[Solved] Starting XFCE from command line breaks permissions for mounting USB...

xtian · 2011-07-28 20:57:02

I'm upgrading from Fedora 11 to Fedora 15 and opted to use XFCE as my desktop environment. Woot!

I frequently use my laptop as a webdev test box, I therefore prefer to boot to run level 3. Fedora 15 uses a symbolic link to manage the run level,

lrwxrwxrwx. 1 root root 1 Jul 23 10:57 default.target -> /lib/systemd/system/runlevel5.target
lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root 1 Jul 25 18:13 default.target.save -> /lib/systemd/system/runlevel3.target

After I changed this pointer to run level 3 and launch XFCE from the command line using "startxfce4", I was unable to access my USB thumb drive. I can see it mounted in Thunar, but I can't open it. Changing the default back to run level 5 fixed the problem. I am new to customizing the DEs and WMs. I know .xinitrc can contain customization and configuration settings for managing the DE environment.

What do I need to do to match the start parameters of run level 5 for the command "startxfce4"?

Nick · 2011-07-28 21:03:00

Better ask this at the Fedora forums or mailing list.

xtian · 2011-07-29 20:10:33

@Nick, actually I did and I'm not yet getting an answer sad
Why is this a distro problem and not the DE? Because, and I'm only guessing on this, I was thinking maybe Xfce is not launching with the same "parameters" or startup apps, or something similar. The fluxbox WM has a feature in it's startup file. It strings together different environment (?) applications with the ampersand. The fluxbox startup file (~/.fluxbox/startup)

# And last but not least we start fluxbox.
# Because it is the last app you have to run it with ''exec'' before it.
conky & gnome-volume-control-applet & nm-applet & gnome-power-manager &
synclient TapButton1=1 & synclient VertEdgeScroll=1 &
/usr/libexec/polkit-gnome-authentication-agent-1 & exec /usr/bin/fluxbox

Presumably this forms the startup state. The above is something I found. The original Fluxbox startup file this line is just

exec /usr/bin/fluxbox.

As I said, I'm used to F11 out-of-box so to speak, and I'm not familiar with this level of customization. Will you give me some pointers to what I should know?

stqn · 2011-07-30 13:17:30

I probably can't help you myself but you're being vague when you say you "can't open it."

Have you tried with "ck-launch-session startxfce4"?

the98 · 2011-07-30 16:12:31

Try a solution I've posted on Linux Questions, and I think I had post it here somewhere too, but anyway...

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions … ost4411028

xtian · 2011-07-31 14:06:12

@stqn: Can't open it = ALERT DIALOGUE= 'Unable to Mount File System'. Not Authorized.

I appreciate the replies. And I will look into the post. I still have a question. Part of my post is also a request for information about what all goes into customizing the DE (and on a quick look at the reply's post I think I was on the right track). When I read replies which seem to understand the problem, but take no pains to offer ideas of how the customization of different DEs and WMs is handled, or a simple explanation of what "ck-launch-session" does or is, I wonder if we all are a bit fuzzy on the topic? Because, there really isn't any reason to be coy or reserved about sharing info on these systems in Linux. They're really the OSs best feature. ; )

Last edited by xtian (2011-07-31 14:08:08)

stqn · 2011-07-31 14:59:14

Indeed, I have no idea about what "ck-launch-session" does, but I *believe* it has something to do with permissions, and this is how I'm launching Xfce. "ck" means "ConsoleKit"; maybe you'd like to dukgo that... smile

In fact I just searched the web for consolekit and found the official documentation that is of absolutely no use in explaining what it is/does. But I also found this mail which is a bit more understandable.

xtian · 2011-07-31 15:16:18

I only just started customizing my .bashrc, but I don't know more about bash than its the app behind the console. Yet there are alternatives. I know this and avoid excess knowledge, because it works.

ConsoleKit. Now that's a perfect example of what I'm taking about. I have no idea why this app effects the startup parameters of Xfce. I've read Consolekit, "is a service which tracks user sessions." [1]. But I know .xinitrc (under Fedora) is the preference file used to set the parameters of the user's environment. What's the relationship between these two? ...

I've decided what I'm hoping to find is some kind of explanation which explains how the application environment of xwindows works in the shortest usable explanation which allows me to get back to a glitch-free system, ask better questions when I get stuck, and not know too much.

(phew)

[1]: http://unix.stackexchange.com/questions … -they-work

Jristz · 2011-07-31 19:20:26

you have a ~/.xinitrc???
If this is true try
exec ck-launch-session dbus-launch startxfce
the ck-launch-session start consolekit and dbus-launch start dbus for the user (if dbus ir runing for daemons)

for my this work in Arch, Ubuntu and Gentoo

Xfce Forum

Sub domains

#1 2011-07-28 20:57:02

[Solved] Starting XFCE from command line breaks permissions for mounting USB...

#2 2011-07-28 21:03:00

Re: [Solved] Starting XFCE from command line breaks permissions for mounting USB...

#3 2011-07-29 20:10:33

Re: [Solved] Starting XFCE from command line breaks permissions for mounting USB...

#4 2011-07-30 13:17:30

Re: [Solved] Starting XFCE from command line breaks permissions for mounting USB...

#5 2011-07-30 16:12:31

Re: [Solved] Starting XFCE from command line breaks permissions for mounting USB...

#6 2011-07-31 14:06:12

Re: [Solved] Starting XFCE from command line breaks permissions for mounting USB...

#7 2011-07-31 14:59:14

Re: [Solved] Starting XFCE from command line breaks permissions for mounting USB...

#8 2011-07-31 15:16:18

Re: [Solved] Starting XFCE from command line breaks permissions for mounting USB...

#9 2011-07-31 19:20:26

Re: [Solved] Starting XFCE from command line breaks permissions for mounting USB...

Board footer