Re: x-window-manager alternative missing
On 2021-07-02 at 12:01, Siard wrote: > The Wanderer: > >> What package, or packages, set(s) up the x-window-manager alternative >> and define(s) symlinks for it? > > To set the default x-window-manager, you can use: > ># update-alternatives --config x-window-manager As far as I'm aware, that will only work if the x-window-manager alternative group is already defined. The problem I was seeing was that there *was* no such group defined to exist; i.e., such things as the /etc/alternatives/x-window-manager symlink did not exist. I ended up using # update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/x-window-manager x-window-manager /path/to/my/WM 95 where '95' was chosen because that's the priority of the existing alternative on the system I'm using as the base for comparison. > To only see the available (i.e. installed) x-window-managers: > >$ update-alternatives --list x-window-manager Or, for more information about the link group, '--query'. -- The Wanderer The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man. -- George Bernard Shaw signature.asc Description: OpenPGP digital signature
Re: x-window-manager alternative missing
The Wanderer: > What package, or packages, set(s) up the x-window-manager alternative > and define(s) symlinks for it? To set the default x-window-manager, you can use: # update-alternatives --config x-window-manager To only see the available (i.e. installed) x-window-managers: $ update-alternatives --list x-window-manager
Re: x-window-manager alternative missing
On 2021-07-02 at 11:39, Greg Wooledge wrote: > On Fri, Jul 02, 2021 at 11:14:22AM -0400, The Wanderer wrote: > >> What package, or packages, set(s) up the x-window-manager >> alternative and define(s) symlinks for it? > > I take it from the content that I snipped that you're looking for a > list of window managers, and not a technical explanation of how the > alternatives system works. Not exactly - I was looking for anything that would set up that symlink, without necessarily assuming that every window-manager package would do it separately. If they do, however, then yes, that list - or at least a statement that "every window manager sets this up directly, independently of all the others" - would be the answer I was looking for. > For a list of x-window-managers, you can use: > > apt-cache showpkg x-window-manager > > Ignore everything up until "Reverse Provides:". That's the part you > want. I actually got to the point of looking for this technique during my own searching, but hadn't landed on it. Thanks for the pointer! In the end, a conversation with someone else ended up leading me to the conclusion that in fact what I hypothesized at the end of my previous mail is correct: it was set up by some previous package, I adjusted it to add the alternative for my locally-built but non-packaged WM, and then the package that originally set it up got removed. So I've just created it manually on the new machine, rather than dancing around with installing and removing packages I don't actually intend to use. It's up and running now. -- The Wanderer The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man. -- George Bernard Shaw signature.asc Description: OpenPGP digital signature
Re: x-window-manager alternative missing
On Fri, Jul 02, 2021 at 11:14:22AM -0400, The Wanderer wrote: > What package, or packages, set(s) up the x-window-manager alternative > and define(s) symlinks for it? I take it from the content that I snipped that you're looking for a list of window managers, and not a technical explanation of how the alternatives system works. For a list of x-window-managers, you can use: apt-cache showpkg x-window-manager Ignore everything up until "Reverse Provides:". That's the part you want. It should also be noted that x-session-manager is used preferentially over x-window-manager, and some of the things that you might normally call a window manager actually end up being registered as an x-session-manager instead. So: apt-cache showpkg x-session-manager Again, ignore everything before "Reverse Provides:".
Re: x-window-manager alternative missing
On Fri 02 Jul 2021 at 11:14:22 (-0400), The Wanderer wrote: > What package, or packages, set(s) up the x-window-manager alternative > and define(s) symlinks for it? > > I'm building a new computer, and setting up my (Debian-based) preferred > configuration on it, and I've just discovered that there is no > x-window-manager alternative defined; as a result, running startx > results in invoking x-terminal-emulator instead, which brings up X in a > very '80s-looking display and launches a single xterm. > > I could certainly just create the appropriate alternatives group myself, > based on what's already in place on the system I'm preparing to replace > with this new one, but I'd rather do this the right way unless there's > no clear viable alternative. However, I haven't so far managed to > identify what the Debian-native "right way" to get this set up is; on > all the previous computers I remember building, once I installed the > usual collection of make-X-available packages - specifically, that I > remember, xinit (for startx) and xserver-xorg - this is one detail that > Just Worked. > > I'm guessing that installing any of the various packages which have > "Provides: x-window-manager" might do it, but the computer I'm preparing > to replace doesn't have any of those installed, and still has the > x-window-manager alternative. (I run a WM which I compile and install > locally, rather than via a Debian package.) > > If I recall correctly, one of those packages probably *was* installed at > some early point in the original installation of the being-replaced > computer (now nearly a decade ago), so it's possible that installing it > set up the alternatives group and then I just reconfigured that group to > my preferred target, so removing the package didn't result in removing > the group... in which case installing one such package temporarily > should get things working, but it might make more sense to just create > the alternatives group by hand. Perhaps either install something simple enough to uninstall, like fvwm, or download the same and follow the postinst script. Basically, installing a window manager installs the alternatives scheme. Cheers, David.
x-window-manager alternative missing
What package, or packages, set(s) up the x-window-manager alternative and define(s) symlinks for it? I'm building a new computer, and setting up my (Debian-based) preferred configuration on it, and I've just discovered that there is no x-window-manager alternative defined; as a result, running startx results in invoking x-terminal-emulator instead, which brings up X in a very '80s-looking display and launches a single xterm. I could certainly just create the appropriate alternatives group myself, based on what's already in place on the system I'm preparing to replace with this new one, but I'd rather do this the right way unless there's no clear viable alternative. However, I haven't so far managed to identify what the Debian-native "right way" to get this set up is; on all the previous computers I remember building, once I installed the usual collection of make-X-available packages - specifically, that I remember, xinit (for startx) and xserver-xorg - this is one detail that Just Worked. I'm guessing that installing any of the various packages which have "Provides: x-window-manager" might do it, but the computer I'm preparing to replace doesn't have any of those installed, and still has the x-window-manager alternative. (I run a WM which I compile and install locally, rather than via a Debian package.) If I recall correctly, one of those packages probably *was* installed at some early point in the original installation of the being-replaced computer (now nearly a decade ago), so it's possible that installing it set up the alternatives group and then I just reconfigured that group to my preferred target, so removing the package didn't result in removing the group... in which case installing one such package temporarily should get things working, but it might make more sense to just create the alternatives group by hand. -- The Wanderer The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man. -- George Bernard Shaw signature.asc Description: OpenPGP digital signature
x-window-manager alternative missing
What package, or packages, set(s) up the x-window-manager alternative and define(s) symlinks for it? I'm building a new computer, and setting up my (Debian-based) preferred configuration on it, and I've just discovered that there is no x-window-manager alternative defined; as a result, running startx results in invoking x-terminal-emulator instead, which brings up X in a very '80s-looking display and launches a single xterm. I could certainly just create the appropriate alternatives group myself, based on what's already in place on the system I'm preparing to replace with this new one, but I'd rather do this the right way unless there's no clear viable alternative. However, I haven't so far managed to identify what the Debian-native "right way" to get this set up is; on all the previous computers I remember building, once I installed the usual collection of make-X-available packages - specifically, that I remember, xinit (for startx) and xserver-xorg - this is one detail that Just Worked. I'm guessing that installing any of the various packages which have "Provides: x-window-manager" might do it, but the computer I'm preparing to replace doesn't have any of those installed, and still has the x-window-manager alternative. (I run a WM which I compile and install locally, rather than via a Debian package.) If I recall correctly, one of those packages probably *was* installed at some early point in the original installation of the being-replaced computer (now nearly a decade ago), so it's possible that installing it set up the alternatives group and then I just reconfigured that group to my preferred target, so removing the package didn't result in removing the group... in which case installing one such package temporarily should get things working, but it might make more sense to just create the alternatives group by hand. -- The Wanderer The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man. -- George Bernard Shaw signature.asc Description: OpenPGP digital signature
