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Yrrow_hand

Member

Registered: 2025-11-19

Posts: 5

Cursor theme does not apply xfce 4.20.2

Freshly installed Arch Linux
xfce4-about 4.20.2 (Xfce 4.20)

~/.config/gtk-3.0 is empty (checked with ls -la ~/.config/gtk-3.0)
/etc/gtk-3.0/ has only im-multipress.conf file

~/.Xresources with Xcursor.theme: Adwaita also does not help. (xrdb ~/.Xresources was run after changes have been applied)

XFSETTINGSD_DEBUG=1 xfsettingsd --replace --no-daemon

results:

xfce4-settings(xsettings): 30 settings changed (serial=1, len=1188)
xfce4-settings(xsettings): resource manager (xft) changed (len=130)
xfce4-settings(xsettings): 30 settings changed (serial=2, len=1192)
xfce4-settings(xsettings): resource manager (xft) changed (len=133)

printenv:

COLORTERM=truecolor
XDG_CONFIG_DIRS=/etc/xdg
XDG_SESSION_PATH=/org/freedesktop/DisplayManager/Session0
XDG_MENU_PREFIX=xfce-
XDG_CONFIG_HOME=/home/user/.config
DESKTOP_SESSION=xfce
GTK_MODULES=canberra-gtk-module:canberra-gtk-module
XDG_SEAT=seat0
PWD=/home/user/.config/gtk-3.0
XDG_SESSION_DESKTOP=xfce
XDG_SESSION_TYPE=x11
PANEL_GDK_CORE_DEVICE_EVENTS=0
XAUTHORITY=/home/user/.Xauthority
XDG_GREETER_DATA_DIR=/var/lib/lightdm-data/user
MOTD_SHOWN=pam
HOME=/home/user
LANG=en_US.UTF-8
XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP=XFCE
VTE_VERSION=8201
XDG_SEAT_PATH=/org/freedesktop/DisplayManager/Seat0
XDG_CACHE_HOME=/home/user/.cache
TERM=xterm-256color
USER=user
DISPLAY=:0.0
SHLVL=1
XDG_VTNR=7
XDG_SESSION_ID=2
XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/run/user/1000
DEBUGINFOD_URLS=https://debuginfod.archlinux.org 
XDG_DATA_DIRS=/usr/local/share:/usr/share
PATH=/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/bin/site_perl:/usr/bin/vendor_perl:/usr/bin/core_perl
GDMSESSION=xfce

Somehow Adwaita theme is applying when I set cursor size 61 or more. Cursor becomes big and Adwaita theme becomes actual. When size 60 or less theme does not work. Size changing does not work with elementary theme though.

Last edited by Yrrow_hand (2025-11-19 17:22:31)

ToZ

Administrator

From: Canada

Registered: 2011-06-02

Posts: 12,354

Re: Cursor theme does not apply xfce 4.20.2

Hello and welcome.

This is interesting. You appear to be using GDM as your display manager (not sure if this is related or not).

In Xfce (xfconfd), there is synchronization between xfconf and dconf as default now. Are your mouse cursor settings different in dconf?

gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.interface cursor-size
gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.interface cursor-theme
xfconf-query -c xsettings -p /Gtk/CursorThemeSize
xfconf-query -c xsettings -p /Gtk/CursorThemeName

If you change the dconf settings via gsettings:

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface cursor-size 16
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface cursor-theme "elementary"

...does the mouse cursor change?

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Yrrow_hand

Member

Registered: 2025-11-19

Posts: 5

Re: Cursor theme does not apply xfce 4.20.2

This is interesting. You appear to be using GDM as your display manager (not sure if this is related or not).

Is this something not standard? I just install the xorg, xfce4, lightdm, lightdm-gtk-greeter, lightdm-gtk-greeter-settings and some of the packages from xfce4-goodies group. That's it. I did not edit any configs related to DE. I also tried to install the system using archinstall script in case if I missing something with xfce but the issue has been reproduced even if Arch is installed using archinstall with xfce4 as selected DE.

In Xfce (xfconfd), there is synchronization between xfconf and dconf as default now. Are your mouse cursor settings different in dconf?

gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.interface cursor-size
gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.interface cursor-theme
xfconf-query -c xsettings -p /Gtk/CursorThemeSize
xfconf-query -c xsettings -p /Gtk/CursorThemeName

gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.interface cursor-size
16
gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.interface cursor-theme
'Adwaita'
xfconf-query -c xsettings -p /Gtk/CursorThemeSize
16
xfconf-query -c xsettings -p /Gtk/CursorThemeName
Adwaita

If you change the dconf settings via gsettings:
...
...does the mouse cursor change?

Unfortunately no. No visual effect at all. But return from the commands above has been changed for elementary:

gsettings get org.gnome.desktop.interface cursor-theme
'elementary'
xfconf-query -c xsettings -p /Gtk/CursorThemeName
elementary

Also theme in Mouse and Touchpad is also changed to elementary.

Last edited by Yrrow_hand (2025-11-19 19:23:47)

ToZ

Administrator

From: Canada

Registered: 2011-06-02

Posts: 12,354

Re: Cursor theme does not apply xfce 4.20.2

Is this something not standard? I just install the xorg, xfce4, lightdm, lightdm-gtk-greeter, lightdm-gtk-greeter-settings and some of the packages from xfce4-goodies group. That's it.

I was going to say that no, that isn't standard, but I just did a quick install of Arch in a VM using archinstall and the same packages as you and I now get this environment variable as well - looks like its being set by lightdm. That's odd. However, it doesn't seem to be the cause as I can change the mouse cursor easily using the Xfce dialog. The elementary and the default adwaita themes look the very similar. Try installing the xcursor-themes package - it has a redglass cursor them that is visibly different. See if changing to it works.

If not, are you using Xfce through X11 or wayland? What kind of graphics card do you have and what monitor/screen are you using?

You could also try creating a second user account on your system to see if it works - to rule out a potential profile issue.

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Yrrow_hand

Member

Registered: 2025-11-19

Posts: 5

Re: Cursor theme does not apply xfce 4.20.2

Thank you for your answer!

I was going to say that no, that isn't standard

I'm kinda noobie here. What is kind of 'default' option for DM in XFCE?

but I just did a quick install of Arch in a VM using archinstall and the same packages as you and I now get this environment variable as well - looks like its being set by lightdm.

Tried to install XFCE without lightdm and yeah, there is no GDMSESSION. But cursor themes is still not working.

Try installing the xcursor-themes package - it has a redglass cursor them that is visibly different. See if changing to it works.

Forgot to say but I've tried to install different themes with no result.

If not, are you using Xfce through X11 or wayland?

X11

You could also try creating a second user account on your system to see if it works - to rule out a potential profile issue.

Tried this with no success.

What kind of graphics card do you have and what monitor/screen are you using?
...
However, it doesn't seem to be the cause as I can change the mouse cursor easily using the Xfce dialog. The elementary and the default adwaita themes look the very similar.

And here are the questions that made me try to experiment more. And looks like that I found kind of a reason why this happening, but the root reason is still not clear for me. And to be honest I'm not sure if the reason in XFCE itself.
So I run my system on virtual machine using Virtual Box as I need it for my job project. After your message I decided to try to make install on QEMU/KVM, aand it works as it should work. Cursor themes applying. After this I thought that the reason in Virtual Box and started experimenting with it.
After some investigation I found out that the cursor I see is actually the host machine's cursor. And when I change Graphics Controller option in 'Display' section to 'VBoxVGA' or 'VBoxSVGA' I see the VM cursor and themes is applying as expected BUT when the VMSVGA option is selected the issue returns back, so I decided that the reason in some kind of incompatibility Xfce with VMSVGA (as I have other VMs with other DEs and cursor themes working  as expected with VMSVGA option selected).
But I decided to experiment more and download Linux Mint Xfce edition iso and tried just start it in Virtual Box with VMSVGA selected. And themes work fine on Mint's Xfce iso.

So I'm a little bit confused and don't understand what is the root reason of this behavior and if it Xfce related at all.
And there is also this strange glitch when Adwaita theme starts to work when cursor size is 61 or more, but elementary not. (on VMSVGA on Arch)

ToZ

Administrator

From: Canada

Registered: 2011-06-02

Posts: 12,354

Re: Cursor theme does not apply xfce 4.20.2

It does seem like a VB issue, but its odd that it affects Arch and not Mint? Are you using the guest additions? Maybe Mint has them installed by default?

Edit: also Arch would run newer versions of modules/libraries/etc...

Last edited by ToZ (2025-11-21 14:43:33)

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Yrrow_hand

Member

Registered: 2025-11-19

Posts: 5

Re: Cursor theme does not apply xfce 4.20.2

It does seem like a VB issue, but its odd that it affects Arch and not Mint? Are you using the guest additions?

I don't use it and to be honest I don't want to use it

Maybe Mint has them installed by default?

Unfortunately I don't know the answer. Maybe?

Edit: also Arch would run newer versions of modules/libraries/etc...

Yeah I understand.
I also just tried to test Fedora 43 xfce spin live iso and was able to reproduce the issue the same way as it is on Arch. Fedora has xfce 4.20.1 So there is some issue with changing cursor themes(or showing cursor) on xfce + VMSVGA on Virtual Box.
Thank you very much for your help and sorry that I'm taking your time.

Also can you please answer? Just curious.

I was going to say that no, that isn't standard

I'm kinda noobie here. What is kind of 'default' option for DM in XFCE?

Thank you again! Have a nice weekend!

ToZ

Administrator

From: Canada

Registered: 2011-06-02

Posts: 12,354

Re: Cursor theme does not apply xfce 4.20.2

Xfce doesn't have a default DM. Xfce is an upstream project that is dedicated to just the desktop environment. It is the distro that decides what the default DM is (though lightdm seems to be a popular one to pair with Xfce). That said, Xfce tries to be compliant and support any DMs to make sure there aren't any problems that affect its startup.

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Yrrow_hand

Member

Registered: 2025-11-19

Posts: 5

Re: Cursor theme does not apply xfce 4.20.2

Xfce doesn't have a default DM. Xfce is an upstream project that is dedicated to just the desktop environment. It is the distro that decides what the default DM is (though lightdm seems to be a popular one to pair with Xfce). That said, Xfce tries to be compliant and support any DMs to make sure there aren't any problems that affect its startup.

Yeah 'default' was a wrong word I meant 'popular'.
Anyway, thank you for your help!