Changing Window Manager on Raspbian

[mehstg]

Hi all

Just a quick question, as I am struggling here and I can't seem to find much info searching through the forums.

I am attempting to swap the default window manager from LXDE (Openbox) to Ratpoison, however I am obviously editing the wrong file, as when I reboot, it still opens LXDE.

I have installed Ratpoison via apt-get, I then run the following:

Code: Select all

update-alternatives --config x-window-manager

I am given three options. Openbox Auto, Openbox Manual and Ratpoison. I select Ratpoison and exit.

Any ideas. I am guessing it is controlled by a different file, however I cannot work it out. Some posts refer to a $HOME/.xinitrc however I co not have this file in my home folder.

Paul

[Metatronin]

No, you most likely changed it to Ratpoison. LXDE is the desktop environment, where as Ratpoison, Openbox, Fluxbox, etc, are the window manager.

[mehstg]

I'm not so sure. That was my initial thought, however I then proceeded to uninstall LXDE. I am now presented with the LightDM login box, it has only one option on it (Openbox).

Is anyone able to point me in the right direction? I am basically looking to strip LXDE from raspbian. I am trying to get it so it boots straight in to Ratpoison. (I'll be using the Pi to run a single app fullscreen)

[penoycentral]

Hiya.. i've been using raspbian+ratpoison automatically starting a web browser in a kiosk mode. might not be direct but maybe similar on your needs.

Start user pi at startup

Code: Select all

pi@raspberrypi:~$ grep pi /etc/inittab 
1:2345:respawn:/bin/login -f pi tty1 </dev/tty1 >/dev/tty1 2>&1

Code: Select all

pi@raspberrypi:~$ cat /home/pi/.bash_profile 
if [ -z "$DISPLAY" ] && [ $(tty) == /dev/tty1 ]; then
    startx
fi

====
Set ratpoison's config file

Code: Select all

pi@raspberrypi:~$ cat /home/pi/.xinitrc 
exec ratpoison 

Code: Select all

pi@raspberrypi:~$ cat /home/pi/.ratpoisonrc
exec <what-ever-your-program>

this will automatically start ratpoison with exec to a program. hopefully it will give you idea on how to solve your issue

[obiwan]

Raspbian is a Debian Linux version, so as Debian, there is specific command to change settings (update-alternatives), to configure (dpkg-reconfigure) and to manage (apt-get, dpkg).
That's safer than personal scripts which can be erased by default setting at reconfiguration or reinstallation, and which can break Debian configuration.

To change default x-session-manager just use the command :

Code: Select all

$ sudo update-alternatives --config x-session-manager

You will see it was by default set to lxde. The x-session-manager manage the x-window-manager. By default it is lxde session-manager with openbox window-manager (and lxde desktop environment inside openbox... but you can use openbox without desktop environment, which is nice too, and faster with key shortcuts, context menu, and lightness. Take a look at openbox website.)

Above all, there is the display-manager. Raspbian use LightDM display manager (see /etc/X11/default-display-manager), So configuration, like auto-start user, can be found in /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf.

[satan]

Raspbian is a Debian Linux version, so as Debian, there is specific command to change settings (update-alternatives), to configure (dpkg-reconfigure) and to manage (apt-get, dpkg).
That's safer than personal scripts which can be erased by default setting at reconfiguration or reinstallation, and which can break Debian configuration.

To change default x-session-manager just use the command :

Code: Select all

$ sudo update-alternatives --config x-session-manager

You will see it was by default set to lxde. The x-session-manager manage the x-window-manager. By default it is lxde session-manager with openbox window-manager (and lxde desktop environment inside openbox... but you can use openbox without desktop environment, which is nice too, and faster with key shortcuts, context menu, and lightness. Take a look at openbox website.)

Above all, there is the display-manager. Raspbian use LightDM display manager (see /etc/X11/default-display-manager), So configuration, like auto-start user, can be found in /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf.

Dude you just changed my life. Thank you

[mehstg]

Sorry for the late reply, thanks for all your help. I found out what was stopping ratpoison from loading. Removing lxsession and adding 'exec ratpoison' to the .xinitrc file allowed ratpoison to start.

Thanks for all your help

[Eshaan7]

Dude you just changed my life. Thank you

Mine too!

[jamesh]

Dude you just changed my life. Thank you

Mine too!

Please avoid resurrecting very old threads.