Openbox DE help

EvilGrin · 2010-09-12 21:50:07

Hi, I'm unusually active past few days on forum , reading wiki, etc... So, I finally decided to switch to arch, and I need a little help with setting up a DE.

I have this components in mind:
- DM: SLiM
- WM : Openbox
- Compositor: xcompmgr
- Panel: Bmpanel
- Terminal: xfce4-terminal
- Editor: nano
- File Manager: Thunar

I used arch some time ago for a short period of time, and I used gnome de since I was familiar with it from ubuntu, but recently I bought a new laptop and I'd like to try something new. I followed Beginners Guide to the part where I should install de of choice. I practised all of this on a virtual machine , and I installed Openbox few times.

So, when I run openbox from a command line after arch boot up, I get grey screen (not that I haven't expected it), and only right click functionality with some options to run blah blah... programs etc... and with option to run xterm . So, I run xterm, and from there I execute commands that start... lets say bmpanel so that I can maximize minimized programs, and.. thunar so that I can browse my hard drive.

Now, that's all fine, I got it up and running, but I'd like to make that more automated (and of course, without a terminal window hanging around for each app i start).

And this is how I imagined things to look:
First I press the powerbutton , then some arch text run trough monitor, then SLiM gets in action (aka. login panel)

(link to image, i oversized it a bit so mod's were a bit angry )

, I log in and I see something like this Link to youtube.

That's basically what I'm trying to achieve, but I'm a little bit confused with how to get all that components to start with the system. I read something about it in wiki under openbox, but I couldn't make anything of it.

So, I'm asking good people of "archtopia" for some help

Can I first install all of components listed above through a pacman and than configure them, or should I follow some specific order so that everything works out well?
Yes, and I haven't make my mind yet which programm should I use to get the icons on my desktop, so if there are any suggestions I'd like to hear them. Thanks in advance!

One more thing. I read quite a lot of literature, but I might be telling complete nonsenses so sorry if that's the case, and plz correct me in anything you find important

Last edited by EvilGrin (2010-09-13 09:34:42)

EvilGrin · 2010-09-12 21:53:08

And if this succeed as I imagined, I was thinking of making a indepth tutorial on how to assemble this specific "setup", cos there are tutorials only on gnome and that kind of *$%& me of. Not that I have anything against the gnome, but I like varieties.

Thanks for any help!!

Last edited by EvilGrin (2010-09-12 21:53:33)

jasonwryan · 2010-09-12 21:55:31

EvilGrin wrote:

So, when I run openbox from a command line after arch boot up, I get grey screen (not that I haven't expected it), and only right click functionality with some options to run blah blah... programs etc... and with option to run xterm

That's openbox - you have to install whatever else you want. Please read the Wiki entry on Openbox - it has everything you need.

Also. please don't bump your posts: http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/For … te#Bumping

chris-kun · 2010-09-12 21:55:52

add slim to the daemons array in rc.conf to get that to startup. of course need to edit your /etc/inittab to get it to start up X first.

to start up things like bmpanel you can add them to either ~/.xinitrc or ~/.config/openbox/autostart.sh

jomasti · 2010-09-12 21:58:19

You can use the autostart script for Openbox. You can copy the default, or just create your own. For copying the default:

cp /etc/xdg/openbox/autostart.sh ~/.config/openbox/

And use nano to add in these lines. Or only use these and save it as autostart.sh in that directory.

xcompmgr & (specify whatever settings you want instead)
bmpanel &

You can also install menumaker, and use it to create a menu so that you can easily access the programs you have installed. I have used it in this way:

mmaker --no-legacy --no-debian -vf OpenBox3

Then you just use the reconfigure option and you will have a good menu setup. You can install obmenu to easily edit the menu later.

Last edited by jomasti (2010-09-12 21:59:52)

SomeGuyDude · 2010-09-12 23:38:29

I say switch bmpanel with tint2, xfce-terminal with urxvt. Maybe even check out Compiz for a standalone!

EvilGrin · 2010-09-13 08:38:38

wow! Those were fast replies. Thanks for help, but I have some problems with SLiM. So, if I got it right... slim is just a substitution for "ugly" terminal log in, and if I have no daemons to run openbox, after I login to slim, in theory, I should get back to basic terminal? Ok, so that's just what bugged me a little, but I had no chance to find out, since slim reports : Failed to execute login command.
I did some research and I found something that should supposedly help. Link to thread
Thread suggest to delete slim.lock file from /var/lock/slim.lock, but apparently, I don't have that file, so any suggestions?

anonymous_user · 2010-09-13 13:25:06

Did you read the wiki?

http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/SLiM

Make sure you configure slim.conf and ~/.xinitrc correctly.

vacant · 2010-09-13 14:51:12

EvilGrin wrote:

I have this components in mind:
- DM: SLiM
- WM : Openbox
- Compositor: xcompmgr
- Panel: Bmpanel
- Terminal: xfce4-terminal
- Editor: nano
- File Manager: Thunar

I have:

DM: none - get inittab to boot straight into my user (I have encrypted partitions so get asked for a long password at boot)
WM: openbox, feh for background(s)
compositor: none - at one stage I used compiz but really effects are like adverts, quite amusing at first but ignored after a while. why bother?
panel: lxpanel
terminal: roxterm
editor: leafpad (& mcedit)
file manager: pcmanfm (&mc)

Arch Linux

#1 2010-09-12 21:50:07

Openbox DE help

#2 2010-09-12 21:53:08

Re: Openbox DE help

#3 2010-09-12 21:55:31

Re: Openbox DE help

#4 2010-09-12 21:55:52

Re: Openbox DE help

#5 2010-09-12 21:58:19

Re: Openbox DE help

#6 2010-09-12 23:38:29

Re: Openbox DE help

#7 2010-09-13 08:38:38

Re: Openbox DE help

#8 2010-09-13 13:25:06

Re: Openbox DE help

#9 2010-09-13 14:51:12

Re: Openbox DE help

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