GNU bug report logs - #73869
Cannot start EXWM without a display manager

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Message #5 received at submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Oleander <7059548 <at> protonmail.com>
To: bug-guix <bug-guix <at> gnu.org>
Subject: Cannot start EXWM without a display manager
Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2024 19:21:10 +0000

[Message part 1 (text/plain, inline)]

Hello,
do we have a way to start an X window manager (EXWM in my case) without installing
a display manager? The manual does not cover this subject and so far all
my attempts with the suggestions I collected from the mailing list [1]
[2] have failed. I tried xinit, startx or sx but nothing starts exwm
properly without GDM. I was only able to start exwm with xinit but it
takes longer compared to GDM and when the WM is initialized, it does not
receive any input, it is impossible to move the mouse pointer or type
anything.

[1] https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/help-guix/2018-07/msg00080.html

[2] https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/help-guix/2024-09/msg00094.html

My .xinitrc contains:

```
xrdb -merge ~/.Xresources
xsetroot -cursor_name left_ptr
xhost +SI:localuser:$USER
udiskie --tray &
exec dbus-launch --exit-with-session emacs
```

Thanks in advance!

[Message part 2 (text/html, inline)]

Message #8 received at 73869 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Rutherther <rutherther <at> ditigal.xyz>
To: 73869 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Cc: Oleander <7059548 <at> protonmail.com>
Subject: Re: Cannot start EXWM without a display manager
Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2024 22:30:25 +0200

Hello Oleander,

so have you used the `startx-command-service-type` to
get the proper startx command?

Regards,
Rutherther

Message #11 received at 73869 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Oleander <7059548 <at> protonmail.com>
To: rutherther <at> ditigal.xyz, 73869 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: Cannot start EXWM without a display manager
Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2024 21:19:12 +0000

[Message part 1 (text/plain, inline)]

Hi Rutherther,
no, I haven't. Do I only need to add `(service startx-command-service-type)` to my services?

Thank you!

-------- Original Message --------
On Oct 18, 2024, 22:30, Rutherther wrote:

> Hello Oleander, so have you used the `startx-command-service-type` to get the proper startx command? Regards, Rutherther

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Message #14 received at 73869 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Rutherther <rutherther <at> ditigal.xyz>
To: Oleander <7059548 <at> protonmail.com>, 73869 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: Cannot start EXWM without a display manager
Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2024 09:15:01 +0200

That should be the minimal config, yes. You can pass
the configuration to configure your keyboard layout and such.
The config is very similar to gdm-service-type, but instead
of giving out a display manager it gives out startx command
that should be used, because it has proper paths to xorg
modules, config...

Oleander <7059548 <at> protonmail.com> writes:

> Hi Rutherther,
> no, I haven't. Do I only need to add `(service startx-command-service-type)` to my services?
>
> Thank you!
>
> -------- Original Message --------
> On Oct 18, 2024, 22:30, Rutherther wrote:
>
>> Hello Oleander, so have you used the `startx-command-service-type` to get the proper startx command? Regards, Rutherther

Message #17 received at 73869 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Oleander <7059548 <at> protonmail.com>
To: rutherther <at> ditigal.xyz, 73869 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: Cannot start EXWM without a display manager
Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2024 11:14:52 +0000

[Message part 1 (text/plain, inline)]

If I add the startx service, the window manager is initialized but it does not react to any keyboard or touchpad input.

I'm using this config for xorg:

(service xorg-server-service-type)
(set-xorg-configuration
(xorg-configuration
(keyboard-layout keyboard-layout)
(extra-config
'("Section \"InputClass\"\n"
" Identifier \"libinput touchpad catchall\"\n"
" Driver \"libinput\"\n"
" MatchIsTouchpad \"on\"\n"
" MatchDevicePath \"/dev/input/event*\"\n"
" Option \"Tapping\" \"on\"\n"
" Option \"TappingDrag\" \"on\"\n"
" Option \"DisableWhileTyping\" \"on\"\n"
"EndSection\n"
"\n"
"Section \"InputClass\"\n"
" Identifier \"USB Mouse Pad USB Mouse Pad Mouse\"\n"
" Driver \"libinput\"\n"
" Option \"Middle Emulation\" \"on\"\n"
" Option \"AccelSpeed\" \"1.0\""
"EndSection\n"
"\n"
"Section \"Device\"\n"
" Identifier \"Intel Graphics\"\n"
" Driver \"intel\"\n"
" Option \"TearFree\" \"True\"\n"
" Option \"DRI\" \"2\"\n"
" Option \"AccelMethod\" \"sna\"\n"
"EndSection"
"\n"))))

-------- Original Message --------
On Oct 19, 2024, 09:15, Rutherther wrote:

> That should be the minimal config, yes. You can pass the configuration to configure your keyboard layout and such. The config is very similar to gdm-service-type, but instead of giving out a display manager it gives out startx command that should be used, because it has proper paths to xorg modules, config... Oleander writes: > Hi Rutherther, > no, I haven't. Do I only need to add `(service startx-command-service-type)` to my services? > > Thank you! > > -------- Original Message -------- > On Oct 18, 2024, 22:30, Rutherther wrote: > >> Hello Oleander, so have you used the `startx-command-service-type` to get the proper startx command? Regards, Rutherther

[Message part 2 (text/html, inline)]

Message #20 received at 73869 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Rutherther <rutherther <at> ditigal.xyz>
To: Oleander <7059548 <at> protonmail.com>, 73869 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: Cannot start EXWM without a display manager
Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2024 18:18:30 +0200

> If I add the startx service, the window manager is initialized but it does not react to any keyboard or touchpad input.
>

Double check the startx you are starting is coming
from the service, and is not shadowed by another startx that
would come from other package like xinit. You can check that by
looking at the realpath of the executable you are executing
when you start startx. It should be under path with name
startx-wrapper, not under something else like xinit.


> I'm using this config for xorg:
>
> (service xorg-server-service-type)
> (set-xorg-configuration

Do not use set-xorg-configuration when using
startx-command-service-type. Instead, put the config
you had in set-xorg-configuration to startx-command-service-type.
set-xorg-configuration is specifically for a display manager
that comes with it.

> (xorg-configuration
> (keyboard-layout keyboard-layout)
> (extra-config
> '("Section \"InputClass\"\n"
> " Identifier \"libinput touchpad catchall\"\n"
> " Driver \"libinput\"\n"
> " MatchIsTouchpad \"on\"\n"
> " MatchDevicePath \"/dev/input/event*\"\n"
> " Option \"Tapping\" \"on\"\n"
> " Option \"TappingDrag\" \"on\"\n"
> " Option \"DisableWhileTyping\" \"on\"\n"
> "EndSection\n"
> "\n"
> "Section \"InputClass\"\n"
> " Identifier \"USB Mouse Pad USB Mouse Pad Mouse\"\n"
> " Driver \"libinput\"\n"
> " Option \"Middle Emulation\" \"on\"\n"
> " Option \"AccelSpeed\" \"1.0\""
> "EndSection\n"
> "\n"
> "Section \"Device\"\n"
> " Identifier \"Intel Graphics\"\n"
> " Driver \"intel\"\n"
> " Option \"TearFree\" \"True\"\n"
> " Option \"DRI\" \"2\"\n"
> " Option \"AccelMethod\" \"sna\"\n"
> "EndSection"
> "\n"))))
>
> -------- Original Message --------
> On Oct 19, 2024, 09:15, Rutherther wrote:
>
>> That should be the minimal config, yes. You can pass the configuration to configure your keyboard layout and such. The config is very similar to gdm-service-type, but instead of giving out a display manager it gives out startx command that should be used, because it has proper paths to xorg modules, config... Oleander writes: > Hi Rutherther, > no, I haven't. Do I only need to add `(service startx-command-service-type)` to my services? > > Thank you! > > -------- Original Message -------- > On Oct 18, 2024, 22:30, Rutherther wrote: > >> Hello Oleander, so have you used the `startx-command-service-type` to get the proper startx command? Regards, Rutherther

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