Date: Sat, 3 Feb 2024 16:30:00 +0000 From: Alexander Burke <alex@alexburke.ca> To: TIM KELLERS <trkellers@gmail.com> Cc: questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Installing/running X11 Message-ID: <3ccf51e0-2ee5-4ecb-a89c-9cab86fceba7@alexburke.ca> In-Reply-To: <f0eefa5c-07b6-4e80-99a5-1819ef684edf@gmail.com> References: <20240203144851.d47zguvjtisjdsz4@yosemite.mars.lan> <b702f1f0-10ef-40b6-a0bd-b2ce413e4e73@alexburke.ca> <f0eefa5c-07b6-4e80-99a5-1819ef684edf@gmail.com>
next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --------------mqyWBmsmiRxYrUdH1YNXXsH5 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Hi Tim, That's an excellent idea! I agree that the documentation can be overwhelming at first, but if you focus on one area of need at a time, there's a lot of wisdom to be had. Paul, to go this route, just "sudo pkg install desktop-installer". That said, the man page is probably worth reading before you pull the trigger: https://man.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=desktop-installer&sektion=1&manpath=freebsd-ports Cheers, Alex On 2024-02-03 17:15, TIM KELLERS wrote: > > If you just want to get an X system up and running without initially > getting buried in all of the extensive FreeBSD documentation, try > using the port at: /usr/ports/sysutils/desktop-installer. > > From the description: > > "Desktop-installer is a post-install script to assist in setting up a > FreeBSD > desktop system using any of the mainstream desktop systems. It > automatically > installs essential software and configures subsystems such as dbus, > CUPS, etc. > for typical use." > > You don't have to use it to install the sometimes weighty full desktop > environments. You can use it to install/configure a very basic X > environment (think TWM). It is script and menu driven and it works > well enough to install a working desktop environment even on > FreeBSD-CURRENT. > > I'm a ports user mainly and while desktop-installer uses packages to > do its installation, I found that looking at the edits that are made > to rc.conf, and packages that are installed are very instructive to > how the X system is configured on FreeBSD. > > I learned a great deal about how X works in FreeBSD by using this > installer, then deleting the packages, seeing what broke and what > worked and reinstalling what I wanted to have from ports. It will > work without diving that deep (or crazy) into desktop magic on FreeBSD. > > Tim > > > On 2/3/24 11:01 AM, Alexander Burke wrote: >> Hi Paul, >> >> Forgive me if I'm mistaken, but I'm starting to get the feeling that >> you might not have paid as much attention to the wealth of >> documentation on FreeBSD as perhaps you could have. There's nothing >> wrong with just diving in, but a bit of guidance in unfamiliar waters >> is never a bad thing! >> >> The most general/basic advice is here; in this case, jump to step 9: >> https://freebsdfoundation.org/setting-up-a-desktop-environment-from-scratch/ >> >> >> Going up a notch in detail is the excellent FreeBSD Handbook. The >> Desktop section has separate subsections for the KDE, GNOME, XFCE, >> MATE, Cinnamon, and LXQT desktop environments. Look around for >> reviews and screenshots and pick one; they are listed here in >> approximate descending order of popularity: >> https://docs.freebsd.org/en/books/handbook/desktop/ >> >> I also cannot speak highly enough of vermaden's fabulous blog, which >> has generally been my first or second port of call when I had >> questions before I turned to the mailing lists. Here's his page >> collating all of his entries regarding setting up a FreeBSD desktop: >> https://vermaden.wordpress.com/freebsd-desktop/ (scroll down past the >> screenshots) >> >> There's also the FreeBSD Forums, which are very searchable: >> https://forums.freebsd.org/ >> >> Given your level of experience, I recommend sticking to packages, and >> not touching the port system. You can explore the various packages >> which exist at Freshports: >> https://www.freshports.org/ >> >> Important to remember is that packages are simply precompiled ports. >> They're a lot easier to deal with than ports. >> >> Cheers, >> Alex >> >> On 2024-02-03 15:48, Paul M Foster wrote: >>> Folks: >>> >>> For context, I have a fresh install of version 14. I've made myself >>> part of >>> the wheel and video groups. I've installed drm-kmod, xdm, >>> xf86-video-intel, >>> xfce, xorg and xterm. I've added hald_enable="YES", >>> dbus_enable="YES" and >>> kld_list="i915kms" to /etc/rc.conf. >>> >>> At this point, advice diverges significantly. Some sites say I >>> should be >>> able to just run startx and all will be fine. Some want you to run xorg >>> -configure. Some want you to hack X11 config files. >>> >>> What I can tell you is that X won't start with startx. For one >>> thing, it >>> outputs these errors: >>> >>> (EE) >>> Fatal server error: >>> (EE) no screens found(EE) >>> (EE) >>> >>> Also, for what it's worth, service dbus start works. But service >>> hald start >>> doesn't. The error is: >>> >>> hald does not exist in /etc/rc.d or the local startup directories >>> (/usr/local/etc/rc.d), or is not executable. >>> >>> I have no idea how to proceed. >>> >>> Paul >>> >> --------------mqyWBmsmiRxYrUdH1YNXXsH5 Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit <!DOCTYPE html> <html> <head> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"> </head> <body> <p>Hi Tim,</p> <p>That's an excellent idea! I agree that the documentation can be overwhelming at first, but if you focus on one area of need at a time, there's a lot of wisdom to be had.</p> <p>Paul, to go this route, just "sudo pkg install desktop-installer". That said, the man page is probably worth reading before you pull the trigger:<br> <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://man.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=desktop-installer&sektion=1&manpath=freebsd-ports">https://man.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=desktop-installer&sektion=1&manpath=freebsd-ports</a><br>; </p> <p>Cheers,<br> Alex</p> <p><br> </p> <div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 2024-02-03 17:15, TIM KELLERS wrote:<br> </div> <blockquote type="cite" cite="mid:f0eefa5c-07b6-4e80-99a5-1819ef684edf@gmail.com"> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"> <p>If you just want to get an X system up and running without initially getting buried in all of the extensive FreeBSD documentation, try using the port at: /usr/ports/sysutils/desktop-installer.</p> <p>From the description:</p> <p>"Desktop-installer is a post-install script to assist in setting up a FreeBSD<br> desktop system using any of the mainstream desktop systems. It automatically<br> installs essential software and configures subsystems such as dbus, CUPS, etc.<br> for typical use."</p> <p>You don't have to use it to install the sometimes weighty full desktop environments. You can use it to install/configure a very basic X environment (think TWM). It is script and menu driven and it works well enough to install a working desktop environment even on FreeBSD-CURRENT.</p> <p>I'm a ports user mainly and while desktop-installer uses packages to do its installation, I found that looking at the edits that are made to rc.conf, and packages that are installed are very instructive to how the X system is configured on FreeBSD.</p> <p>I learned a great deal about how X works in FreeBSD by using this installer, then deleting the packages, seeing what broke and what worked and reinstalling what I wanted to have from ports. It will work without diving that deep (or crazy) into desktop magic on FreeBSD.</p> <p>Tim<br> </p> <div class="moz-signature"> <p><br> </p> <font size="2" face="sans-serif" color="gray"> <!-- a href="http://twitter.com/njitcpe"><img alt="CPE Twitter" style="padding:2px;" hspace="2" vspace="2" src="http://dl1.njit.edu/~bpenczak1/tw.png"></img></a>; <a href="https://www.laverne.edu"><img alt="CPE Facebook" style="padding:2px;" hspace="2" vspace="2" src="http://dl1.njit.edu/~bpenczak1/fb.png"></img></a --> </font></div> <div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 2/3/24 11:01 AM, Alexander Burke wrote:<br> </div> <blockquote type="cite" cite="mid:b702f1f0-10ef-40b6-a0bd-b2ce413e4e73@alexburke.ca">Hi Paul, <br> <br> Forgive me if I'm mistaken, but I'm starting to get the feeling that you might not have paid as much attention to the wealth of documentation on FreeBSD as perhaps you could have. There's nothing wrong with just diving in, but a bit of guidance in unfamiliar waters is never a bad thing! <br> <br> The most general/basic advice is here; in this case, jump to step 9: <br> <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://freebsdfoundation.org/setting-up-a-desktop-environment-from-scratch/" moz-do-not-send="true">https://freebsdfoundation.org/setting-up-a-desktop-environment-from-scratch/</a>; <br> <br> Going up a notch in detail is the excellent FreeBSD Handbook. The Desktop section has separate subsections for the KDE, GNOME, XFCE, MATE, Cinnamon, and LXQT desktop environments. Look around for reviews and screenshots and pick one; they are listed here in approximate descending order of popularity: <br> <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://docs.freebsd.org/en/books/handbook/desktop/" moz-do-not-send="true">https://docs.freebsd.org/en/books/handbook/desktop/</a>; <br> <br> I also cannot speak highly enough of vermaden's fabulous blog, which has generally been my first or second port of call when I had questions before I turned to the mailing lists. Here's his page collating all of his entries regarding setting up a FreeBSD desktop: <br> <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://vermaden.wordpress.com/freebsd-desktop/" moz-do-not-send="true">https://vermaden.wordpress.com/freebsd-desktop/</a> (scroll down past the screenshots) <br> <br> There's also the FreeBSD Forums, which are very searchable: <br> <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://forums.freebsd.org/" moz-do-not-send="true">https://forums.freebsd.org/</a>; <br> <br> Given your level of experience, I recommend sticking to packages, and not touching the port system. You can explore the various packages which exist at Freshports: <br> <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.freshports.org/" moz-do-not-send="true">https://www.freshports.org/</a>; <br> <br> Important to remember is that packages are simply precompiled ports. They're a lot easier to deal with than ports. <br> <br> Cheers, <br> Alex <br> <br> On 2024-02-03 15:48, Paul M Foster wrote: <br> <blockquote type="cite">Folks: <br> <br> For context, I have a fresh install of version 14. I've made myself part of <br> the wheel and video groups. I've installed drm-kmod, xdm, xf86-video-intel, <br> xfce, xorg and xterm. I've added hald_enable="YES", dbus_enable="YES" and <br> kld_list="i915kms" to /etc/rc.conf. <br> <br> At this point, advice diverges significantly. Some sites say I should be <br> able to just run startx and all will be fine. Some want you to run xorg <br> -configure. Some want you to hack X11 config files. <br> <br> What I can tell you is that X won't start with startx. For one thing, it <br> outputs these errors: <br> <br> (EE) <br> Fatal server error: <br> (EE) no screens found(EE) <br> (EE) <br> <br> Also, for what it's worth, service dbus start works. But service hald start <br> doesn't. The error is: <br> <br> hald does not exist in /etc/rc.d or the local startup directories <br> (/usr/local/etc/rc.d), or is not executable. <br> <br> I have no idea how to proceed. <br> <br> Paul <br> <br> </blockquote> <br> </blockquote> </blockquote> </body> </html> --------------mqyWBmsmiRxYrUdH1YNXXsH5--
Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?3ccf51e0-2ee5-4ecb-a89c-9cab86fceba7>