to configure. But checking the description for blackbox it says: HAL9000:~# grep-available -P -s Package,Provides blackbox Package: blackbox Provides: x-window-manager I'm getting more confused the more I dig into this. I can't even figure out what package it was that put the /etc/X11/window-managers file there to begin with. HAL9000:~# dpkg -S /etc/X11/window-managers dpkg: /etc/X11/window-managers not found. What do I need to do now to get my system straightened out as to who is providing x-window-manager? -- Mike Werner KA8YSD | Where do you want to go today? ICQ# 12934898 | As far from Redmond as possible! '91 GS500E| Morgantown WV | Only dead fish go with the flow.
Re: Potato Broke My X
On Wed, Mar 08, 2000 at 10:21:18PM -0500, Mike Werner wrote: I checked and it is in auto. However, something puzzles me: HAL9000:~# update-alternatives --display x-window-manager x-window-manager - status is auto. link currently points to /usr/bin/blackbox /etc/X11/window-managers - priority 50= this line and ... slave x-window-manager.1.gz: /usr/share/man/man1/blackbox.1.gz Current `best' version is /etc/X11/window-managers. = this line Could the two lines I marked above have something to do with what happened? I tried: HAL9000:~# update-alternatives --config x-window-manager There is only 1 program which provides x-window-manager (/etc/X11/window-managers). Nothing to configure. But checking the description for blackbox it says: HAL9000:~# grep-available -P -s Package,Provides blackbox Package: blackbox Provides: x-window-manager I'm getting more confused the more I dig into this. I can't even figure out what package it was that put the /etc/X11/window-managers file there to begin with. HAL9000:~# dpkg -S /etc/X11/window-managers dpkg: /etc/X11/window-managers not found. i believe it used to belong to xfree86-common, but i could be mistaken. What do I need to do now to get my system straightened out as to who is providing x-window-manager? rm /etc/alternatives/x-window-manager ln -s /usr/bin/blackbox /etc/alternatives/x-window-manager (this puts it in manual mode, don't worry about it) Also, you should file a bug against blackbox that the alternative should point to the executable. i notice the same thing on my system (i use wmaker, so i didn't notice earlier) -- finger for GPG public key. pgpx4uVgTyBGW.pgp Description: PGP signature
Re: Potato Broke My X
On Wed, Mar 08, 2000 at 06:38:22PM -0800, Jim Varney wrote: The alternatives database has no entries under x-window-manager. Which window managers do you have installed? -- finger for GPG public key. pgpeKGCAaHvqX.pgp Description: PGP signature
Re: Potato Broke My X
On Thu, Mar 09, 2000 at 12:07:10AM -0600, Brad wrote: rm /etc/alternatives/x-window-manager ln -s /usr/bin/blackbox /etc/alternatives/x-window-manager Isn't that backwords? $ ln --help Usage: ln [OPTION]... TARGET [LINK_NAME] or: ln [OPTION]... TARGET... DIRECTORY (this puts it in manual mode, don't worry about it) Also, you should file a bug against blackbox that the alternative should point to the executable. i notice the same thing on my system (i use wmaker, so i didn't notice earlier) -- finger for GPG public key. -- ++ | Eric G. Milleregm2@jps.net | | GnuPG public key: http://www.jps.net/egm2/gpg.asc | ++
Re: Potato Broke My X
On Thu, Mar 09, 2000 at 12:50:20AM -0800, Eric G . Miller wrote: On Thu, Mar 09, 2000 at 12:07:10AM -0600, Brad wrote: rm /etc/alternatives/x-window-manager ln -s /usr/bin/blackbox /etc/alternatives/x-window-manager Isn't that backwords? no that is correct: [EMAIL PROTECTED] eb]$ ln -s /bin/bash /tmp/shell [EMAIL PROTECTED] eb]$ ls -l /tmp/ total 22 drwxr-xr-x2 root root12288 Jan 11 20:35 lost+found lrwxrwxrwx1 eb eb 9 Mar 9 00:23 shell - /bin/bash [EMAIL PROTECTED] eb]$ $ ln --help Usage: ln [OPTION]... TARGET [LINK_NAME] or: ln [OPTION]... TARGET... DIRECTORY yes where TARGET is /usr/bin/blah and [LINK_NAME] is /etc/alternatives/foo-bar -- Ethan Benson
Re: Potato Broke My X
Quoting Mike Werner ([EMAIL PROTECTED]): On Wed, Mar 08, 2000 at 01:20:37AM -0600, Brad wrote: snipped Another important change in the xfree86-common package is that all support for the /etc/X11/window-managers file has been removed. Window managers should now use the alternatives system. You may want to check that the /usr/bin/x-window-manager symlink is valid. The command It was a valid link. Well, technically it was. Turns out that /usr/bin/x-window-manager was pointing to /etc/alternatives/x-window-manager which in turn was pointing to /etc/X11/window-managers Once I realized that and changed the link in the alternatives directory to point at the window manager I wanted to use, things started working again. Thank you for getting me pointed in the right direction - without your pointer it's doubtful I would have figured that one out. update-alternatives --auto x-window-manager will reset that symlink to auto mode if for some reason it is manual (on my system it for some reason was stuck in manual mode pointing to twm, which had been uninstalled). I checked and it is in auto. However, something puzzles me: HAL9000:~# update-alternatives --display x-window-manager x-window-manager - status is auto. link currently points to /usr/bin/blackbox /etc/X11/window-managers - priority 50= this line and ... slave x-window-manager.1.gz: /usr/share/man/man1/blackbox.1.gz Current `best' version is /etc/X11/window-managers. = this line Could the two lines I marked above have something to do with what happened? I tried: HAL9000:~# update-alternatives --config x-window-manager There is only 1 program which provides x-window-manager (/etc/X11/window-managers). Nothing to configure. But checking the description for blackbox it says: HAL9000:~# grep-available -P -s Package,Provides blackbox Package: blackbox Provides: x-window-manager I'm getting more confused the more I dig into this. I can't even figure out what package it was that put the /etc/X11/window-managers file there to begin with. HAL9000:~# dpkg -S /etc/X11/window-managers dpkg: /etc/X11/window-managers not found. What do I need to do now to get my system straightened out as to who is providing x-window-manager? The simple answer to this might be wait. In the middle of February, I installed potato/frozen on a machine and it still uses /etc/X11/window-managers (which is a TEXT file) to decide which window manager to run. Since then, all has changed and there are links in /etc/alternatives that achieve the same ends, but in the standard way. It seems from the traffic on this list that people are falling between two stools as the changeover is implemented. On my system, /etc/X11/window-managers is read, and contains /usr/bin/X11/fvwm which then goes lrwxrwxrwx Feb 17 16:46 /usr/bin/X11/fvwm - /etc/alternatives/fvwm lrwxrwxrwx Feb 17 16:46 /etc/alternatives/fvwm - /usr/bin/X11/fvwm2 which is a real binary. /etc/X11/window-managers takes precedence because it comes first in /etc/X11/Xsession which contains: (refers to ~/.xsession which I hid) / if [ -e $startup ] grep -qs ^allow-user-xsession $optionfile; then if [ -x $startup ]; then realstartup=$startup else realstartup=sh $startup fi elif [ -e /etc/X11/window-managers ]; then for i in `sed 's/#.*//' /etc/X11/window-managers`; do if [ -x $i ]; then realstartup=$i break fi done elif [ -x /usr/bin/x-window-manager ]; then realstartup=x-window-manager fi The file is created thusly: /var/lib/dpkg/info/xfree86-common.postinst: # create /etc/X11/window-managers if it does not exist; ... this is NOT a conffile Its existence prevents the x-window-manager alternatives method (I also have those links) from coming into action. Alternatively to waiting, you can guess what the maintainers have completed and/or manually piece it together again. I hope this micro-history makes it a bit plainer. Cheers, -- Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tel: +44 1908 653 739 Fax: +44 1908 655 151 Snail: David Wright, Earth Science Dept., Milton Keynes, England, MK7 6AA Disclaimer: These addresses are only for reaching me, and do not signify official stationery. Views expressed here are either my own or plagiarised.
Re: Potato Broke My X
On Mon, Mar 06, 2000 at 08:20:46PM -0800, Jim Varney wrote: Updating my Potato system a few days ago with dselect broke my X windows. X starts up with the herringbone and shows a single shell window and prompt. It never gets as far as the full desktop. I have to use cntl-alt-backspace to close the aborted X session. In my xsession error file it says fatal IO error 32 (broken pipe) or KillClient on X Server :0.0 Any ideas where I go from here? See bug #59656 - it seems that the /etc/Xsession that gets installed by xfree86-common 3.3.6-4 has a problem somewhere. Downgrading that package (xfree86-common) back to 3.3.6-3 fixed it. -- Mike Werner KA8YSD | Where do you want to go today? ICQ# 12934898 | As far from Redmond as possible! '91 GS500E| Morgantown WV | Only dead fish go with the flow.
Re: Potato Broke My X
On Tue, Mar 07, 2000 at 06:16:36PM -0500, Mike Werner wrote: See bug #59656 - it seems that the /etc/Xsession that gets installed by xfree86-common 3.3.6-4 has a problem somewhere. Downgrading that package (xfree86-common) back to 3.3.6-3 fixed it. That bug has been reassigned to xbase-clients and merged with a number of bugs regarding the recent xauth trouble, and will likely be closed soon as the xauth problem has been fixed. If this was indeed the problem, upgrading back to xfree86-common 3.3.6-4 should give no trouble as long as xbase-clients is 3.3.6-5 or higher. Another important change in the xfree86-common package is that all support for the /etc/X11/window-managers file has been removed. Window managers should now use the alternatives system. You may want to check that the /usr/bin/x-window-manager symlink is valid. The command update-alternatives --auto x-window-manager will reset that symlink to auto mode if for some reason it is manual (on my system it for some reason was stuck in manual mode pointing to twm, which had been uninstalled). -- finger for GPG public key. pgpyrngVXv6jn.pgp Description: PGP signature
Re: Potato Broke My X
On Mon, Mar 06, 2000 at 08:20:46PM -0800, Jim Varney wrote: Updating my Potato system a few days ago with dselect broke my X windows. X starts up with the herringbone and shows a single shell window and prompt. It never gets as far as the full desktop. I have to use cntl-alt-backspace to close the aborted X session. In my xsession error file it says X is working fine. However, no window manager is being started. Try update-alternatives --display x-window-manager, possibly the alternatives system got stuck in manual mode and is pointing to a window manager you've since removed. man update-alternatives for more info, and the command to put things back in automatic mode. -- finger for GPG public key. pgpQe1Yvhgb76.pgp Description: PGP signature
Re: Potato Broke My X
On Mon, Mar 06, 2000 at 08:20:46PM -0800, Jim Varney wrote: Updating my Potato system a few days ago with dselect broke my X windows. X starts up with the herringbone and shows a single shell window and prompt. X is working. However your window manager or desktop (what do you usually use?) isn't firing up. This is a failsafe X session. How are you starting X? Do you use an X Display Manager (gdm, kdm, etc.)? Or do you start X from a console prompt with startx? Try running one of the following commands in the xterm window: - fvwm # ( or fvwm2 ) -- for the fvwm(2) window manager - startkde # for kde - gnome-session # for gnome - wmaker # for WindowMaker - afterstep # for Afterstep ...etc. This should start up a desktop. If this fails to bring up your preferred desktop, the executable may be missing or otherwise hosed. Track it down with appropriate tools. Your X initalization process is controlled by a number of files under /etc/X11. Good places to start are the Xsession, gdm, kdm, or xdm subdirectories. You may want to try firing up X from the console and watching the error messages produced. I routinely capture all output to file with: startx -- 1.startx.log 21 It never gets as far as the full desktop. I have to use cntl-alt-backspace to close the aborted X session. In my xsession error file it says fatal IO error 32 (broken pipe) or KillClient on X Server :0.0 Any ideas where I go from here? -- Karsten M. Self (kmself@ix.netcom.com) What part of Gestalt don't you understand? Scope out Scoop: http://scoop.kuro5hin.org/ Nothin' rusty about Kuro5hin: http://www.kuro5hin.org/
