arch = terminal only?

[matthewtb]

Is Arch Linux terminal only or is there a pretty GUI as well? Thanks

[spennig]

Is Arch Linux terminal only or is there a pretty GUI as well? Thanks

Arch is whatever you choose to make it. Installing a GUI e.g LXDE is simple and well documented, plenty of information either by searching this forum, or Google is your friend.

[Hazor]

One wonderful resource is the Arch Linux wiki: https://wiki.archlinux.org/
Check out the Beginners' Guide for step-by-step instructions on a lot of things you'll probably want (like setting up a GUI).

Note that the wiki does not assume that you are using it on the RPi, or on an ARM architecture, so not everything is 100% applicable. But most things, such as installing a GUI or configuring sound, should be the same.

[sdjf]

If you get lost trying to read the ArchLinux Wiki, do not give up on Arch! It is very hard to understand because it was written for people NOT using Raspberry Pi's. I have been using Linux commandline for about 7 years now, and gave up trying to follow the Wiki, there is nothing saying which sections to skip because they do not apply to us.

I would love to see some knowledgeable ArchLinux Pi Users go in and edit the wiki so it has bits and pieces there that will make it make sense to ArchLinux newbies who want to run Arch on their Pi's.

To answer your question, yes, there definitely are GUI applications for ArchLinuxArm. But you do have to install them from the commandline using pacman. So looking for pacman tutorials and how-to's is what I have been doing, in preparation for running ArchLinuxArm when my Pi arrives.

The cool thing about ArchLinux is you get to pick which GUI applications and desktop or window manager you put on your Pi.

[phrasz]

Code: Select all

#Install LXDE:
pacman -S openbox lxde gamin dbus	#Lxde and needed dependancies
pacman -S xorg-server xorg-xinit xorg-server-utils	#Xorg
pacman -S mesa xf86-video-fbdev xf86-video-vesa	#Video Drivers
#To use startx, you will need to define LXDE in your ~/.xinitrc file:
echo “exec ck-launch-session startlxde” >> ~/.xinitrc

[ayecapn]

Best analogy for Arch that I've seen is from back in the day when Lego sets came with those huge base pieces. 100 dots X 100 dots or so. They became a canvas on which you could build an entire city.

Chances are, if you want to do something on your computer, Arch can do it, and an really good chance it's been well documented in the wiki.

Google apparently loves Arch as well. In my experience, all I have to do for anyhting related is search google for "Arch X":

Arch XBMC
Arch LXDE
Arch GUI
etc

It almost always leads back to an awesome article in the wiki. Follow the instructions step-by-step and you are pretty much guaranteed it will work on a regular i686/x86_64 platform.

For RPi YMMV.

[rasbeer]

I would love to see some knowledgeable ArchLinux Pi Users go in and edit the wiki so it has bits and pieces there that will make it make sense to ArchLinux newbies who want to run Arch on their Pi's.

Me too

[pe7er]

Best analogy for Arch that I've seen is from back in the day when Lego sets came with those huge base pieces. 100 dots X 100 dots or so. They became a canvas on which you could build an entire city.

That's a great analogy indeed!

By default, Arch Linux (and ArchLinuxARM) = command line.
Until you choose & plug in the right "lego blocks" to build what you want.

The wiki at Archlinux.org is fabulous!
However, it's for Arch Linux (i686/x86-64 processors) and not for derivate distributions (like ArchLinuxARM or Archbang).

On my PC I've installed Arch Linux with OpenBox. On my Raspberry Pi I have ArchLinuxARM.
Haven't installed a Windowmanager/Desktop on my Raspberry yet...

Just give Arch a go... and if you don't like it, changing the SD Card with distribution is easy to do...

[ayecapn]

I would love to see some knowledgeable ArchLinux Pi Users go in and edit the wiki so it has bits and pieces there that will make it make sense to ArchLinux newbies who want to run Arch on their Pi's.

Me too

There's a bit of a balance there, since the Arch Linux ARM project is a formal split from Arch Linux. It maintains its own site and repositories. Much of it overlaps, but I am not sure what the implications are by mixing the two projects in a single wiki.

[rasbeer]

There's a bit of a balance there, since the Arch Linux ARM project is a formal split from Arch Linux. It maintains its own site and repositories. Much of it overlaps, but I am not sure what the implications are by mixing the two projects in a single wiki.

I see what you mean. I guess an "Arch on RPi" guide covering the basics & explaining where the difference in architectures causes divergence might be the way to go?

[tawalker]

I've been using Arch for nearly a year, since choosing it for my Eee 701 netbook. Granted, that's an x86-based machine, but it's surprising how close the ARM version comes in functionality, to the point where I was able to replicate quite a lot of my Eee's setup on my RasPi.

If Linux distros are like cars: to take two examples, I think of Ubuntu as like a Toyota, and Arch as being like a high-performance, custom-built sports car. (Both types have their place and their uses ) With Arch, it is expected that you'll know a reasonable amount about Linux, because when you install it, Arch is pretty bare-bones. This is exactly what I wanted for my Eee (and even more so for the Pi), as it allows you to install what you want/need, instead of you being given a big bloated system which you then have to strip down.

My Eee 701 runs surprisingly fast with Arch, and even the RasPi seems to benefit from a leaner system. I echo the earlier posters: the Arch wiki is invaluable, and even more experienced Arch-ers find it a very useful reference.

[sdjf]

tawalker wrote:

> With Arch, it is expected that you'll know a reasonable amount about Linux, because when you install it, Arch is pretty bare-bones.

My point was that for someone with significant Linux experience but no experience with Arch or installing new systems, the general Arch Linux Wiki is much too confusing for someone wanting to learn how to install ArchLinuxArm on a Raspberry Pi.

I have been doing command line for 7 years, writing scripts and unpacking packages and installing them by hand, but have zero experience dealing with installing a system. We need something to help people like me, who know quite a bit about Linux, but not necessarily enough about hardware and system installation to figure out how the Arch Linux Wiki is related to the Raspberry Pi.

Even if someone just puts up a post here saying where the Arch Linux Wiki starts being relevant for our RPi hardware setup. I go glassy eyed trying to read that thing. I will use it once I have my Pi and have to figure out what the menu options mean, then it might be useful.

[brightspirit]

I suppose Arch is more geeky and flexible but Debian more mainstream. I managed to crush jwm on Arch to a 1GB stick for a friend. OK it's just the basics but it does give them a graphical frontend to have a go on a tiny footprint

[Flojer0]

Code: Select all

#Install LXDE:
pacman -S openbox lxde gamin dbus	#Lxde and needed dependancies
pacman -S xorg-server xorg-xinit xorg-server-utils	#Xorg
pacman -S mesa xf86-video-fbdev xf86-video-vesa	#Video Drivers
#To use startx, you will need to define LXDE in your ~/.xinitrc file:
echo “exec ck-launch-session startlxde” >> ~/.xinitrc

Yep, I believe you have everything necessary to get up and running. Though under the video drivers I don't believe you need vesa.

All someone needs after that is a tutorial on using pacman and a grocery list of the software they want.

To everyone that didn't seem to notice yes, it is that simple sometimes. Luckily most of the hard install work is already done by the time it gets to the pi.

[bobc]

Code: Select all

#Install LXDE:
pacman -S openbox lxde gamin dbus	#Lxde and needed dependancies
pacman -S xorg-server xorg-xinit xorg-server-utils	#Xorg
pacman -S mesa xf86-video-fbdev xf86-video-vesa	#Video Drivers
#To use startx, you will need to define LXDE in your ~/.xinitrc file:
echo “exec ck-launch-session startlxde” >> ~/.xinitrc

Yep, I believe you have everything necessary to get up and running. Though under the video drivers I don't believe you need vesa.

All someone needs after that is a tutorial on using pacman and a grocery list of the software they want.

To everyone that didn't seem to notice yes, it is that simple sometimes. Luckily most of the hard install work is already done by the time it gets to the pi.

I couldn't get any of those to work, dozens of "requested URL not found: 404" errors. How do I fix that?

EDIT; google says run "pacman -Syu" , Google is right!

[Okamiryu]

Thank you for the -Syu bit, I was having issues and switching between screens was rather annoying.

[Okamiryu]

So, I've gotten everything installed, but how do I start the gui ?

[pepedog]

startx
Or
xinit /usr/bin/lxsession

[Okamiryu]

Strangely, each command does separate things,

startx will bring up a window with two terminals and a clock, the later brings up the gui I'm looking for.

What can I do to have the second command automatically occur upon start up?

[pepedog]

Did you follow the step

Code: Select all

echo “exec ck-launch-session startlxde” >> ~/.xinitrc

I would think that makes startx start the expected GUI
In /etc/inittab there are hints to start the GUI on boot, being vague you comment out something with a 3 in, and Uncomment (and possibly modify) something with a 5 in (only one of them, I think there are 3 examples)

An alternative way of doing things
http://www.sparkfun.com/tutorials/372

[Respectech]

I was able to get LDE to start automatically at login by the following:

Code: Select all

Create the following file if it doesn't exist already:
    /root/.bash_profile

Add the following line to the bottom of the .bash_profile file:
    xinit /usr/bin/lxsession

Save the file and change permissions to the following:
    chmod 600 .bash_profile

Test by logging out using
    exit

and then log back in again as root.

Now next thing is to figure out how to get Arch Linux to boot into root automatically on power up.

[sdjf]

I am not sure what you mean when you say you need to figure out how to "boot into root automatically". If you haven't done any fiddling, when you log in as root, you are in /root directory. You mean automating the login process so no password is required? I know it can be done if you are ssh'ing in, but do not know how to stay logged in after a reboot. Disabling the security feature would mean anyone can turn on Pi and be root.

[Respectech]

What I meant is to boot into the root user login automatically at power up. I need it for an embedded system that isn't going to have a keyboard or an SSH shell connected. Otherwise, the RPi is just going to sit there at the login prompt forever and just look pretty.

There's a way to do it, I just haven't figured out the details yet.

[Cloudcentric]

I was able to get LDE to start automatically at login by the following:

Do you realise that the thread you posted to is 8 months old ?

[pepedog]

What I meant is to boot into the root user login automatically at power up. I need it for an embedded system that isn't going to have a keyboard or an SSH shell connected. Otherwise, the RPi is just going to sit there at the login prompt forever and just look pretty.

There's a way to do it, I just haven't figured out the details yet.

So you mean kiosk mode, screen and possibly mouse, and GUI (does it have to be root?)?