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#1 2011-05-20 17:56:22

Rhiadratech
Member
From: UK
Registered: 2011-05-20
Posts: 32

First time with Arch, minimal build: little niggles [solved]

Ok, I've been using *Buntu based Distros for a while now, this is my first time taking the plunge with Arch - chosen because it is a build in what you want distro.
I've wanted a minimal build install for a printserver project, this week I took the plunge with an old laptop.

I have it doing the printserver part, but there are some minor niggles. Let me detail what I have installed and what I want it to be able to do, before I detail these.

Arch Base install with:
CUPS
LXDE
Leafpad
Xorg Intel video drivers.
smartmontools
firefox
WPA_Supplicant,as this system is to be a wireless printserver.

What I want this system to do:
Run most of the time in shell, no DE running. (This keeps it cool and quiet, as it is in a bedroom)
Only run the DE when startx is called, and have the DE able to be shut down without restarting the server.
serve printjobs from the moment it boots and connects to the wireless.

What it currently does.
Boot up, wait for login
When login, require WPA_supplicant, dhcpcd and Cupsd to be initialised before it can serve printjobs.
If DE is required, Xorg must be started in tty1, startlxde ran in tty2, and then manually switch to tty7 for the DE.=
I have a script to call when i login which starts WPA_Supplicant, dhcpcd, and cupsd in that order.
I would really like the interface to have a staticip but i dont know how to do that without the handy graphical tools that ubuntu provides.

Please can you help, at least point me in the right direction with these niggles? I have learned a lot about what is required to get a basic DE up and running, and im sure with your help I will learn more.

Last edited by Rhiadratech (2011-05-20 23:07:52)

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#2 2011-05-20 18:01:38

ewaller
Administrator
From: Pasadena, CA
Registered: 2009-07-13
Posts: 19,740

Re: First time with Arch, minimal build: little niggles [solved]

Look at wicd.  It can establish the link at startup (prior to anyone logging in) and has a cli in addition to a gtk client


Nothing is too wonderful to be true, if it be consistent with the laws of nature -- Michael Faraday
Sometimes it is the people no one can imagine anything of who do the things no one can imagine. -- Alan Turing
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#3 2011-05-20 18:21:57

Awebb
Member
Registered: 2010-05-06
Posts: 6,275

Re: First time with Arch, minimal build: little niggles [solved]

Cups is a daemon /etc/rc.d/cups. You set up the daemons in your /etc/rc.conf. I really recommend you read the beginner's guide and the official Arch Install guide (→ wiki) again.

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#4 2011-05-20 20:13:14

pedro_sland
Member
Registered: 2010-05-21
Posts: 15

Re: First time with Arch, minimal build: little niggles [solved]

If DE is required, Xorg must be started in tty1, startlxde ran in tty2, and then manually switch to tty7 for the DE.

I run xfce4 sometimes. I just run startxfce4 and it starts Xorg and displays the DE. I think that startx runs twm which you probably don't want so you might want to take a look at that. startx has a script it runs somewhere (I forget where but the wiki will know). When I'm done with xfce I just log out and it exits.

I would really like the interface to have a staticip but i dont know how to do that without the handy graphical tools that ubuntu provides.

As also mentioned by Awebb, /etc/rc.conf also contains settings for a static ip. Do remember to disable dhcpcd for this to work.

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#5 2011-05-20 20:13:52

milomouse
Member
Registered: 2009-03-24
Posts: 940
Website

Re: First time with Arch, minimal build: little niggles [solved]

I personally prefer wpa_supplicant to wicd; read the Wiki and man pages for it. Setting up a static IP isn't too difficult. You can also run your arguments from rc.local or as a daemon in /etc/rc.d (simple script with /etc/conf.d/ file configuration if you choose) or use something like wpa_auto from the AUR (which I'm sure can be setup in about the same way). I believe netcfg can use wpa_supplicant too, which can also be started as a daemon. Your own /etc/rc.d daemon script or script details in /etc/rc.local may be the most useful if you need to check the status of one application before starting the other, without needing login first.

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#6 2011-05-20 21:30:09

Rhiadratech
Member
From: UK
Registered: 2011-05-20
Posts: 32

Re: First time with Arch, minimal build: little niggles [solved]

Ok, so I've gotten Cups and wicd autostarting, set the static ip from my router because else it wasnt getting DNS etc details and left it asking for that by dhcp.
Still having issues with the DE

pedro_sland wrote:

If DE is required, Xorg must be started in tty1, startlxde ran in tty2, and then manually switch to tty7 for the DE.

I run xfce4 sometimes. I just run startxfce4 and it starts Xorg and displays the DE. I think that startx runs twm which you probably don't want so you might want to take a look at that. startx has a script it runs somewhere (I forget where but the wiki will know). When I'm done with xfce I just log out and it exits.

For me, this isnt working. startlxde on its own just goes to
[root@yomiko ~]#
in tty1, and leaves me with a blank screen when i switch to tty7
I literally must call Xorg in one tty, startlxde in another and then manually shift to tty7 to see it.

startx itself:
-bash: startx: command not found

Even Xorg isnt happy being called on its own, that too goes to a blank screen, though it does at least switch to tty7

With Xorg called in tty1, when i call startlxde in tty2 i get dbug errors from pcmanfm though these seem to be just it informing its detected the HDD partitions.
there is a grumble early on in the process, before the debug errors, saying:
Importing pynotify failed, notifications disabled.

Finally, I did add the line to .xinitrc the LXDE page in the wiki said to to allow startx to run:
exec ck-launch-session startlxde

This is the only line in this file.

Currently running as root... I'm not going to complicate matters by adding a user until im sure i got it all running as root, bad practice or not!

Edit: A friend helped me solve it.
The package xorg-xinit held the startx script that was missing. I now get LXDE when i want and only when I want.

Last edited by Rhiadratech (2011-05-20 23:09:16)

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