[SOLVED] What does it take to have multiple users running X sessions?

ThePacman · 2013-12-07 19:13:37

On Ubuntu, GNOME-based Linuxes, LXDE-based linuxes, and even on desktop Windows installations, you can have multiple users logged into graphical sessions, all done from one TTY (in Linux's case).

What does that take? Is it only supported by certain display managers?
If so, I'd be willing to make the switch. Do I need a different desktop environment as well? (I'm currently using Fluxbox; how would I configure it to go back to the login screen without exiting?)

I couldn't find anything on the wiki related to this.

Last edited by ThePacman (2013-12-07 21:57:19)

jasonwryan · 2013-12-07 19:35:19

My wife and I share my desktop (on reflection, perhaps that should be "our desktop").

I have TTYs 1-3, she logs in to 4. Each of use has a .profile that starts our environments; mine is dwm, her's openbox. We coexist very happily.

I don't bother with a DM as it is completely unnecessary. Switching between displays is as simple as Ctrl-Alt-Fx.

ThePacman · 2013-12-07 21:35:15

I know that I can use the different TTYs; what I was asking is what does it take to have the same setup that e.g., Ubuntu has where everything is seamless and you can use it without even understanding what a TTY is.

My family are complete *nix-phobes; they want something to work without having to re-learn a single thing. I'm trying to do something nice by making my computer easily usable when I'm away.
(DMs aren't actually functional anyway; they're just for looks.)

jasonwryan · 2013-12-07 21:42:37

I don't really understand your objection. Ubuntu just uses the TTYs and hides that behind a DM. If that's what you want, install a DM.

2ManyDogs · 2013-12-07 21:43:36

What have you tried? lightdm should allow you to have different users login, each with their own home and configuration files. So should almost any other login manager, unless I am completely misunderstanding what you are asking. Are you currently using a DM? It's quite easy to install one and try it out; if it doesn't do what you want, try another one, or ask a more specific question.

You could also just have users log in to tty1, and then have X start automatically at login. If each user has his or her own configs in /home, this should allow completely different configs for each.

Last edited by 2ManyDogs (2013-12-07 21:44:13)

Neburski · 2013-12-07 21:50:59

Search and thou shall find

https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=156357
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Xorg_multiseat

ThePacman · 2013-12-07 21:57:07

Neburski wrote:

Search and thou shall find
https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=156357
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Xorg_multiseat

THANK YOU! I couldn't figure out what search terms to use!

2ManyDogs · 2013-12-08 00:07:55

ThePacman wrote:

THANK YOU! I couldn't figure out what search terms to use!

Interesting. The first reply in the first link is exactly what JWR told you in his reply to this thread, and the second reply is what I told you. Oh well, glad you got it "solved."

Last edited by 2ManyDogs (2013-12-08 00:08:34)

ThePacman · 2013-12-08 17:30:12

2ManyDogs wrote:

ThePacman wrote:
THANK YOU! I couldn't figure out what search terms to use!
Interesting. The first reply in the first link is exactly what JWR told you in his reply to this thread, and the second reply is what I told you. Oh well, glad you got it "solved."

The thing was, I didn't know how to switch TTYs automatically on login.

Last edited by ThePacman (2013-12-08 17:30:22)

ThePacman · 2013-12-08 22:28:13

Okay, I want it so that whenever the Family user logs in, it starts that X session on TTY6, but it's not working.

/home/family/.profile is executable and looks like:

# startx on TTY6                                                                                                
  if [[ -z "$DISPLAY" ]] && [[ $(tty) = /dev/tty6 ]]; then
   exec startx -- vt6 &>/dev/null 
   logout
fi

I'm using LightDM; what else do I need to do to get the 'family' user's X sessions to always run on TTY6?

ThePacman · 2013-12-08 22:34:32

I found that if I run
startx -- :8
as the family user, it starts the X session on TTY8.
How would I set this up with LightDM?

ThePacman · 2014-02-02 01:55:06

Okay, I figured it out:

dm-tool switch-to-greeter

This is exactly what I needed. (The previouly posted solutions didn't work, even after much fiddling; I just forgot to edit the post and remove the [SOLVED].)

Last edited by ThePacman (2014-02-02 01:56:49)

Arch Linux

#1 2013-12-07 19:13:37

[SOLVED] What does it take to have multiple users running X sessions?

#2 2013-12-07 19:35:19

Re: [SOLVED] What does it take to have multiple users running X sessions?

#3 2013-12-07 21:35:15

Re: [SOLVED] What does it take to have multiple users running X sessions?

#4 2013-12-07 21:42:37

Re: [SOLVED] What does it take to have multiple users running X sessions?

#5 2013-12-07 21:43:36

Re: [SOLVED] What does it take to have multiple users running X sessions?

#6 2013-12-07 21:50:59

Re: [SOLVED] What does it take to have multiple users running X sessions?

#7 2013-12-07 21:57:07

Re: [SOLVED] What does it take to have multiple users running X sessions?

#8 2013-12-08 00:07:55

Re: [SOLVED] What does it take to have multiple users running X sessions?

#9 2013-12-08 17:30:12

Re: [SOLVED] What does it take to have multiple users running X sessions?

#10 2013-12-08 22:28:13

Re: [SOLVED] What does it take to have multiple users running X sessions?

#11 2013-12-08 22:34:32

Re: [SOLVED] What does it take to have multiple users running X sessions?

#12 2014-02-02 01:55:06

Re: [SOLVED] What does it take to have multiple users running X sessions?

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