Problem running Openbox with LXDE

measure · 2009-07-17 05:02:01

Hi,

I've recently installed Arch on a new PC. In an attempt to get a simple interface going, I have installed Xorg, LXDE and Openbox (along with Hal, Gamin, and the other things which I have read are necessary on the wiki/forum). In each of the posts I've read, someone edited the wrong configuration file or simply forgot to install Openbox. However, from what I can tell, LXDE is simply not starting up Openbox. When I startx as root, it appears that it properly runs Openbox. I get windows which I can drag (so it's not just using X) and a menu when I left click the desktop. I am not sure how it knows to use Openbox under root. As a regular user, with ~/.xinitrc containing the string "exec ck-launch-session startlxde" as suggested by the wiki, I get a running X environment in which the mouse works (it's a bit more complicated than that really: at first there is no icon for the mouse, but I can see the hover effect of buttons when the mouse goes over them; Strangely enough, when I click the button at the bottom left of the panel and go to accessories > terminal, and then mouse over the terminal window, an X appears for the mouse icon.) When the windows are open, there are no title bars, borders, etc. Additionally, the keyboard shortcuts such as Alt+F4 do not function. All signs point to no window manager. I guess what I don't understand is, where is it? Oh, and config file in /etc/xdg/X11/LXDE/config has "Window_Manager=openbox-lxde".

Might anyone have any advice for me to get Openbox working?

Thanks much,
Ryan

SpeedVin · 2009-07-17 06:42:31

Try write this to your `/.xinitrc :
exec openbox-session
exec ck-launch-session startlxde
LXDE must start on end

measure · 2009-07-17 15:20:05

SpeedVin wrote:

Try write this to your `/.xinitrc :
exec openbox-session
exec ck-launch-session startlxde
LXDE must start on end

Thanks for the help. Unfortunately for me, this did not work. For some reason I just cannot run openbox as a user, apparently. With just

~/.xinitrc

exec openbox-session

running startx, X fails. The output includes:

/home/ryan/.xinitrc: line 1: /usr/bin/openbox-session: Success

waiting for X server to shut down error setting MTRR (base = 0xd00000000, size = 0x01000000, type = 1) Invalid argument (22)

I am nowhere near competent enough to understand this output, and I am especially confused at it seems to imply that running Openbox was successful?

Thanks again for your help,
Ryan

EDIT: Due to my stupidity, what I thought was Openbox running as root was actually TWM, so Openbox really just doesn't work for me period.
EDIT^2: Still quite confused, for the time being I've installed Fluxbox and it's working perfectly. But I'd still like to resolve this as a learning experience, maybe!

Last edited by measure (2009-07-17 16:24:01)

zguhijok · 2009-07-17 17:01:08

So you installed openbox like described in the wiki?
Did you do, as a regular user?

$ mkdir -p ~/.config/openbox/
$ cp /etc/xdg/openbox/rc.xml ~/.config/openbox/rc.xml
$ cp /etc/xdg/openbox/menu.xml ~/.config/openbox/menu.xml

And then add

exec openbox-session

to you .xinitrc ?

Are you sure?

Edit: Forgot the Link to the Openbox-Wiki-Page:
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Openbox

Last edited by zguhijok (2009-07-17 17:02:11)

brisbin33 · 2009-07-17 17:43:58

zguhijok wrote:

So you installed openbox like described in the wiki?
Did you do, as a regular user?
$ mkdir -p ~/.config/openbox/
$ cp /etc/xdg/openbox/rc.xml ~/.config/openbox/rc.xml
$ cp /etc/xdg/openbox/menu.xml ~/.config/openbox/menu.xml
And then add
exec openbox-session
to you .xinitrc ?
Are you sure?
Edit: Forgot the Link to the Openbox-Wiki-Page:
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Openbox

don't forget autostart.sh; this is run by openbox-session and its absence could very well be the cause of X's not starting .

mkdir -p ~/.config/openbox
cp /etc/xdg/openbox/{rc.xml,menu.xml,autostart.sh} ~/.config/openbox/

measure · 2009-07-17 18:21:11

Hi guys,

Unfortunately I very carefully did as the wiki instructed and performed these tasks. I made sure I did these as a user, as well. I did so using su, but I can't see that having an effect. I further have just moved autostart.sh as brisbin33 instructed (and learned a more efficient way to move files!). Unfortunately Openbox still does not run for me.

X fails with the output:

Fatal server error:
Caught signal 11. Server aborting

I have removed my xorg.conf file and I have dbus and hal running. Fluxbox seems like a fine windows manager to me; while I'd still like to figure this out, I do not wish to waste anyone's time either. I'll of course happily take any advice, but as I am happy with fluxbox, I don't want anyone to go out of their way to help. In my search I found another post on the arch forums (http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=63782) where someone seemed to have everything setup correctly and it just wasn't working (with slightly different problems). His problems seemed like they were never resolved (at least not publicly). I've also followed the instructions of post #10 on that page and it indicated that Openbox does indeed start and then immediately exits with code 0.

If it might help to know more about my situation. I am running 64 bit Arch on an Amd Phenom II X3 720 on an Asus Mobo with built in Ati Radeon 3300 (which I am sure sucks for linux, but I am not using linux for video of any sort).

Again, thanks a lot for your help guys, I really appreciate it.

Ryan

mandog · 2009-07-17 20:58:05

I run LXDE on both x86 and x86_64 machines all setup using the wiki and only the Wiki, they both run flawlessly so much I now don't see the need for Gnome i would advice GDM as a login manager and not Slim, or KDM,

I don't understant what you are trying to say as LXDE starts and runs openbox this is what is installed http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/LXDE
* PCManFM: File manager, provides desktop icon and wallpaper.
* LXPanel: Feature-rich desktop panel (if you have problems with this version, use lxpanel-svn from aur)
* LXSession: Standard-compliant X11 session manager with shutdown/reboot/suspend supports via HAL and gdm

(There are some bugs in lxsession related to session management. lxsession-lite is a version of lxsession which does not have the session management capability. The stability of lxsession-lite is better than lxsession, however it can not save and restore sessions. Thus it is recommended to use lxsession-lite till the problems in lxsession are fixed.)

* LXAppearance: LXAppearance is a new feature-rich GTK+ theme switcher able to change GTK+ themes, icon themes, and fonts used by applications
* Openbox: Lightweight, standard-compliant, and highly-configurable window manager (This is not developed by LXDE Project, but it's used as default window manager). This can be replaced by any other window manager like icewm, fluxbox, metacity, ...etc.
* GPicView: A very simple, fast, and lightweight image viewer featuring immediate startup.
* Leafpad: Lightweight and simple text editor(This is not developed by LXDE Project, but it's suggested as the default text editor).
* XArchiver: Lightweight, fast, and desktop-independent gtk+-based file archiver (This is not developed by LXDE Project, but you are suggested to use this as default archiver).
* LXNM (Still under development. Available through AUR): Lightweight network manager for LXDE supporting wireless connections (Linux-only)

You only need to enter exec startlxde add this line at the end of ~/.xinitrc: if you don't have a login manager like gdm.
make sure FAM is not installed
this is the daemons I use in rc conf DAEMONS=(syslog-ng @network dbus hal wicd rpcbind alsa gdm)
I hope this helps

measure · 2009-07-18 23:09:54

Hi,

I understand that LXDE should be running openbox as it is instructed. When I used startlxde in .xinitrc, everything functioned except openbox. This is why I tried to run just openbox, to see if I could get it to run. Additionally, through installing gamin for LXDE, arch asked me if I wanted to remove FAM, to which I said yes and hence FAM is not on my pc. Furthermore, my list of daemons is nearly identical to yours (though I have dbus after syslog-ng, not network). Like I've said, I am having a lot of trouble finding where I went wrong, and fluxbox is working perfectly for me.

Thanks for the help anyway,
Ryan

doorknob60 · 2009-07-19 16:40:37

measure wrote:

....I did so using su.....

Wait so you copied the files while using su? That means you did it as root. So potentially your user doesn't have access to those files, meaning openbox fails to start...maybe that's not the problem but it's worth a try.

measure · 2009-07-19 17:49:33

Hi,

I suppose I should have clarified. I was logged in as root, and used su (I typed "su ryan" while logged in as the root) to act as the user. Sorry about the ambiguity there.

Thanks,
Ryan

Arch Linux

#1 2009-07-17 05:02:01

Problem running Openbox with LXDE

#2 2009-07-17 06:42:31

Re: Problem running Openbox with LXDE

#3 2009-07-17 15:20:05

Re: Problem running Openbox with LXDE

#4 2009-07-17 17:01:08

Re: Problem running Openbox with LXDE

#5 2009-07-17 17:43:58

Re: Problem running Openbox with LXDE

#6 2009-07-17 18:21:11

Re: Problem running Openbox with LXDE

#7 2009-07-17 20:58:05

Re: Problem running Openbox with LXDE

#8 2009-07-18 23:09:54

Re: Problem running Openbox with LXDE

#9 2009-07-19 16:40:37

Re: Problem running Openbox with LXDE

#10 2009-07-19 17:49:33

Re: Problem running Openbox with LXDE

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