With Gnome is it absolutely necessary to use GDM?

neilms

neilms

Ideally I use the console when I logon. Occasionally, I like to use X windows by the startx command.

Now this setup works OK with a window manager package like xfce. But I have been considering how this might work with gnome.

The problem seems to be that for gnome to start properly certain additional services need to be started and this cannot be done with startx but requires GDM.

If GDM is enabled, my understanding is that when the computer is booted, instead of displaying the console login, the graphical gdm login screen is displayed.

I know the handbook says gdm is not essential, but what problems are introduced if it is not used?

Am I wrong or can gnome be started properly with startx ?
 
For what it's worth, I was playing with starting gnome from a text login, by typing startx in a Linux install. I found that afterwards, I had to manually start NetworkManager. Aside from that, I didn't notice any difference.

I should point out that I almost never use gnome, so you should probably wait for someone with more knowledge to answer, and that this was in a Linux installation (Arch.) But it does indicate that one can manually start it. The xorg.conf line is exec gnome-session.
 
x11/gnome3 does or at least did work fine without x11/gdm the last I had it installed.

AFAIK you would just need to start the login services GDM usually controls from your .xinitrc file. Something like
Code: 
exec ck-launch-session dbus-launch --exit-with-session
should work I think. I believe that worked for me that last time I had GNOME installed some time ago anyhow. Things could have changed since then.
 
Mine .xinitrc looks:
Code: 
xscreensaver -no-splash &
exec /usr/local/bin/gnome-session >.xsession-errors 2>&1
I use GNOME 3.16
 
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