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 2: / Line 2: @@
 {{TOC right}}
-= Initial setup =
+= Prerequisites =
-Start by booting Alpine (see [[Installation|these]] instructions on how to do that)<BR>
+* [[Installation|Install]] Alpine Linux
+* [[Setting_up_a_new_user#Creating_a_new_user|Create a user account]] (optional but recommended)
-= Enable Community Repository =
+* Enable the [[Repositories#Enabling_the_community_repository|Community Repository]]
-We need the Community Repository available for access to the necessary packages. Instructions are available on the [[Enable_Community_Repository|Enable Community Repository]] page.
+* [[Alpine_setup_scripts#setup-xorg-base|Install Xorg]]
 = Install packages =
-Install awesome, xterm, lua and terminus font.<BR>
+Install awesome, xterm and terminus font.<br>
 Depending on your network speed, it might take a few minutes.
-{{Cmd|# apk add awesome xterm lua terminus-font}}
+{{Cmd|# apk add {{pkg|awesome|arch=}} {{pkg|xterm|arch=}} {{pkg|font-terminus|arch=}}}}
 == Optional packages ==
 === Video and Input packages ===
 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 ===
@@ Line 31: / Line 34: @@
 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}}
-= Create user accounts =
-Create a normal user account.
-{{Cmd|# adduser <user>}}
-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.
-Log out of the root account and log in to the newly created account.
 = Start your desktop =
@@ Line 58: / Line 53: @@
 Install dbus from apk (you must be logged in as root for the step shown below)
-{{Cmd|# apk add dbus}}
+{{Cmd|# apk add {{pkg|dbus|arch=}}}}
 Log in or su to the root account, then launch the following command (Note: sudo does not work for this step):
@@ Line 65: / Line 60: @@
 Now if startx is launched, it should load the desktop correctly
-= =
+= See also =
-* [[Dwm]]
+* [[Installation#Post-Install|Post Install]]
+* [[Desktop environments and Window managers]]
 [[Category:Desktop]]
-[[category: Lua]]
+[[Category:Window Managers]]
+[[Category:Lua]]