[kde-linux] Sidux uses Kubuntu KDE version for desktop

[denis]

On Wednesday 17 March 2010 11:04:12 kap4lin wrote:
> On Tue, Mar 16, 2010 at 11:55 AM, denis <fprckq at shaw.ca> wrote:
> > Hi all
> > I tried Steven's suggestion but must have got it wrong, I made another
> > $HOME directory and tried transferring the home over but system wouldn't
> > let me login. Perhaps I misunderstood and should have added a new user
> > that I could unpack the Kubuntu home into, and then transfer across the
> > home files one by one. But if it managed to mess up the Desktop at some
> > point could I back out without having to start over again?
> > Anyway, it looked impossible so I started over again.  I've with a new
> > Sidux install on one disk that I want to hold the home data files from a
> > tarred Kubuntu home directory on another disk.
> > Somehow, the created mess has properties of it's own. which are neither
> > Kubuntu or Sidux.
> >  The point before it does the Kubuntu desktop, there's a prompt for
> > something about using KDE3 setting being used in KDE4, and as soon as i
> > agreed, the desktop wallpaper went blue.
> > I think I'll try Duncan's suggestion next and drill down deep into the
> > bowels of the home directory, There must be something in the Kubuntu home
> > data files that is corrupting Sidux KDE setup. I deleted everything
> > having to do with KDE that I could find before I tarred the home
> > directory, and it apperared all that was remaining was program data
> > files, but somehow it's still managed to affect the Sidux KDE.
> > Thanks for all the suggestions.
> > cheers
> > Denis
> >
> > On Monday 15 March 2010 17:26:00 Duncan wrote:
> >> denis posted on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:24:36 -0700 as excerpted:
> >> > yep you're correct, I reloaded the home from Kubuntu into Sidux. I
> >> > will copy all the important stuff into a new home directory as you
> >> > suggest. I tried that already yesterday and copied what I thought was
> >> > only program data files over into a separate directory which I then
> >> > tarred and copied to a separate disk. Then I wiped the Sidux disk with
> >> > Dban, reinstalled Sidux, unpacked the home directory and when prompted
> >> > to use the KDE3 settings for KDE4 the screen went to the kubuntu
> >> > desktop again. What a mess.
> >>
> >> Well, the desktop (activity) wallpaper's definitely a per-user (and per
> >> activity and/or desktop) setting.  So it'd logically be stored in
> >> plasma's application settings.  KDE stores application settings in two
> >> places, depending on whether the app uses only one or two config files
> >> ($KDEHOME/share/config) or an entire subdir of files
> >> ($KDEHOME/share/apps/<application>).  $KDEHOME defaults as shipped by
> >> kde to $HOME/.kde (where $HOME is the user's home dir), tho various
> >> distributions change the .kde slightly, to .kde4 or the like.
> >>
> >> Can you take note of the setting when using the default sidux install,
> >> and put the same selection back in after you restore your user settings?
> >>  For kde 4.4.x, look under Desktop Activity Settings, Wallpaper.  But it
> >> looks like it may not list enough info about it (the path info) in
> >> ordered to be able to reselect it, if it's not in the default location.
> >>  (I'm using wallpapers in the default location, so I don't know how it
> >> shows others.)
> >>
> >> Meanwhile, back to the config files.  FWIW, in KDE they're all generally
> >> human readable (and editable) text files.  I just checked the apps dir.
> >> The only plasma related subdirs there seem to be plasmoid related.  So
> >> it looks to be in the config dir.  I actually see about a half-dozen
> >> plasma* config files there.  Now, which one of those?
> >>
> >> Found it!
> >>
> >> Look in $KDEHOME/share/config/plasma-desktop-appletsrc .  It's a
> >> slightly modified *.ini file format, sections denoted with [] (slightly
> >> modified as multiple [] labels define a section), followed by
> >> keyword=value pairs.
> >>
> >> However, as you're just upgrading, you'll likely not have a whole lot
> >> customized, and can simply rename or delete the entire file (as usual,
> >> recommend rename/move until you know you're not losing other settings
> >> you want to keep, then delete).  Note that it's best to do so while kde
> >> or at least plasma-desktop is shut down.  So do it either from a text
> >> console, no kde running, or enter killall plasma-desktop (or
> >> kquitapp plasma-desktop if you prefer the kde method) in a konsole
> >> window or krunner, then do the file rename/delete, then restart
> >> plasma-desktop using krunner or whatever.
> >>
> >> If it turns out that there are other settings there that you want to
> >> keep, just check the GUI settings for the name of the currently selected
> >> wallpaper, do a search for it in that file to get the correct section
> >> (which looks like [Containments][<number>][Wallpaper][image] , here, I
> >> have two such sections as I've two activities setup).  The key should be
> >> Wallpaper= , with a value similar to </path/to/wallpaper/> , something
> >> like /usr/share/wallpapers/<name>/ for the system defaults.  Note that
> >> kde4 uses individual wallpaper subdirs by default now, with each one
> >> containing a collection of images in different resolutions, so an
> >> appropriate one can be chosen.  If you download additional wallpapers
> >> from kde-look using the kde kgetnewstuff gui, those will likely be
> >> wallpaper packs as well, but they'd be stored in
> >> $KDEHOME/share/wallpapers instead of the system dir.  Of course,
> >> individual images can be chosen as well, and that's likely what you'll
> >> have there with settings imported from kde3.
> >>
> >> As with the above file rename, I'd suggest editing this file with kde or
> >> at least plasma-desktop shut down, again using krunner or konsole to do
> >> the shutdown and restart before and after your editing.
> 
> [BTW, try not to top-post]
> 
> Duncan's instructions was indeed very specific. I'll add a few more
> (broader) spices to confuse you ;)
> 
> 1. Make sure that the /home partition specs in /etc/fstab are correct
> (someone talked of 'mounting $HOME')
> 2. Become root and add another user (using adduser. see man adduser)
> 3. DO NOT COPY /home/olduser/.kde YET. Login to kde as newuser and
> make sure sidux looks fine.
> 4. As root: Copy /home/olduser/whatever to  /home/newuser/whatever.
> Try not to copy .kde .qt or any of the hidden files first. Remember:
> 4.1 Anything in /home/olduser/... will taste like Kubuntu, so copying
> it will not make it taste like sidux. So, be very very picky in what
> you copy. If anything is system/kde/gnome/gtk specific avoid copying
> it. If it is YOUR document then do copy.
> 4.2 You should NOT overwrite anything in /home/newuser/...
> 4.3 As root: chown -R newuser:newuser /home/newuser (give all the
> copied files proper ownership).
> 
> Just a few tips. Good luck.
> 
Tnanks Kip
I'm going to give it a try as you suggested. I was convinced that the problem 
was coming from the same filetypes in home that you mentioned and tried to make 
a tarball of my home containing only program data files. But it failed by 
running the Kubuntu desktop and the performance turned out really strange too. 
It was using a script for a program which I'd updated half a year ago and 
which I thought was deleted, while ignoring the new script which I can't 
locate anywhere. However, the new script was running in the Kubuntu version 
just last month. It's mysterious.
I've read over the Sidux manual, downloaded and burnt all 3 distros exactly as 
specified. I was wondering about the kernel remover, do you know how that is 
supposed to work. I'd like to put a couple of distros on the / partition to 
see the difference between them. Can I copy the individual versions all to the 
/ without destroying  other versions? It looks as if that is what's happening 
now. Later on, how would I delete specific versions if I wanted to?
cheers,
Denis