Pantheon Shell on Archlinux

patrickmaciel · 2014-07-29 01:25:32

My friends, I install Pantheon yesterday and get black screenshot. How can I fix that?

I'm using catalyst-hook from Vi0L0's

Alucryd · 2014-07-29 16:42:22

patrickmaciel wrote:

My friends, I install Pantheon yesterday and get black screenshot. How can I fix that?
I'm using catalyst-hook from Vi0L0's

You need to add gala to the processes monitored by cerbere, via dconf. The relevant key is in "org.pantheon.cerbere". I've modified the gschema shipped in cerbere and cerbere-bzr so that people no longer have to do it manually (you still need to do it, unless you rebuild cerbere and wipe your dconf settings before launching a Pantheon session again, that is).

To all, I've set up bug tracker, which will also act as a TODO, so we can get a bit more organized. You can find it here: https://alucryd.hd.free.fr/mantisbt. I've already added a few tasks, feel free to complete the list.

I've checked and updated the pantheon greeter, it now fully supports granite-bzr. You still need to delete .pam_environment as described on the wiki page to use it though. Also, background is black, still need to address that.

Last edited by Alucryd (2014-07-29 16:47:25)

quequotion · 2014-07-30 08:51:31

Alucryd wrote:

To all, I've set up bug tracker, which will also act as a TODO, so we can get a bit more organized. You can find it here: https://alucryd.hd.free.fr/mantisbt. I've already added a few tasks, feel free to complete the list.

Not sure I can handle all this doing it right.

I might start dancing like a wild man!

DarkCerberus · 2014-07-30 17:45:22

Date format not support? Is there any way of fixing this error on the top panel....

quequotion · 2014-07-31 08:45:49

DarkCerberus wrote:

Date format not support? Is there any way of fixing this error on the top panel....

By "top panel" do you mean wingpanel? The error might be coming from indicator-datetime. The date format is controlled by dconf (i'll come back later and specify exactly where; out to lunch at the moment).

What are your locale settings? Do you have a custom date format?

stevenvdb · 2014-07-31 17:13:23

whats the string to put in lightdm for the greeter? cause it fails to launch here atm

DarkCerberus · 2014-07-31 17:23:14

quequotion wrote:

DarkCerberus wrote:
Date format not support? Is there any way of fixing this error on the top panel....
By "top panel" do you mean wingpanel? The error might be coming from indicator-datetime. The date format is controlled by dconf (i'll come back later and specify exactly where; out to lunch at the moment).
What are your locale settings? Do you have a custom date format?

My Locale settings are set as UK for the United Kingdom, and I don't have a custom date format..

Request: Could the about information plugin for the pantheon desktop get change so instead of Reading "Elementary OS" it will say the actual OS which is Arch Linux - also could the version of the Elementary OS in the about plugin get changed so it reads the kernel version of what people have on his/her Arch Linux system... Once this is done could this be updated in the unofficial repository please?

DarkCerberus · 2014-07-31 17:25:13

stevenvdb wrote:

whats the string to put in lightdm for the greeter? cause it fails to launch here atm

Please read the Arch Wiki for the details - here https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Li … stallation

Shnatsel · 2014-07-31 21:36:18

quequotion wrote:

woomia wrote:
printf "\033]0;%s@%s:%s\007" "${USER}" "${HOSTNAME%%.*}" "${PWD/#$HOME/\~}"'
This string, printf and all, is stored in the variable PROMPT_COMMAND in Arch; and maybe not in other distros like Debian or Ubuntu.
Would the injection work if appended to the end of $PROMPT_COMMAND instead?

Appending to the end is undesirable since the prior commands could modify history and the notification would thus report an incorrect command.

It seems that our prepending happens first, and only after it's done the default $PROMPT_COMMAND kicks in. As I've already described earlier, it tries to be clever but ends up being not clever enough. And in pantheon-terminal I can support either both really clever and really dumb things modifying $PROMPT_COMMAND, or this transitional state only, and I'd rather support the former. So I suggest making the default $PROMPT_COMMAND inserter more clever - that is, check if there's a ";" in the end already and if there is, not append another one.

On a related node, I've just completed process completion notification support under ZSH in Pantheon Terminal. It's not yet merged, but if you're feeling adventurous you can check it out at https://code.launchpad.net/~elementary- … rge/229127
Unfortunately, due to the nature of ZSH configuration I cannot simply append the command to an environment variable like I do in BASH; enabling process completion notification requires adding a line to .zshrc. In elementary OS I'll probably make the packaging append that line automatically, and you should probably follow the Arch policy on the topic.

Also this might be the last time I'm looking up this topic by myself in a while, so please ping me via Jabber or G+ or something if you want to talk to me (incl. here). Thanks!

Last edited by Shnatsel (2014-07-31 21:55:14)

quequotion · 2014-08-01 20:06:59

DarkCerberus wrote:

My Locale settings are set as UK for the United Kingdom, and I don't have a custom date format..

Take a look at these dconf settings;

com.canonical.indicator.datetime.time-format (locale-default is default)
com.canonical.indicator.datetime.custom-time-format (may be set to something by default)

pgoetz · 2014-08-06 20:32:07

quequotion wrote:

So here's the situation: We need some kind of system indicators, we don't really care about the API at this point. We cannot maintain the Unity7 indicators on our own, we just don't have enough C experts (and it's just about the least fun thing to do in C, so even if we had the C experts they'd get bored and leave in a couple of months).
We're going to have to fork them; we're going to have to fork the entire API. On the bright side, doing so would provide an opportunity to make platform-independent system indicators and solve this problem for all the other DEs at the same time. For now, I suggest we go back to the Unity 7 indicators, fork them, and remake them in Pantheon's image.
To-do:
Re-write the system indicator API to be easier to use.
Alternatives: Merge the system indicator API with the application indicator API; Create a new system indicator API from the application indicator API; Scrap the system-indicator API and make libido hacked application indicators instead.
Re-write the system indicators in an easier language, like Vala.
Replace ubuntu-specific functionality with standards-compliant functionality; particularly all the nonsense in indicator-session.

I know C programming, but have never worked on user interface code like this and have no idea where to start. How best to get up to speed on how all this stuff works? For example, how can I learn more about how application indicators work?

quequotion · 2014-08-08 02:59:35

pgoetz wrote:

I know C programming, but have never worked on user interface code like this and have no idea where to start. How best to get up to speed on how all this stuff works? For example, how can I learn more about how application indicators work?

I don't think you'd go wrong to dive in blind and muddle your way through; this may very well be how the original code was written.

Seriously though, Jeff Waugh has compiled a compendium of information on indicators (and some related topics: unity, gnome-shell, notify-osd), in the form of a play-by-play timeline chronicling the disaster that is Canonical vs. GNOME. If you can handle being reminded of all that outrage, the links should tell you most everything you need to know.

quequotion wrote:

We're going to have to fork them; we're going to have to fork the entire API.

The gravity of my statement is now clear to me after reading said blog. This has to be done not only for Pantheon, but to save the entire linux desktop.

Last edited by quequotion (2014-08-08 03:22:52)

quequotion · 2014-08-08 03:36:52

Shnatsel wrote:

Appending to the end is undesirable since the prior commands could modify history and the notification would thus report an incorrect command.
It seems that our prepending happens first, and only after it's done the default $PROMPT_COMMAND kicks in. As I've already described earlier, it tries to be clever but ends up being not clever enough. And in pantheon-terminal I can support either both really clever and really dumb things modifying $PROMPT_COMMAND, or this transitional state only, and I'd rather support the former. So I suggest making the default $PROMPT_COMMAND inserter more clever - that is, check if there's a ";" in the end already and if there is, not append another one.

What about prepending the command to PROMPT_COMMAND itself?
PROMPT_COMMAND=$NOTIFYTASKCOMPLETION$PROMPT_COMMAND

Last edited by quequotion (2014-08-08 03:37:22)

beta990 · 2014-08-08 20:21:49

Hi all,

I hope you guys can give me a (little) update on what is working at the moment.
Because I don't have any (free) time to try the latest PKG's (-bzr's) of Alucryd github.

A few of my interest:
- Is wingpanel showing indicators, background change when maximizing, etc.?
- Is switchboard working (with gnome-shell plugins, etc.)?
- What are the plans for eOS? I already see Shnatsel replied here, so that's a good start.
It would be great if the eOS dev's could move to the Arch 'way' (KISS).
- Is it still needed to use the gtk2/gtk3 packages of Ubuntu? (e.g. for wingpanel, files, etc.)

Wish I had more time to try it out myself.

PS. Thanks Alucryd for providing the latest stuff on your github.

Alucryd · 2014-08-08 23:25:30

beta990 wrote:

- Is wingpanel showing indicators, background change when maximizing, etc.?

Yes it shows indicators, iirc it does change background, but you need gtk3-ubuntu.

beta990 wrote:

- Is switchboard working (with gnome-shell plugins, etc.)?

Yes, but not the gcc plugs, they crash it. However, more are being covered as time passes, I have added the applications plug which replaces the startup-applications and default-applications, there is the locale plugin, but atm it checks for ubuntu packages via apt-get so it's not really useful. A new display plug controls display resolution/layout, and there's a new security/privacy plug, but it checks for ubuntu-specific gsettings and crashes at start.

beta990 wrote:

- What are the plans for eOS? I already see Shnatsel replied here, so that's a good start.
It would be great if the eOS dev's could move to the Arch 'way' (KISS).

They'll stick to Ubuntu for the time being. But a switch to Debian or Arch is not too far-fetched an idea.

beta990 wrote:

- Is it still needed to use the gtk2/gtk3 packages of Ubuntu? (e.g. for wingpanel, files, etc.)

Yes, but only for wingpanel.

beta990 wrote:

PS. Thanks Alucryd for providing the latest stuff on your github.

My pleasure

queqotion wrote:

What about prepending the command to PROMPT_COMMAND itself?
PROMPT_COMMAND=$NOTIFYTASKCOMPLETION$PROMPT_COMMAND

Seems it's already done like that: http://bazaar.launchpad.net/~elementary … idget.vala
BTW, zsh support has landed, haven't tested it yet though.

beta990 · 2014-08-09 11:16:05

Hi Alucryd!

Thanks for your reply.

It seems that porting (everything) to Arch is still going to be hard.
I really hope the eOS dev's move to more vanilla packages, instead of using Ubuntu/Canonical patched ones.
But I see there is already a good process made.

If you look at Cinnamon what is also base on Gnome, it could also work for Pantheon(-shell).
But that's another discussion.

quequotion · 2014-08-09 21:11:47

pantheon-bzr-qq is online!

These packages are primarily for the purpose of working with upstream Canonical software and reducing dependence on Canonical-patched software in upstream elementary packages for a future release of Pantheon/elementaryOS. The repository itself is intended to be complimentary to aur-alucryd/pantheon, covering only packages which are not already available in -bzr versions.

For example, I've got indicator-session, mostly working now. I cut out the Unity session dialog* and the Zenity dialog took over, so now everything is working except "Lock", which may be another Unity function, or a new problem with missing gnome-screensaver's dbus**.

I also did some work on super-wingpanel, so it can compile alongside the rest of elementary(-bzr) and even displays the Unity 7 system indicators, except indicator-datetime, which seems a little buggy. More good news: indicator-appmenu (global menu) works.

Todo:

-Folders that do not end in -bzr are still fresh, unmodified packages, just imported either from AUR, Unity for Arch, or aur-alucryd/pantheon. There are a few in EXTRAS/ which are "non-essential".
-Much cleanup needs to happen in the AUR: several of my packages fix compile errors in upstream pantheon components caused by improperly split and not fully installing libwhatever-bzr packages in AUR.

Errata:

-REDUNDANT/bamf-bzr is based on Unity for Arch's bamf PKGBUILD, which is more complicated than aur-alucryd/pantheon's bamf-bzr. I don't know if the extras are needed or not.
-REDUNDANT/indicator-session-pantheon-bzr pulls a newer branch than aur-alucryd/pantheon's indicator-pantheon-session-bzr.

::EDIT::
*Someone beat me to this!
**I've been staring at the code for hours and for the life of me cannot understand how this version of indicator session is supposed to lock the screen... help?

Last edited by quequotion (2014-08-10 15:16:34)

Alucryd · 2014-08-10 10:05:37

Nice! BTW, try using light-locker for the lock functionality, I believe eos is using it, not gnome-screensaver. I packaged light-locker a while ago in [community], and also have the git version on AUR.

About bamf-bzr, the extra is a daemon monitoring new applications in /usr/share/applications so that they're added to the index right away. Without it, you need to relogin to regenerate the index. You can notice the absence of that daemon by upgrading firefox for example. After upgrade you have 2 firefox icons in plank because the index is not up to date. Thing is, this daemon writes in /usr/share/applications instead of somewhere in /var, which is completely out of the question, and unless it is accepted upstream, I can't add it to the [community] package.

Last edited by Alucryd (2014-08-10 12:15:24)

quequotion · 2014-08-10 11:59:48

Alucryd wrote:

Thing is, this daemon writes in /usr/share/applications instead of somewhere in /var, which is completely out of the question, and unless it is accepted upstream, I can't add it to the [community] package.

Thank you for the advice! If you find anything else out of policy, let me know. Ideally, the indicators that are Canonical upstream + Pantheon patched will migrate to pantheon/platform-independent forks so they can also be unpatched, upstream code.

I'll give light-locker a shot, but I'm hoping for a method that would allow an XScreensaver hack to play; I used to use a python script that emulates gnome-screensaver's dbus client for this, but it doesn't seem to be compatible with the new indicator-session.

Last edited by quequotion (2014-08-10 16:12:10)

Alucryd · 2014-08-10 12:30:05

You will also need to modify bamf itself to look for the index in its new location. At least that file needs editing: http://bazaar.launchpad.net/~unity-team … -matcher.c, maybe others, grep for index. A quick glance tells me editing line 1357 should do the trick, just replace l->data with "/var/cache/bamf", but make sure it doesn't also modify the directory where bamf looks for .desktop files. Also according to this file, the index should be named "bamf-2.index".

quequotion · 2014-08-10 14:52:08

Alucryd wrote:

A quick glance tells me editing line 1357 should do the trick, just replace l->data with "/var/cache/bamf", but make sure it doesn't also modify the directory where bamf looks for .desktop files. Also according to this file, the index should be named "bamf-2.index".

I think I've got it. Turns out all of the hacks I tried probably would have worked, but I never thought about the bamf-2.index file itself as the cause of the segfaults. The perl script that generates this was outdated and the file permissions are picky.

Last edited by quequotion (2014-08-10 21:21:33)

quequotion · 2014-08-10 22:39:56

quequotion wrote:

everything is working except "Lock", which may be another Unity function, or a new problem with missing gnome-screensaver's dbus**.
**I've been staring at the code for hours and for the life of me cannot understand how this version of indicator session is supposed to lock the screen... help?

Then, out of nowhere, it started working again. Indicator session is now fully functional!

I'm adding a new package to pantheon-qq-bzr/EXTRAS/: xscreensaver-dbus-screenlock.

I prefer this to gnome-screensaver's blackout. The same script easily adapts to light-locker as well.

I've added both as optdepends for indicator-session-pantheon.

Last edited by quequotion (2014-08-10 23:00:12)

pgoetz · 2014-08-13 16:25:59

quequotion wrote:

Seriously though, Jeff Waugh has compiled a compendium of information on indicators (and some related topics: unity, gnome-shell, notify-osd), in the form of a play-by-play timeline chronicling the disaster that is Canonical vs. GNOME. If you can handle being reminded of all that outrage, the links should tell you most everything you need to know.

So, I got around to reading this, and it doesn't provide any useful technical information, just Shuttleworth/GNOME drama (I won't even implicate the Canonical devs in this silliness.) For starters, it would be great to have a flow chart showing how all the parts of Pantheon (starting with Mutter) fit together. I guess a good place to start is the Elementary OS Developer's Guide. If anyone else knows of any other resources, please let us know!

The gravity of my statement is now clear to me after reading said blog. This has to be done not only for Pantheon, but to save the entire linux desktop.

I completely agree with this. I've spent a couple of months trying to identify the best default desktop to use in our linux computer labs, and the only one I like is Pantheon. And yes, I've tried Openbox, Awesome, KDE, GNOME, Unity, Cinnamon, and Mate. The best of the bunch for general use, with most users coming from Windows, seems to be Cinnamon, but I really don't like any of them and would prefer to just use Pantheon on Arch.

[Edit: Yes, I know that lots of Arch users love Openbox, and each of these desktops has many fans. I'm coming at this from the perspective of:

must work for experienced linux users
must be easily usable by people who have only ever used MS Windows or Mac OSX
Needs to be fast
Needs to have a modern look and feel -- a large part of the audience are college kids who have grown up with Android/iOS devices

The only desktop I've found so far that satisfies all those conditions (using myself as the experienced linux user example) is Pantheon.]

Last edited by pgoetz (2014-08-14 11:51:03)

quequotion · 2014-08-14 07:05:26

pgoetz wrote:

it doesn't provide any useful technical information, just Shuttleworth/GNOME drama

Not in the blog itself, but some of the things it links to (or the things it links to link to), like: the original StatusNotifier spec. It does not feature a link to Canonical's API.

I really don't like any of them and would prefer to just use Pantheon on Arch.

I hope you can make this happen; it would be great publicity!

beta990 · 2014-08-21 21:03:44

Finally found some time to test Pantheon(-bzr) in a VirtualBox. Performance isn't that great, but it works.

So far I'm very pleased with the result!
I used (almost) all the *-bzr packages from alucryd Git to run Pantheon on Arch x64.

A while back I needed to run more Ubuntu-packages to get it to work properly. But now it seems to work fine without it. Really great work alucryd and others for making this happen.
And yes, the indicators will still be a problem, hope they switch soon.

I will keep testing and report (upstream) bugs. If someone needs a clone of the machine, let me know.

Arch Linux

#351 2014-07-29 01:25:32

Re: Pantheon Shell on Archlinux

#352 2014-07-29 16:42:22

Re: Pantheon Shell on Archlinux

#353 2014-07-30 08:51:31

Re: Pantheon Shell on Archlinux

#354 2014-07-30 17:45:22

Re: Pantheon Shell on Archlinux

#355 2014-07-31 08:45:49

Re: Pantheon Shell on Archlinux

#356 2014-07-31 17:13:23

Re: Pantheon Shell on Archlinux

#357 2014-07-31 17:23:14

Re: Pantheon Shell on Archlinux

#358 2014-07-31 17:25:13

Re: Pantheon Shell on Archlinux

#359 2014-07-31 21:36:18

Re: Pantheon Shell on Archlinux

#360 2014-08-01 20:06:59

Re: Pantheon Shell on Archlinux

#361 2014-08-06 20:32:07

Re: Pantheon Shell on Archlinux

#362 2014-08-08 02:59:35

Re: Pantheon Shell on Archlinux

#363 2014-08-08 03:36:52

Re: Pantheon Shell on Archlinux

#364 2014-08-08 20:21:49

Re: Pantheon Shell on Archlinux

#365 2014-08-08 23:25:30

Re: Pantheon Shell on Archlinux

#366 2014-08-09 11:16:05

Re: Pantheon Shell on Archlinux

#367 2014-08-09 21:11:47

Re: Pantheon Shell on Archlinux

#368 2014-08-10 10:05:37

Re: Pantheon Shell on Archlinux

#369 2014-08-10 11:59:48

Re: Pantheon Shell on Archlinux

#370 2014-08-10 12:30:05

Re: Pantheon Shell on Archlinux

#371 2014-08-10 14:52:08

Re: Pantheon Shell on Archlinux

#372 2014-08-10 22:39:56

Re: Pantheon Shell on Archlinux

#373 2014-08-13 16:25:59

Re: Pantheon Shell on Archlinux

#374 2014-08-14 07:05:26

Re: Pantheon Shell on Archlinux

#375 2014-08-21 21:03:44

Re: Pantheon Shell on Archlinux

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