switching desktop environments without restarting X

hypermegachi · 2004-08-16 23:01:54

easiest way is obviously editing .xinitrc and restart X and you're done. but what if you feel you're bored of gnome and want to use kde for a while. but crap you have ed2k, gnutella, fasttrack, and bittorrent going!!! noooo i can't restart X or all my downloads are toast!

so...what's the easiest and safest way to switch environments without restarting X. is it safe killing all processes and running a new one?

btw, i would try this, but last time i tried running gnome and kde at the same time and all the settings got screwed up and i couldn't boot into either one anymore.

onami · 2004-08-17 05:31:09

You can use Xnest (a nested X server).
just type Xnest in a shell

onami · 2004-08-17 05:41:07

I've written crap!!!

This is the way:
gdmflexiserver --xnest

if you want a window with a new login!!!

and

gdmflexiserver

if you just want another x session (Tere will be two of them in the same time).

You should .xinitrc alon, and use a display manager (such as gdm)
if you want this just modify in /etc/inittab

:x:5:respawn:/opt/gnome/bin/gdm -nodaemon

it should be the last line.
respawn means that if you close the x serv, it will restart

tpowa · 2004-08-17 09:07:19

try kdm
have a look at /opt/kde/share/config/kdm/Xserver
if you insert this:
:1 local reserve /usr/X11R6/bin/X :1 vt8
you enabled switching in kde by pressing the "K" button in kicker
or locking your session
you can also add a second X-Server

Xentac · 2004-08-17 14:43:00

I can't believe you people...

I think all wm's give you the ability to, but not all of them have it set up as a menu item by default. Essentially, what happens is the process execs another wm. This doesn't kill X, but kills the wm and starts a new one. You'll have to research how to set up the switching in each wm though.

hypermegachi · 2004-08-17 15:23:48

thanks xentac, i'll look into it.

p.s., thanks to the other replies...but (read all of my post!!!)...using gdm/kdm allows me to switch desktops, but when i log out to switch all the programs i want remaining open (all my p2p programs) will close, thus it's not much different than restarting X.

xerxes2 · 2004-08-17 15:27:37

it shold be possible to run another wm in one of the VC's.
I've never been able to make it work. The wm complains about "display busy"

tpowa · 2004-08-17 15:30:50

kdm allow this what you want
you can switch to another vt
strg+alt+f8 will give you a new kdm login
if you enable it in Xservers file
there you can log in to what you want

dp · 2004-08-17 15:36:52

xerxes2 wrote:

it shold be possible to run another wm in one of the VC's.
I've never been able to make it work. The wm complains about "display busy"

the first you can simply

startx

the second, you need to tell what display to use

startx -- :1

(if the first uses localhost:0)

xerxes2 · 2004-08-17 15:44:02

Ive trie that dp, it says "server already active for display 0
maybe I need to edit xorg.conf?

onami · 2004-08-17 17:06:20

try this when you are using gnome or kde or whatever . This is the coolest thing possible:

gdmflexiserver --xnest

hypermegachi · 2004-08-17 17:27:01

wow...talk about huge ass memory hoggin running with gnome and kde, and 2 x servers

onami · 2004-08-18 10:45:29

xfce4 and kde at the same time

one terminal displays the top command in order to check out the memory state.
other apps were running in different workspaces(xffm,mozilla, gnome-terminals).

gdmflexiserver  --xnest

[/code]

Arch Linux

#1 2004-08-16 23:01:54

switching desktop environments without restarting X

#2 2004-08-17 05:31:09

Re: switching desktop environments without restarting X

#3 2004-08-17 05:41:07

Re: switching desktop environments without restarting X

#4 2004-08-17 09:07:19

Re: switching desktop environments without restarting X

#5 2004-08-17 14:43:00

Re: switching desktop environments without restarting X

#6 2004-08-17 15:23:48

Re: switching desktop environments without restarting X

#7 2004-08-17 15:27:37

Re: switching desktop environments without restarting X

#8 2004-08-17 15:30:50

Re: switching desktop environments without restarting X

#9 2004-08-17 15:36:52

Re: switching desktop environments without restarting X

#10 2004-08-17 15:44:02

Re: switching desktop environments without restarting X

#11 2004-08-17 17:06:20

Re: switching desktop environments without restarting X

#12 2004-08-17 17:27:01

Re: switching desktop environments without restarting X

#13 2004-08-18 10:45:29

Re: switching desktop environments without restarting X

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