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carlcaulkett

Member

Registered: 2018-03-19

Posts: 7

Problems migrating from Gnome to XFCE under FreeBSD

Apple Mac Pro (early 2009) 32GB
macOS 10.13.3 High Sierra
Parallels for Mac 13.3
FreeBSD 11.1

Hello. I installed FreeBSD a few days ago running as a guest OS under Parallels for Apple Mac. I started off with Gnome but there are one or two aspects of Gnome I don't care for. So I decided to switch to XFCE. Following the video at https://www.linuxhelp.com/how-to-instal … n-freebsd/ I carried out the following steps:

0. Xorg was already installed
1. Used `pkg install slim` to install the desktop manager
2. Used `pkg install xfce` to install xfce
3. Edited `/etc/rc.conf` to replace the `gnome_enable="YES"` and the `gdm_enable="YES"` lines with `slim_enable="YES"`
4. Created a new file in `/root` called `.xinitrc` containing the line `exec xfce4-session`
5. Rebooted my VM

This gave me the expected login screen but I am only able to log in as root and not as a standard user (ie. the same user I was using in Gnome). If I log in as my user name, after entering my password, it flashes up a message saying `Failed to execute login command`.

If I log in as root, it gives me a somewhat depleted screen with no access to any applications on the right click menu...

https://twitter.com/carlcaulkett/status … 2466243585

(I couldn't work out how to include images in this message)

Does anyone have any idea what's going on here?

Thanks, Carl.

carlcaulkett

Member

Registered: 2018-03-19

Posts: 7

Re: Problems migrating from Gnome to XFCE under FreeBSD

It's okay, I seem to have sorted it. The thing that was missing from the video, and which I managed to work out, was to repeat step 4. for my user $HOME directory. Now I have a properly populated screen with access to applications, which, since it's very late here in London, England, I shall explore in the morning.

No doubt, as I explore, more questions will arise, so in the words of a great philosopher, "I'll be back!".

ToZ

Administrator

From: Canada

Registered: 2011-06-02

Posts: 11,492

Re: Problems migrating from Gnome to XFCE under FreeBSD

Hello and welcome.

No doubt, as I explore, more questions will arise, so in the words of a great philosopher, "I'll be back!".

"I'll be back, therefore I am". A great machine once said, will say, has said in another time....

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carlcaulkett

Member

Registered: 2018-03-19

Posts: 7

Re: Problems migrating from Gnome to XFCE under FreeBSD

Thanks for the welcome. Before I went to sleep last night, I did have time for one last tweet, to which I shall link here...

https://twitter.com/carlcaulkett/status … 1990790144

Can one embed images within messages on this forum?

ToZ

Administrator

From: Canada

Registered: 2011-06-02

Posts: 11,492

Re: Problems migrating from Gnome to XFCE under FreeBSD

Can one embed images within messages on this forum?

Yes, but it requires a little work:

Uploading an image:
First, upload your image to an image hosting site like imgur or zimagez. Then, post back the link that is generated. Please consider using the "small thumbnail" or "bb code" link that is provided by the image hosting site after your image has been uploaded. If you are using Xfce 4.12, you can also use xfce4-screenshooter (Screenshot) to automatically upload your screen shot to imgur or zimagez.

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