Arch Linux

insignian

Member

Registered: 2022-02-21

Posts: 20

[SOLVED] plasmashell doesn't start with startx

Hi everyone, I've recently installed Arch Linux for the first time and am looking to continue a little project I was working on.

Previously on a different Arch-based distro, I was able to start an X session from an SSH client on my phone by running "startx". I configured steam to automatically start afterwards and then I can play games remotely.

The issue now is that with a similar config I can run "startx" and start an X session, but plasmashell won't start. I've tried including it in .xinitrc as a desperate attempt, but it only starts if am physically at my PC to type "kstart5 plasmashell" into the terminal after starting an X session from my phone (very inconvenient).

I made sure that ~/.Xauthority has user permissions set, that Xwrapper.config allows any user to start an X session, and I've been reading as much of the wiki as possible as well. Am I missing anything obvious?

kernel: Linux 5.16.10-arch1-1

Last edited by insignian (2022-02-21 18:50:02)

V1del

Forum Moderator

Registered: 2012-10-16

Posts: 25,302

Re: [SOLVED] plasmashell doesn't start with startx

Post your exact .xinitrc as well as the journal log from such a failed start i.e.

journalctl -b

after failing to start the session: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/List_o … n_services

insignian

Member

Registered: 2022-02-21

Posts: 20

Re: [SOLVED] plasmashell doesn't start with startx

My .xinitrc file:

#!/bin/sh

userresources=$HOME/.Xresources
usermodmap=$HOME/.Xmodmap
sysresources=/etc/X11/xinit/.Xresources
sysmodmap=/etc/X11/xinit/.Xmodmap

DEFAULT_SESSION=startplasma-x11

# merge in defaults and keymaps

if [ -f $sysresources ]; then
    xrdb -merge $sysresources
fi

if [ -f $sysmodmap ]; then
    xmodmap $sysmodmap
fi

if [ -f "$userresources" ]; then
    xrdb -merge "$userresources"
fi

if [ -f "$usermodmap" ]; then
    xmodmap "$usermodmap"
fi

# start some nice programs

steam
XDG_SESSION_TYPE=X11

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

get_session(){
    local dbus_args=(--sh-syntax --exit-with-session)
    case $1 in
        awesome) dbus_args+=(awesome) ;;
        bspwm) dbus_args+=(bspwm-session) ;;
        budgie) dbus_args+=(budgie-desktop) ;;
        cinnamon) dbus_args+=(cinnamon-session) ;;
        deepin) dbus_args+=(startdde) ;;
        enlightenment) dbus_args+=(enlightenment_start) ;;
        fluxbox) dbus_args+=(startfluxbox) ;;
        gnome) dbus_args+=(gnome-session) ;;
        i3|i3wm) dbus_args+=(i3 --shmlog-size 0) ;;
        jwm) dbus_args+=(jwm) ;;
        kde) dbus_args+=(startplasma-x11) ;;
        lxde) dbus_args+=(startlxde) ;;
        lxqt) dbus_args+=(lxqt-session) ;;
        mate) dbus_args+=(mate-session) ;;
        xfce) dbus_args+=(xfce4-session) ;;
        openbox) dbus_args+=(openbox-session) ;;
        *) dbus_args+=($DEFAULT_SESSION) ;;
    esac

    echo "dbus-launch ${dbus_args[*]}"
}

exec $(get_session "$1")

This is my .xserrverrc file:

 
#!/bin/sh
exec /usr/bin/Xorg -nolisten tcp "$@" vt$XDG_VTNR

I looked at the output from journalctl -b and found that I had previously created a .sh file that was affecting the plasmashell and was no longer needed so I deleted it. This solved this issue.
Thank you for suggested journalctl -b, I will be adding this to my troubleshooting toolkit!