Installing LXDE on Salix 14

[Salixified]

Hello,

I followed the User Documentation on "how to install LXDE" by opening a terminal and pasting in the commands listed there:

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slapt-get -u
 slapt-get -i lxde-common openbox pcmanfm lxpanel lxsession menu-cache lxmenu-data

But Salix replied, "no such command."

I don't see it listed in GSlapt either, but some (but not all) of the components are. The file manager PCManFM isn't listed, for example, and Sourcery wouldn't install it successfully by itself either.

Any suggested?

Thanks in advance for thoughtful replies!

[jayseye]

Yes, first of all, only the root user may install packages with slapt-get.

Then you can use slapt-get --search to find binary packages, and slapt-src --search to find a Slackbuild / SLKBUILD. Each of these command-line programs has a man page which, IIRC, explains how to add custom software SOURCEs / repositories.

[Salixified]

I can't seem to get in as root. I tried "sudo" but I'm "not in the sudoers group. This incident will be reported." If I log out, I can't log into Salix as root either. "Administrator may not log in from this page." I can't open Thunar as root either to move some of my backup files into my new Salix installation. In PCManFM it's easy: Right-click the folder and select "Open as root," enter the root password and bingo. In Thunar there's no such option. Nor, apparently, in the terminal. I added my acount (username: robin) to two groups: Users and Root. Still can't get root access to the terminal. If I reboot, the log-in screen comes up and I can't log in as root from there either.

Please forgive the newbie questions.

[mimosa]

If that's what the instructions in the howto say, all those packages should be in the standard repos. You just need to run those commands as root.

It's probably not a good idea to add extra repos unless you know exactly what you are doing, and it certainly isn't necessary for this task (unless the instructions are telling you to). The reason it didn't work is because you need to be root:

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$su
[enter root password]
#slapt-get -u
...etc

where $ and # don't need to be typed: they mean that you are the unprivileged user ($) or root (#) accordingly.

[mimosa]

Our posts crossed. To become root, follow the instructions above. You can't log into the graphical interface as root.

One way of running thunar as root (though I recomemnd only doing so in cases of specific need and then closing the application) is simply to become root in a terminal and tyoe "thunar":

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#thunar

where again, # just means "make sure you are root before entering this command"

EDIT

Reading your post more carefully, I don't think you should need to be root to do that. Try using gmountman (Mount Manager) to mount the other partition. I can't remember if ti's installed as standard but to do so just

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#slapt-get -u
#slapt-get -i gmountman

[Salixified]

If that's what the instructions in the howto say, all those packages should be in the standard repos. You just need to run those commands as root.

Then those packages would appear in Gslapt, wouldn't they? I always enter the root password to get access to Gslapt and have no trouble. Only a few components of LXDE are listed, but not the whole DE, and not my favorite file manager.

It's probably not a good idea to add extra repos unless you know exactly what you are doing, and it certainly isn't necessary for this task (unless the instructions are telling you to). The reason it didn't work is because you need to be root:

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$su
[enter root password]
#slapt-get -u
...etc

Opened a terminal, entered

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$su

Got only the prompt, no password option. Entered it anyway, as instructed above. Nothing. Another prompt. Entered

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#slapt-get -u

"no such command."

Yes, I need to be root. But apparently the only way I can get to be root is by opening Gslapt, Sourcery, and a few other applications that offer a window for the root password. The terminal isn't one of them.

[mimosa]

Are you typing the $ and #? You don't need to type them - they are to indicate whether you are the ordinary user at that stage, or root. So (assuming you are not root) you should just type

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su

then you should be prompted for the root password.
Also, to *stop* being root, type

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exit

By the way, you might like to have a look at the user guide (there is a link on the Salix home page). Chapter four gives some tips on using the command line in Salix, and there's lots of other usful information for getting started with the distro.

I'd also suggest maybe sticking with xfce at first (or whichever Salix version you installed) to get used to things before trying to install a different graphical environment.

[Salixified]

That was it!

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su

and

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exit

was all I needed to know. The rest was easy, thank you very much! The only package missing is "lxde-common." Apparently even PCManFM was installed, so it must have been "in there" somewhere even though it doesn't show up in the list when Gslapt is opned. Nice to see Xournal in Sourcery too - an unexpected treat.

I was unsure of the documentation since the Startup Guide and other docs are for version 13.7, but I've obviously got some further reading to do. Thanks again for your help!

[mimosa]

The Salix 14.0 user guide is forthcoming, but I bvelieve it will just be a largely minor revision of the 13.37 guide. Most of what you find there should still apply.

Regarding lxde-common, I'm not sure, but it's probably just that the bits and pieces of lxde have been divided up differently. Some of those will bring a lot of stuff along that isn't explicitly mentioned.

There actually is a Salix LXDE edition, but I can't remember whether it was updated for 13.37. Anyway, you have installed it yourself now in 14.0!

[Salixified]

There actually is a Salix LXDE edition, but I can't remember whether it was updated for 13.37. Anyway, you have installed it yourself now in 14.0!

The latest LXDE edition of Salix is 13.37. If I really cared all that much about having LXDE I'd install it, but . Because of missing dependencies and whatnot, I have not successfully installed LXDE but it's just no big deal. It ain't like I need it to speed things up, that's for sure! Salix is so freakin' snappy and quick just the way it is. In fact this aging, hand-me-down computer is running faster with Salix than it ever has before, even faster than when I was running a minimal Ubuntu 9.04 with LXDE.

So later this afternoon I'll just un-install the little bits of LXDE that I'm not using and leave it alone. Knowing when to quit is a good Linux lesson too I guess. You've been very gracious and helpful, thank you!

A totally Salixified customer