how do I start Gnome

S

SAJM

I just installed Gnome using:

www.techrepublic.com

How to Install GNOME on FreeBSD | TechRepublic

FreeBSD doesn't include a GUI desktop, but there is a way to install GNOME and give a user sudo privileges.
www.techrepublic.com www.techrepublic.com

Gnome didn't install nor did xorg but there were no errors during the install process and I thought it went OK.

Gnome did not seem to start nor did xorg.

I reinstalled each component individually and startx now brings up its' crude desktop.

I expected gnome to launch automatically but that does not seem to happen. What command (like startx) do I use on the command line to start gnome?
 
A second method for starting GNOME is to type startx from the command-line after configuring ~/.xinitrc. If this file already exists, replace the line that starts the current window manager with one that starts /usr/local/bin/gnome-session. If this file does not exist, create it with this command:

% echo "exec /usr/local/bin/gnome-session" > ~/.xinitrc
Click to expand...

docs.freebsd.org

Chapter 5. The X Window System

This chapter describes how to install and configure Xorg on FreeBSD, which provides the open source X Window System used to provide a graphical environment
docs.freebsd.org docs.freebsd.org
 
I've already configured as recommended in the 1st part of the Desktop Enviroment section you recommended but that seems to be an either or thing, not both.
 
No offense intended, but as with any problem you're seeking help with, please just provide the following:

* What (exactly) did you do? Literal commands are helpful
* What did you get? (any console output?)
* What did you expect instead, and why?
 
What is an either/or thing? I'm sorry, this isn't clear to me.
Firstly, let's check if gnome is properly installed.
which gnome-desktop

If you get something like no gnome-desktop found in /usr/bin and some other places, it means that it didn't install properly. If you get as response
Code: 
/usr/local/bin/gnome-desktop
then it is installed, so that's a start.
Then, see if you have a $HOME/.xinitrc file. I'm not clear if you created that or not. It sounds like you must have as X is starting. Does that file read
Code: 
exec /usr/local/bin/gnome-session

If so, then we've at least narrowed down the problem to Gnome. Answering Zirias's questions might also give us clues. I see that you typed startx, and you probably got the default twm, (I think that's still FreeBSD's default manager), which means that X is working but it wasn't starting Gnome. When you closed X, there are probably some messages on the console, if you can give us those, it might be useful (and might not, but it won't hurt).
 
It seems gnome was not installed so I am running the install again. I notice there is a lot more activity on the screen than compared to previous installs.

I will report back later.


scottro said:
What is an either/or thing? I'm sorry, this isn't clear to me.
Firstly, let's check if gnome is properly installed.
which gnome-desktop

If you get something like no gnome-desktop found in /usr/bin and some other places, it means that it didn't install properly. If you get as response
Code: 
/usr/local/bin/gnome-desktop
then it is installed, so that's a start.
Then, see if you have a $HOME/.xinitrc file. I'm not clear if you created that or not. It sounds like you must have as X is starting. Does that file read
Code: 
exec /usr/local/bin/gnome-session

If so, then we've at least narrowed down the problem to Gnome. Answering Zirias's questions might also give us clues. I see that you typed startx, and you probably got the default twm, (I think that's still FreeBSD's default manager), which means that X is working but it wasn't starting Gnome. When you closed X, there are probably some messages on the console, if you can give us those, it might be useful (and might not, but it won't hurt).
Click to expand...
 
SAJM said:
It seems gnome was not installed so I am running the install again. I notice there is a lot more activity on the screen than compared to previous installs.

I will report back later.
Click to expand...
Gnome installed this time and everything is working.

Thanks very much.

Steve
 
SAJM said:
I notice there is a lot more activity on the screen than compared to previous installs.
Click to expand...
Suggestion: Actually *read* what's on the screen. The output is written for a reason. Often enough, it should be very obvious what went wrong, and if not, the output will at least help you to ask a question others can understand.
 
Zirias said:
Suggestion: Actually *read* what's on the screen. The output is written for a reason. Often enough, it should be very obvious what went wrong, and if not, the output will at least help you to ask a question others can understand.
Click to expand...
Yes indeed.
When I thought about the previous installs the problem jumped out at me, and it was simple enough to correct.
If I had paid more attention at the start this thread would have been unnecessary.

Thanks again
 
It's said (I think it's in the fortune module in games) that experience is the worst teacher because it gives the test before the teaching. When you say the problem, do you just mean that Gnome wasn't installed and you overlooked that? (It's always good on forums to explain exactly what happened because two years from now, someone will come along, find the thread, and say, wait how did they fix it?) Or was it something less obvious. (What I'm getting from what you write is just that Gnome wasn't installed.) Also, did you use ports? I'm just wondering because you say there was a lot more activity on the screen.

Being guilty of constantly using mental shorthand myself, please understand I'm not pointing a finger, I'm just curious.
 
scottro said:
It's said (I think it's in the fortune module in games) that experience is the worst teacher because it gives the test before the teaching. When you say the problem, do you just mean that Gnome wasn't installed and you overlooked that? (It's always good on forums to explain exactly what happened because two years from now, someone will come along, find the thread, and say, wait how did they fix it?) Or was it something less obvious. (What I'm getting from what you write is just that Gnome wasn't installed.) Also, did you use ports? I'm just wondering because you say there was a lot more activity on the screen.

Being guilty of constantly using mental shorthand myself, please understand I'm not pointing a finger, I'm just curious.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately I did not make notes but at the end of the previous installs was an error message pertaining to a password missmatch. I ignored it because I thought that only root and one user has passwords, not applications.

It only came to light because in parallel to gnome I did an unrelated install and that failed for the same reason. A search pulled up the fix and then the gnome install succeeded.
 
Thanks for taking the time to explain what happened. I suspect lots of us find ourselves in that position, something odd happens, and rather than make notes we just fix it, then 6 months later, run into it again and think, Wait, what did I do last time?
 
scottro said:
Thanks for taking the time to explain what happened. I suspect lots of us find ourselves in that position, something odd happens, and rather than make notes we just fix it, then 6 months later, run into it again and think, Wait, what did I do last time?
Click to expand...
I have learnt not to ignore any message, no mater how unrelated it may seem to me at the time.
 
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