how can I customize GDM?

oco234 · 2016-01-16 12:39:23

Hello

I was wondering if there's a way of customizing the gnome's login screen in order to add a custom widget to it.
I am trying to find a way of adding a feature for users to run rdesktop and ssh to different machines via the lockscreen, without the need to access someone's desktop.

I prefer to use gnome desktop for this, but if you know any other desktop environment that support these kinds of things it'll be great as well.

Thanks a lot!

Last edited by oco234 (2016-01-16 14:22:17)

cedricmc · 2016-01-16 14:16:04

As for any search, a good search is term dependant.

1st Change your post title to "How can I customize GDM?"
2nd Google for "customize GDM" (without quotes).
3rd Write down your experience here and mark the post as solved.

Cheerios

Chazza · 2016-01-16 14:48:12

A couple of things to bear in mind:

1) GDM is not particularly customisable. For instance, just changing the background currently requires recompiling the GNOME Shell theme.
2) With regards to this:

I prefer to use gnome desktop for this, but if you know any other desktop environment that support these kinds of things it'll be great as well.

Not using GDM doesn't mean that you have to stop using GNOME. Other login managers such as LightDM can be used with GNOME.

I'm really not sure what you mean when you say 'custom widget' in your post. Perhaps you want some sort of setup where a user can log in to a session that just consists of a simple window manager plus rdesktop and some xterms?

oco234 · 2016-01-16 14:55:43

Sorry, I meant that I prefer using GDM in particular

I would like to create some sort of a widget (or whatever) on the login screen that will setup the option to access a remote desktop, instead of having to do it from a desktop.

I hope I made myself clear.

Chazza · 2016-01-16 15:09:07

Like I said, GDM is not customisable by its very nature - making changes to it wouldn't be straightforward by any means.

What is easy is to add extra sessions to the session menu - you just need an appropriate entry in /usr/share/xsessions. So what about adding a session called something like GNOME (With remote desktop). That could just execute something like

gnome-session &
rdesktop [OPTIONS]

That way, the user could login and rdesktop should be there all ready for them. Is the sort of thing you're after?

oco234 · 2016-01-16 15:37:05

The whole point of what i'm after is that you don't need to login to a desktop, and able to access rdesktop - outside (running the app using root or something).

I guess it's not really an option in GDM since i've been looking everywhere trying to find a way to customize the login screen as I would like it to be..

Thank you anyway though

Chazza · 2016-01-16 15:55:13

The job of GDM is to log the user in and start an X session. It's definitely not the job of GDM (or indeed any login manager) to allow any old person to run random applications without logging in.

What about creating a user with no password and then autostart rdesktop for that user using whatever autostart facility is appropriate?

Slithery · 2016-01-16 19:26:29

Does this help...
http://firstyear.id.au/entry/14

It was my top Google result for 'gdm rdesktop'.

Arch Linux

#1 2016-01-16 12:39:23

how can I customize GDM?

#2 2016-01-16 14:16:04

Re: how can I customize GDM?

#3 2016-01-16 14:48:12

Re: how can I customize GDM?

#4 2016-01-16 14:55:43

Re: how can I customize GDM?

#5 2016-01-16 15:09:07

Re: how can I customize GDM?

#6 2016-01-16 15:37:05

Re: how can I customize GDM?

#7 2016-01-16 15:55:13

Re: how can I customize GDM?

#8 2016-01-16 19:26:29

Re: how can I customize GDM?

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