[lug] Gnome hidden panel

[D. Stimits]

One thing that might help is to know exactly where it is trying to find
that file. My RH 6.2 doesn't have .Xclients-default. But if you edit
your startx script (should be /usr/X11R6/bin/startx), you'll find it
sets several values for rc files. Generally it tries the home directory
version first. There are .xinitrc and .xserverrc files which can
override the system-wide defaults if in home directory; plus there are
the system-wide versions themselves. You might want to find the scripts
that are named in startx, and go to each in turn, to find out where it
is looking for .Xclients-default. Wherever that is, try putting one of
your others in place.

David Lewis wrote:
> 
> I did as suggested found /tmp/orbit-lewis and rm *
> There were no /tmp/.gnome or /tmp/.X11 so I looked around and found .gnome
> in lewis/.gnome  the is a file there
> named metadata.db has a 700 permission, that is
> -rwx------ for the uninitiated,  could that be where the problem is?  BTW,

Most files in /tmp/ should be deletable without problems (though I
wouldn't log in that particular user during the delete). I don't know if
the metadata.db is or not. If it was part of a gnome, or window manager,
or X setup, you should be able to delete it. Try opening it with vi and
search for "Xclients", see if it mentions it anywhere. And don't forget
you can always save a copy of anything you are test deleting, but be
sure you keep the original permissions (they matter in /tmp/).

> after rm * /tmp/orbit-lewis then rebooted and it still says  .Xclients
> cannot be found so it looks for
>  .Xclients-default and that is not there either.

Are you missing all Xclients, .Xclients, and .Xclients-default files? Do
an "updatedb" (takes a minute or so to run sometimes), then "locate
Xclients", see what is on the system. See if your user has permission to
access and read each one (vi is a good test).

> 
> David dbl at db-enterprises.com
> happy new year to all
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "D. Stimits" <stimits at idcomm.com>
> To: <lug at lug.boulder.co.us>
> Sent: Friday, December 29, 2000 3:49 PM
> Subject: Re: [lug] Gnome hidden panel
> 
> > You will find in /tmp/ there are some directories named after
> > orbit-username. If username is lewis, /tmp/orbit-lewis/. Try deleting
> > all /tmp/orbit-* directories. Same for all /tmp/.gnome*, /tmp/.ICE*,
> > /tmp/.X11*. Not something you'd want to do while X is running, but this
> > won't be a problem here :)
> >
> >
> > David Lewis wrote:
> > >
> > >     Lost my focus. I was originally writing about my panel being hidden
> in
> > > gnome. Then gnome went away and it wouldn't start when I did startx. I
> think
> > > the problem is still there, I still can't get to gnome. When .Xclient
> runs,
> > > it says the windows is already active and it doesn't start gnome. I
> still
> > > need to get into gnome and get the panel back so I can finish adding my
> > > printer, adding netscape, setting up a swap partition, and more using
> Linux.
> > > Thanks for the help, but we have to get back to the original problem.
> > >
> > > David dbl at db-enterprises.com
> > >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: "D. Stimits" <stimits at idcomm.com>
> > > To: <lug at lug.boulder.co.us>
> > > Sent: Thursday, December 28, 2000 2:43 PM
> > > Subject: Re: [lug] Gnome hidden panel
> > >
> > > > David Lewis wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > > From: "D. Stimits" <stimits at idcomm.com>
> > > > > To: <lug at lug.boulder.co.us>
> > > > > Sent: Saturday, December 23, 2000 10:18 AM
> > > > > Subject: Re: [lug] Gnome hidden panel
> > > > >
> > > > > > David Lewis wrote:
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > > > > From: "D. Stimits" <stimits at idcomm.com>
> > > > > > > To: <lug at lug.boulder.co.us>
> > > > > > > Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2000 7:56 PM
> > > > > > > Subject: Re: [lug] Gnome hidden panel
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > David Lewis wrote:
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > I am a newbie to your user group. I had a question and got
> hold
> > > of
> > > > > > > > > your group through the Computer Edge. I installed rehat 7.0
> and
> > > win
> > > > > > > > > me  on my 586 pc. Whole working in linux I hid the panel in
> > > Gnome
> > > > > and
> > > > > > > > > don't know how to make it visible again. Can anyone help
> me??
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > Thanks
> > > > > > > > > David B Lewis
> > > > > > > > > dbl at db-enterprises.com
> > > > > > > > > http://www.db-enterprises.com
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > I think the same panel you are talking about can be reached
> with a
> > > > > right
> > > > > > > > click on the desktop, and choose "Configure Background Image".
> If
> > > this
> > > > > > > > isn't the one, post here again.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > D. Stimits, stimits at idcomm.com
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > I tried startx it use to bring up Gnome with no panel. this time
> > > the
> > > > > msgs
> > > > > > > were
> > > > > > >   .Xclients: exec:
> > > > > > > no such file or directory
> > > > > > > waiting for Xserver to shutdown
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > I am not sure why startx did not start Gnome this time. I have
> been
> > > > > doing
> > > > > > > redhat linux 7 getting started guide
> > > > > > > Chapters 16 and 17.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > David <dbl at db-enterprises.com>
> > > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > There should be a file for RH 7 "Xclients" at
> /etc/X11/xinit/Xclients;
> > > > > > if it finds that, it should be enough. Generally the .Xclients
> would
> > > be
> > > > > > a per-user file placed in the home directory, and overriding the
> > > > > > system-wide Xclients. Though I notice there are also versions
> roughly
> > > > > > per window manager in /usr/share/apps/switchdesk/, e.g.,
> > > Xclients.gnome.
> > > > > > Do you have the Xclients.gnome (and maybe Xclients.toplevel)
> there?
> > > > > > Also, it would find one missing if it didn't have permission to
> read
> > > it.
> > > > > > If you are running startx other than root, use that non-root user
> and
> > > cd
> > > > > > to /etc/X11/xinit/, see if you can "cat Xclients"; same for
> > > > > > /usr/share/apps/switchdesk/Xclients.gnome and Xclients.toplevel.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > FYI, there are a lot of configuration programs that simply
> overwrite
> > > > > > config files. Especially upon installation of new software. The
> > > > > > /etc/X11/XF86Config file is notorious for getting its font path
> and
> > > some
> > > > > > other parameters replaced while changing something entirely
> different.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >  I checked all the files mentioned. I found all files except
> > > > > .Xclients-default that is why startx isn't working. Can I put it
> back?
> > > > >
> > > > > David
> > > >
> > > > My system (RH 6.2) doesn't have the .Xclients-default. It does have
> > > > /etc/X11/xinit/Xclients, which I believe is run at startup of X11, and
> > > > is something like a system-wide default. In the case of virtually
> every
> > > > settings file related to X11, there is a copy that runs for startup,
> and
> > > > possibly a copy for default use after up, that users would refer to,
> > > > unless they have their own copy in home. "Typical" is for it to check
> > > > the most personal/local to home version first, then work its way out
> > > > towards the more general version if the personal version is not found.
> > > > Thus it seldom hurts to place copies of such an init file in various
> > > > directories that might be searched, possibly with different
> > > > modifications. A sym link is often a good way to go if you want these
> to
> > > > all be the same and you want to edit just one. An exception to all
> this
> > > > is that sometimes there are "security" related files of which the
> values
> > > > cannot be overridden by individual versions. In the case of X init
> > > > files, I don't know which would be exceptions or not; in any case, you
> > > > could always place a copy there and test it out without fear. Be sure
> > > > that the files have permission to be read by whatever users, and can't
> > > > be written by non-root if they are not owned by the particular user.
> > > > During testing you might want to just make all init files readable by
> > > > all (of the Xclients files), but don't forget where they were set
> before
> > > > you started.
> > > >
> > > > You might also want to get the source to your X install, unpack it
> > > > somewhere temporary, and see what its Xclients files look like. Better
> > > > have some hard drive room though.
> > > >