Arch Linux

r_j_h

Member

From: Bletchley, UK

Registered: 2010-03-06

Posts: 19

SLIM/CK problems.[solved]

I realise that some people frown upon asking more than one question per post but these are all closely related, so here goes...

- Can the recent consolekit functionality within slim be turned off? I.e: Is there some command-line or config nuance that I have overlooked which will restore the functionality which was there a week ago?
- Is it practical/advisable to downgrade slim to version<1.3.3 on a long-term (i.e: indefinite) basis? (I am not asking how to do it - I know that from the wiki - I am keen to know if it is a good idea).
- Are there any other login managers out there which do not depend on consolekit? I even tried the original (and presumably basic) xdm - but even that wanted to use consolekit.

Background info: A recent update has broken slim. From checking logs and other posts it seems that the new consolekit dependancy has installed consolekit for me, however ck will not run on my system. (it reports errors about missing dbus).

Thanks in advance, Richard.

Last edited by r_j_h (2012-05-10 12:26:22)

headkase

Member

Registered: 2011-12-06

Posts: 1,981

Re: SLIM/CK problems.[solved]

If the errors are about dbus, have you installed dbus?  If you have installed it, is "dbus" in your /etc/rc.conf in the DAEMONS array?

Or, is there a reason you do not want dbus?  Are you not wanting console kit because you don't want dbus or because dbus is not working on your machine?

r_j_h

Member

From: Bletchley, UK

Registered: 2010-03-06

Posts: 19

Re: SLIM/CK problems.[solved]

dbus was 'installed' (i.e: automatically downloaded by pacman, but never enabled or configured) a long time ago. I have never enabled it because none of my applications actually need it, thus it is just superfluous, wasted resource. I am aware that I could enable it as a workaround, but that is not really a proper solution.

As you alluded to in your reply:
- I neither want nor need dbus.
- I neither want nor need consolekit (except for slim).

All I want is the functionality that was in slim a week ago - before the extra dependency was added.

Does that make more sense?

Thanks, R.

headkase

Member

Registered: 2011-12-06

Posts: 1,981

Re: SLIM/CK problems.[solved]

As Mr. Turing in the park would no doubt say: "just enable dbus."  But hey, I may not think it's rational but if resources are that scarce on your machine someone else will have to help - my advice: enable dbus which will enable ck to work correctly.  Then enjoy hot-plugging USB drives and using power-related functions without super-user privileges.

So, enabling dbus is the answer I'd give, if you do not wish to do that then someone else will have to help.

Trilby

Inspector Parrot

Registered: 2011-11-29

Posts: 29,722

Website

Re: SLIM/CK problems.[solved]

I don't care for console kit at all and am glad to be rid of it.  Dbus I find quite handy though, but to each his own.

Slim may be worse than either.  What purpose does slim serve on your system?  Why not just get rid of it all together?  You ask about alternatives ... why look for an alternative?  Why use any LM?

---

"UNIX is simple and coherent" - Dennis Ritchie; "GNU's Not Unix" - Richard Stallman

r_j_h

Member

From: Bletchley, UK

Registered: 2010-03-06

Posts: 19

Re: SLIM/CK problems.[solved]

Thanks for the advice - I'll mark this as solved.

To elaborate on your comments; I do have a fairly lightweight machine and so when I learn that 'in order to get functionality X you need to install Y' I always ask whether or not I need it/is it 'safe'/ is it mature/will it waste unnecessary resource etc. In all fairness to the authors, dbus appears to be a well-respected, stable, widely used technology and I may have to allow it to run at some point. Consolekit appears to be just the opposite - its own webpage lists it as an abandoned project.

I am somewhat confused to see you mentioning hot-plugging USB drives though; I installed a udev file as instructed on the wiki and my USB drives auto-mount reliably enough...

Thanks for the help, R.

Last edited by r_j_h (2012-05-10 12:27:10)

headkase

Member

Registered: 2011-12-06

Posts: 1,981

Re: SLIM/CK problems.[solved]

You're very welcome, sir.  For the USB - there appears to be more than 50 ways to skin a cat..   My system is built up exactly as the various Wiki's instruct.  Perhaps I'm just set in sub-optimal ways..