xfce acting weird; starting w/out desktop background and icons,changing file managers

sAbEr · 04-02-2007, 09:41 AM

Just today, I restarted my computer and I noticed that Xfce didn't start properly. First, when i logged in, it dumped me to a light-blue screen (no desktop wallpaper) with the application panel sitting at the top, no icons or anything, just a flat blue desktop. When head for Settings->Desktop, i noticed that the box that says "Allow Xfce to manage the desktop" is unchecked, and when i check it, the wallpaper and icons appear. This happens whenever I log back out and log in again, and i have no clue what it is that might've been changed. And every so often, it seems as if Xfce is switching between Thunar and Nautilus, because one moment I would double click on my folder and get the bare interface of Thunar, and 10 minutes later i'd double click and get Nautilus again. This is also happening with the terminal (one minute its Xterm, next min its Gnome Terminal with its white background) I did install StepMania recently, but I don't think that's the problem. I'm on ubuntu 6.06, running Xfce (don't know version but I think its 4.0.0, i know it comes w/a compositing manager because i tried it out), Can anyone help? It seems as if the PC is starting to lose its mind or something.

Kannies · 04-03-2007, 01:50 AM

Check your .xinitrc in /root folder (or general user as I hear umbunto doenst have a root user)

The file should also appear in a users home directory - please note it is a hidden file.

Make sure it contains the following:

xfce-mcs-manager
xfwm4 --daemon
xftaskbar4 &
xfdesktop &
exec xfce4-pane

sAbEr · 04-03-2007, 03:36 AM

Checked in both /home/my_username and in /root, but no file named .xinitrc. Using 'locate .xinitrc' i was able to find one in '/etc/X11..' and in /etc/xdg/xfce4, but which one is the one i need to edit?

deroB · 04-03-2007, 03:48 AM

Edit the one in /home/my_username (~/.xinitrc)

You can add what Kannies listed.

or just add:

Code:

exec xfce4-session

sAbEr · 04-03-2007, 05:41 AM

'/home/my_user/.xinitrc' doesn't exist either. Create it and just add the stuff listed above?

deroB · 04-03-2007, 05:48 AM

yeah just create it

this will create it and add "exec xfce4-session" to it:

Code:

touch ~/.xinitrc
echo "exec xfce4-session" >> ~/.xinitrc

then restart X and see how you go

sAbEr · 04-03-2007, 06:21 AM

Ok, i've tried that, and I tried adding

Code:

echo "xfce-mcs-manager" >> ~/.xinitrc
echo "xfwm4 --daemon" >> ~/.xinitrc
echo "xftaskbar4 &" >> ~/.xinitrc
echo "xfdesktop &" >> ~/.xinitrc
echo "exec xfce4-pane" >> ~/.xinitrc

And it still doesn't start right. I have to head for Settings->Desktop and check the box that says "Allow Xfce to manage the desktop" in order for the icons and the background to appear. I'd like for it to stick to thunar as the main file manager, though, do those commands listed above make sure of that?

deroB · 04-03-2007, 06:31 AM

are you using GDM or KDM?

if so have a read here:
http://www.xfce.org/documentation/in...setting-up-gdm

otherwise I dont know??
try only having "exec xfce4-session" in .xinitrc.. this is what I use and it always starts as I have left it(including open programs)

EDIT:
do you have XFCE 4.4?
is so add "exec startxfce4" instead.

sAbEr · 04-03-2007, 06:45 AM

I'm not too sure what i'm using to log in. I think its GDM, but i'm not sure. My distro is no longer Mandrake 10, btw, its Ubuntu 6.06 now. I remember installing it and then using synaptic to download Xfce. I checked the link you provided, but I can't find the example .desktop file it mentions.

Kannies · 04-04-2007, 10:27 AM

This is what i think is happening:
When you start XFCE, one of the first files that is executed is ./xinitrc.
The commands in this file are executed therfore initialising the various objects, ie panel and taskbar.

Correct me if i'm wrong but doesnt 'xfce4-session' literally saves the current state of the desktop for the next time you start, so in theory if added to xinitrc, it will always save your faulty configuration before the desktop even loads up so whatever changes you make in the session it will always revert back to the faulty config.

Try removing 'xfce4-session' from 'xinitrc'.
Make your desired changes in the settings menu to revert things to how you want and then run 'xfce4-session' from the terminal. If you get messages about objects already appearing then try Ctrl-Alt- backspace to go to cancel your x session and try from command line mode.

sAbEr · 04-05-2007, 12:25 AM

Quote:

This is what i think is happening:
When you start XFCE, one of the first files that is executed is ./xinitrc.
The commands in this file are executed therfore initialising the various objects, ie panel and taskbar.

Correct me if i'm wrong but doesnt 'xfce4-session' literally saves the current state of the desktop for the next time you start, so in theory if added to xinitrc, it will always save your faulty configuration before the desktop even loads up so whatever changes you make in the session it will always revert back to the faulty config.

Try removing 'xfce4-session' from 'xinitrc'.
Make your desired changes in the settings menu to revert things to how you want and then run 'xfce4-session' from the terminal. If you get messages about objects already appearing then try Ctrl-Alt- backspace to go to cancel your x session and try from command line mode.

Ok, I removed xfce4-session from the xinitrc file, and then restarted x, made the changes that i wanted to, but when i tried to run xfce4-session from the terminal, it said that a nother session manager was already running.

EDIT: I checked it via ubuntu's system monitor, and it looks like the session manaager open is x-session-manager

Kannies · 04-18-2007, 03:39 PM

Did you ever fix this? I'm afraid I can't think of anything else but re-installation (a headache I know). However one last avenue is to check out the website 'www.linuxfromscratch.org/blfs' and read the manual section on xfce.