[SOLVED] How to start X server before clipmenud?

penguin · 2023-05-11 12:43:15

Every time I start my computer, I must manually run:

systemctl --user start clipmenud.service

to get clipmenu (dmenu for clipboard buffer) working.

The underlying cause: clipmenu used to hard code DISPLAY=.0, however it is now reading this value from the DISPLAY environment variable. This means X server must be started before clipmenud so that systemd knows which $DISPLAY to be pushed to environment, which is then read by clipmend.

My clipmenu runs as --user process ("systemctl --user enable clipmenud.service")

My .xinitrc (relevant parts):

systemctl --user import-environment DISPLAY  # (too late?)
systemctl --user start clipmenud.service
# ....
exec stumpwm

(stumpwm is my window manager)

From terminal:

echo $DISPLAY
:0.0

My understanding is that /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d/50-systemd-user.sh should make sure systemd knows of the DISPLAY value, from this script:

systemctl --user import-environment DISPLAY XAUTHORITY

if command -v dbus-update-activation-environment >/dev/null 2>&1; then
    dbus-update-activation-environment DISPLAY XAUTHORITY
fi

Is the issue that the above 50-systemd-user.sh isn't run? (My start up process is I have "exec stumpwm" at the end in my ~/.xinitrc).

The problem is described in this issue, but I do not understand it:

The issue here is simply using startx and enabling the clipmenud service won't
quite work since naturally the service gets started before it has a chance to
"see" any DISPLAY, thus to solve the problem (rather naively) I simply start
the unit manually in my .xinitrc without enabling it.

Last edited by penguin (2023-05-15 07:55:20)

Trilby · 2023-05-11 12:57:44

penguin wrote:

My .xinitrc (relevant parts):

Okay, humor us then and post the "irrelevant" parts as they're the ones that really matter.

penguin wrote:

My understanding is that /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d/50-systemd-user.sh should make sure systemd knows of the DISPLAY value... Is the issue that the above 50-systemd-user.sh isn't run?

You tell us - it's not in the part of your xinitrc that you deemed relevant.

wandrien · 2023-05-11 14:10:05

What's the problem just starting clipmenud directly from .xinitrc?

penguin · 2023-05-11 14:57:54

@wandrien That's what I'm trying to do, but I need to re-run it every time, manually from the command line.

@Trilby Sure, here's the full .xinitrc

#!/bin/sh

export MAGICK_OCL_DEVICE=OFF

# if on work-Dell, scale up retardedly small screen:
if [ $(hostname) == "dell" ]; then
    xrandr --output eDP-1 --scale 0.4x0.4 --output DP3 --scale 0.5x0.5 --right-of eDP1
fi

# add executable path
if [ -f /etc/SuSE-release ]; then
    export PATH=$HOME/bin:$HOME/usr/bin:$HOME/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/local/bin:/bin:/usr/games:/usr/X11R6/bin
else
    export PATH=$HOME/bin:$PATH
fi

# (nodeadkeys = only press once for ~ ^)
if [ -f /etc/arch-release ]; then
    #or X11 will give warning:
    #setxkbmap -option compose:ralt

    ## setxkbmap se nodeadkeys &
    setxkbmap se &
fi

# XSET OPTIONS.
# use "xset -q" to see values.
xset -b &                          #Turn off beeps:
xset +fp /usr/share/fonts/local &  #\
xset +fp ~/.fonts &                # To get fonts in X11-apps
xset fp rehash &                   #/
xset dpms 0 0 600            # turn off monitor after 5 min.

# Don't need xscreensaver if using xset +dpms
if [ -f /usr/bin/xscreensaver ]; then
    # Kill any running xscreensaver. Then start anew.
    xscreensaver-command -exit; killall xscreensaver 2>/dev/null; xscreensaver -no-splash &
else
    # for locking screen (e.g. work place policy requires it)
    # (much smaller than xscreensaver)
    xautolock -time 5 -locker slock &
fi
xbacklight -set 50         # reduce screen brightness by 50%

# clipboard manager (with history), using dmenu
# After install do: systemctl --user enable clipmenud.service
systemctl --user import-environment DISPLAY # know which
systemctl --user start clipmenud.service

# check if we have music player daemon
if [ -f /usr/bin/mpd ]; then
    # MPD daemon start (if no other user instance exists)
    [ ! -s ~/.mpd/mpd.pid ] && mpd
fi

#Set cursor theme:
xsetroot -cursor_name left_ptr &

xrdb -load ~/.Xresources &
xmodmap $HOME/.Xmodmap

if [ -f /etc/SuSE-release ]; then
    DEFAULT_SESSION=stumpwm
else
#   DEFAULT_SESSION=startfluxbox
    DEFAULT_SESSION=ck-launch-session stumpwm
fi

xsetroot -solid '#333333' &

case $1 in
    ratpoison)
        exec ratpoison
        ;;
    scrotwm)
        feh --bg-scale ~/.fluxbox/backgrounds/krets.png
        exec scrotwm
        ;;
    stumpwm)
        exec stumpwm
        ;;
    wmaker)
        exec wmaker
        ;;
    *)
        exec $DEFAULT_SESSION
        ;;
esac

V1del · 2023-05-11 15:10:53

You aren't running the /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d/50-systemd-user.sh which is explicitly mentioned as something one should be doing when opting for the .xinitrc as noted in the note box from: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Xinit#xinitrc

Run/source that before the systemctl --user start command

Last edited by V1del (2023-05-11 15:11:46)

penguin · 2023-05-13 20:01:21

Thanks for suggestions.

Indeed I was missing this part, I think:

# start some nice programs
if [ -d /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d ] ; then
 for f in /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d/?*.sh ; do
  [ -x "$f" ] && . "$f"
 done
 unset f
fi

After the above I now have (in my ~/.xinitrc):

systemctl --user start clipmenud.service
clipmenud &

Seems like I still must run "clipmenud&" in terminal once my WM has started. I'll have to tinker with this some more...

seth · 2023-05-13 20:52:39

systemctl --user start clipmenud.service
clipmenud &

This would be redundant, no?

Don't fork any of the xset* and setxkbmap calls, nor xrdb -load

DEFAULT_SESSION=ck-launch-session stumpwm

And good god, don't use ck-launch-session !

If for some weird reason you need to delay the start of clipmenud, you can

…
(sleep 60; clipmenud) &
…

penguin · 2023-05-15 07:55:03

The sleep 60 command was the last part of the puzzle to get it to work for me.
Now things work, thanks to everyone for suggestions!

Arch Linux

#1 2023-05-11 12:43:15

[SOLVED] How to start X server before clipmenud?

#2 2023-05-11 12:57:44

Re: [SOLVED] How to start X server before clipmenud?

#3 2023-05-11 14:10:05

Re: [SOLVED] How to start X server before clipmenud?

#4 2023-05-11 14:57:54

Re: [SOLVED] How to start X server before clipmenud?

#5 2023-05-11 15:10:53

Re: [SOLVED] How to start X server before clipmenud?

#6 2023-05-13 20:01:21

Re: [SOLVED] How to start X server before clipmenud?

#7 2023-05-13 20:52:39

Re: [SOLVED] How to start X server before clipmenud?

#8 2023-05-15 07:55:03

Re: [SOLVED] How to start X server before clipmenud?

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