Latest revision as of 08:20, 13 January 2024

Prerequisites

Install Alpine Linux
Create a user account (optional but recommended)
Enable the Community Repository
Install Xorg

Install packages

Install awesome, xterm and terminus font.
Depending on your network speed, it might take a few minutes.

# apk add awesome xterm font-terminus

Optional packages

Video and Input packages

You might want to install a package suitable for your video chipset and input devices.
For example:

# apk add xf86-input-synaptics

Run apk search xf86-video* to see available xf86-video packages.
Run apk search xf86-input* to see available xf86-input packages.

VMWare Users

# apk add xf86-video-vmware

and/or

# apk add xf86-input-vmmouse

acpid

If you installed your Alpine Linux as a VirtualBox or VMWare guest, you might find it handy to be able execute an ACPI shutdown.

# rc-update add acpid

Configure xorg-server

On most systems, xorg should be able to autodetect all devices. However, you can still configure xorg-server manually by launching:

# setup-xorg-base

Start your desktop

$ echo 'awesome' >> /home/<newuser>/.xinitrc

$ mkdir /home/<newuser>/.config

$ cp -r /etc/xdg/awesome /home/<newuser>/.config

$ vi /home/<newuser>/.config/awesome/rc.lua

Start awesome.

$ startx

Troubleshooting

D-Bus problems:

D-Bus library appears to be incorrectly set up; failed to read machine uuid: Failed to open "/var/lib/dbus/machine-id": No such file or directory

If startx fails and returns an error about D-Bus failed to read machine uuid, as shown above, proceed as follows:

Install dbus from apk (you must be logged in as root for the step shown below)

# apk add dbus

Log in or su to the root account, then launch the following command (Note: sudo does not work for this step):

# dbus-uuidgen > /var/lib/dbus/machine-id

Now if startx is launched, it should load the desktop correctly

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-= Initial setup =
+[[file: awesome-01.png |thumb |Screenshot]]
-Start by booting up Alpine (see [[Installation|these]] instructions on how to do that)<BR>
+{{TOC right}}
-When Alpine is up and running, do the initial setup.
-{{Cmd|setup-alpine}}
+= Prerequisites =
+* [[Installation|Install]] Alpine Linux
+* [[Setting_up_a_new_user#Creating_a_new_user|Create a user account]] (optional but recommended)
+* Enable the [[Repositories#Enabling_the_community_repository|Community Repository]]
+* [[Alpine_setup_scripts#setup-xorg-base|Install Xorg]]
 = Install packages =
-Install awesome, feh, aterm as basic desktop system.<BR>
+Install awesome, xterm and terminus font.<br>
-This might take a few minutes depending on your network speed.
+Depending on your network speed, it might take a few minutes.
-{{Cmd|apk add awesome feh aterm}}
+{{Cmd|# apk add {{pkg|awesome|arch=}} {{pkg|xterm|arch=}} {{pkg|font-terminus|arch=}}}}
-If aterm is not recognized by apk (Alpinelinux 3.2.x) instead of it you can install lxterminal.<BR>
-On the same version of Alpinelinux (3.2.x) you have to install the package lua otherwise awesome will not start
-{{Cmd|apk add lua}}
-Add other apps on need, eg. firefox, gnumeric, xchat, gimp, pidgin, geany, vim, etc.<BR>
-For Alpinelinux 2.6.x add additional pkgs
-{{Cmd|apk add cairo-gobject pango}}
 == Optional packages ==
 === Video and Input packages ===
-You <u>might</u> also want to install a package suitable for your video chipset and input devices.<BR>
+You <u>might</u> want to install a package suitable for your video chipset and input devices.<BR>
-For example, if you have an Sis video chipset install 'xf86-video-sis', for Intel video chipset install 'xf86-video-intel'.<BR>
+For example:
-{{Cmd|apk add xf86-video-sis}}
+{{Cmd|# apk add {{pkg|xf86-input-synaptics|arch=}}}}
-and / or
-{{Cmd|apk add xf86-input-synaptics}}
-Run 'apk search xf86-video*' to see available xf86-video packages.<BR>
+Run {{ic|apk search {{pkg|xf86-video*|arch=}}}} to see available xf86-video packages.<BR>
-Run 'apk search xf86-input*' to see available xf86-input packages.<BR>
+Run {{ic|apk search {{pkg|xf86-input*|arch=}}}} to see available xf86-input packages.<BR>
+===VMWare Users===
+{{Cmd|# apk add {{pkg|xf86-video-vmware|arch=}}}}
+and/or
+{{Cmd|# apk add {{pkg|xf86-input-vmmouse|arch=}}}}
 === acpid ===
-If you installed your Alpine Linux as a VirtualBox or VMWare guest you might find it handy to be able send ACPI shutdown.<BR>
+If you installed your Alpine Linux as a VirtualBox or VMWare guest, you might find it handy to be able execute an ACPI shutdown.<BR>
-{{Cmd|rc-update add acpid}}
+{{Cmd|# rc-update add acpid}}
 = Configure xorg-server =
-On most systems, xorg should be able to autodetect all devices. However you can still configure xorg-server by hand by launching:
+On most systems, xorg should be able to autodetect all devices. However, you can still configure xorg-server manually by launching:
-{{Cmd|setup-xorg-base}}
+{{Cmd|# setup-xorg-base}}
+= Start your desktop =
+{{Cmd|$ echo 'awesome' >> /home/<newuser>/.xinitrc}}
+{{Cmd|$ mkdir /home/<newuser>/.config}}
+{{Cmd|$ cp -r /etc/xdg/awesome  /home/<newuser>/.config}}
+{{Cmd|$ vi /home/<newuser>/.config/awesome/rc.lua}}
+Start awesome.
+{{Cmd|$ startx}}
+= Troubleshooting =
+D-Bus problems:
-= Create user accounts =
+{{Cmd|D-Bus library appears to be incorrectly set up; failed to read machine uuid: Failed to open "/var/lib/dbus/machine-id": No such file or directory}}
-Create a normal user account.
-{{Cmd|adduser ncopa}}
-Optionally, give that user sudo permissions in /etc/sudoers. When doing so, it is important to use the command: {{Cmd|visudo}} This ensures that only one user is changing the file at any given time.  Visudo has two modes: Command mode and Insert mode.  To edit the file, use the arrows to navigate to the appropriate line and enter Insert mode by pressing the 'i' key.  To save and exit, enter Command mode by pressing the 'Esc' key, then ':w' + 'enter' to save, and finally ':q' + 'enter' to quit.
+If startx fails and returns an error about D-Bus failed to read machine uuid, as shown above, proceed as follows:
-Logout from root and login into new created account.
+Install dbus from apk (you must be logged in as root for the step shown below)
+{{Cmd|# apk add {{pkg|dbus|arch=}}}}
-= Start your desktop =
+Log in or su to the root account, then launch the following command (Note: sudo does not work for this step):
-{{Cmd|echo 'awesome' >> /home/<newuser>/.xinitrc}}
+{{Cmd|# dbus-uuidgen > /var/lib/dbus/machine-id}}
-{{Cmd|mkdir /home/<newuser>/.config}}
-{{Cmd|cp -r /etc/xdg/awesome  /home/<newuser>/.config}}
-{{Cmd|vi /home/<newuser>/.config/awesome/rc.lua}}
-Replace instances of xterm with aterm
-Start awesome.
+Now if startx is launched, it should load the desktop correctly
-{{Cmd|startx}}
-= Troubleshooting =
+= See also =
+* [[Installation#Post-Install|Post Install]]
+* [[Desktop environments and Window managers]]
-= Screenshot =
-[[{{ns:image}}:awesome-01.png|awesome-01.png]]
 [[Category:Desktop]]
+[[Category:Window Managers]]
+[[Category:Lua]]