Since I don’t keep up with the mail lists, I noticed these two Desktop install options are completely different from earlier openSUSE…
Both LXDE and LXQT are omitted as default options in the DVD install.
When online repositories are enabled, only Enlightenment appears as a new Desktop option. LXDE, LXQT and Mate do not show up as new Install options.
For anyone who wants to install these now “demoted” Desktops, the following is the best I can find for right now. You should
Select to install with online repositories(recommendation but may not be necessary for some Desktops),
Select “Minimal X” for your Desktop option,
When the Installation Summary displays, click on “Software” and select the Desktop pattern you want.
Finally, as always if you installed using the DVD and did not select to use online repositories, <always> finish up by updating your system
zypper up
Result:
The result of the above when I install LXQT is a hybrid of the LXQT Desktop apps and the MinimalX login and menu system. Changing the Display manager does not have any effect on trying to make this a completely LXQT system (tried lxdm and lightdm). If you install Mate or other alternative Desktops after selecting MinimalX as the default Desktop does not change anything. Have not yet experimented with removing MinimalX from the initial Install.
Although nothing can be done for the DVD now, I suspect if this is a bug it will be fixed when online repositories for installation is selected in the future.
A revised recommendation to properly display a graphical login screen…
Select to install with online repositories(recommendation but may not be necessary for some Desktops),
Select “Server - Text Mode” for your Desktop option,
When the Installation Summary displays, click on “Software” and perform the following
3a. Find the “Server Functions” then “Generic Server” item, rt-click and select “Do not Install”
3b. Select your desired Desktop pattern
Click the “Accept” button for your Software selections and continue.
I performed the above on a DVD offline install and found that the LXDE pattern was available. To make the Mate, LXQT and perhaps future other Desktops available, you need to install from online sources.
I seem to remember seeing LXDE when installing from the DVD (without added repos). But I could be misremembering. I agree that there wasn’t an LXQT, but there never has been.
I installed KDE, Gnome and XFCE during install, and added LXQT and MATE later. (What’s the use of a computer if you cannot play around with a variety of desktops?)
FWIW,
I haven’t found a way to install a brand new 42.2 with a properly working LXDE, LXQT or Mate using the DVD, the workaround(s) I posted earlier in this thread result in a number of imperfections which affect the User experience and have unknown long range consequences.
Hope the above post about using the Network Install does work (will try that).
Otherwise, the only method I have found that works is to install 42.1 with the desired Desktop, then upgrade to 42.2… with the additional caution to as always check to make sure you have sufficient free space. Already, I borked one attempt (corrupting the XFS home directory but not the entire fs on that partition) which will need extensive effort to attempt a repair (This experience revealed to me that checking and repairing XFS is not next to trivial like how EXT4 has come to be) or simply re-build.
Nope, it looks like the Network Install Desktop selections are no different than the DVD (even with online repos enabled which I would think should have been automatic for a Network Install).
Unless you’re a seasoned LXDE or LXQT User, you may not notice the differences between what happens with a current 42.2 install and installs on previous versions of openSUSE. Just because you might not see any errors doesn’t mean that your Desktop is installed properly.
So, for now as I posted above
If you want these Desktops you should install in a previous version of openSUSE and upgrade to 42.2 to get the proper “User experience.”
Unless someone can suggest <exact steps> to installing one of these Desktops directly into 42.2.
I feel if this was an intentional move it is a shame as LXDE and Mate are useful on lower specced machines. It is, of course possible to install them aftterwards but in my opinion not ideal if you don’t want all the extras that others have pulled in. ie I like to keep my install clean and simple.
On 11/25/2016 07:36 PM, Penguinclaw wrote:
>
> I feel if this was an intentional move it is a shame as LXDE and Mate
> are useful on lower specced machines. It is, of course possible to
> install them aftterwards but in my opinion not ideal if you don’t want
> all the extras that others have pulled in. ie I like to keep my install
> clean and simple.
>
>
It’s been a while since I did a fresh install (using TW) but can’t those
changes be made from the install “summary” screen. You can modify what
packages are being installed at that point. Seems a little more simple
then installing an older version and doing a dup.
–
Ken
linux since 1994
S.u.S.E./openSUSE since 1996
But from an average user point of view only XFCE is offered as an alternative DE from KDE and Gnome. Would they know or have the skills necessary to find what they were after? openSUSE only offers the DVD and net-install; which they probably wouldn’t want and is indeed not recommended for new installs…
So from an end user, usability point of view things aren’t as great
On a side note I notice that there is a small openSUSE based distro called GeckoLinux, that offers alternative live DE’s to try and install. Never tried it, but an interesting idea.
On 11/26/2016 09:26 AM, Penguinclaw wrote:
>
> kensch;2801743 Wrote:
>>
>>
>> It’s been a while since I did a fresh install (using TW) but can’t those
>> changes be made from the install “summary” screen. You can modify what
>> packages are being installed at that point. Seems a little more simple
>> then installing an older version and doing a dup.
>>
>> –
>> Ken
>> linux since 1994
>> S.u.S.E./openSUSE since 1996
>
>
> But from an average user point of view only XFCE is offered as an
> alternative DE from KDE and Gnome. Would they know or have the skills
> necessary to find what they were after? openSUSE only offers the DVD and
> net-install; which they probably wouldn’t want and is indeed not
> recommended for new installs…
I agree, but if we post about such options here they will be indexed by
search engines and become available to new users searching for options.
–
Ken
linux since 1994
S.u.S.E./openSUSE since 1996
In all seriousness though I do think that we do have the best distro that is balanced for Newbies and Experienced users. With KDE and Gnome we are very well catered for which in some ways is unique for a distro (to put such effort into both of those desktops). I tried Leap 42.2 Gnome last night on my low specced laptop and I am really impressed with the performance and look
I always use the netinstall ISOs (they are identical to the DVD only smaller because you pull everything from the internet) and IIRC you could choose LXDE, too, from the “Other” desktop options on 42.1, not so in 42.2. Strange. Maybe because LXDE is moving towards LXQT. No idea but it is indeed a pity for newcomers.
OK,
I can now recommend a sequence for installing non-default Desktops not listed by the installer in New Installations.
**
This a stop-gap workaround** for now until the regular installer supports all the missing Desktops.
The only problem that remains is that the graphical login page is still the MinimalX IceWM which doesn’t support a number of options including switching between Desktops. But, if you only want the one Desktop and can’t wait for a proper installer, the following procedure looks like you’ll get a 100% Desktop experience once you’ve logged in. The alternative for now is what I recommended a few posts ago, which is to install your LEAP 42.1 with your Desktop of choice, then upgrade to 42.2… In <only> that case will you get <everything> 100%.
New recommended procedure that results in a fully working Desktop except for a Desktop login,
Note special steps needed for LXQt which itself is currently faulty (bug submitted already)
Applies to Desktops like Mate, Enlightenment and likely Cinnamon which curiously is available only as a package install and not as a pattern like all other Desktops.
A normal DVD (or network) install but do the following steps…
Select online sources
When selecting a Desktop, select “Server”
When Installation Summary displays, click on “Software”
When software selection displays, the default window is “Pattern”
Select the pattern for your desired Desktop. If you select “LXQt” then also select “LXDE.” The LXQt pattern is missing Display and Window managers the app menu specification and numerous recommended applications all of which the LXDE pattern can provide. A quick inspection of the Patterns spec suggests no other Desktop is similarly faulty.
Click on the “Details” button
Click on the Search tab
Type “minimal” in the input text box and then click on the Search button
Rt-click on “minimal base” and select “Do not install”
Click on the green “OK” button to lock in your selections and then verify your selections.
Continue your installation by clicking on the Install button
If anyone knows how the graphical login page is selected, please post.
This is an oddity I’ve noticed through several versions of openSUSE (The graphical login page is always set by the original Desktop install and never changes).
A also recently discovered that simply selecting a Display Manager in YAST (or other method) does not throw an error when that Display Manager or Window Manager is not installed, so you can be misled by simply selecting something… After selecting a Display Manager for the first time, you should always verify it’s also installed using Zypper or YAST software manager.
Note that my solution to the “minimal base” pattern is to uninstall it which makes perfect sense (It’s required only when running a Text only or MinimalX openSUSE). There is a new pattern called “minimal base conflicts” in the 42.2 notes which I have no idea why it exists since previous openSUSE installed and ran perfectly fine without it. Maybe it enables a text-only Server configuration to exist side by side with an installed graphical Desktop, but wouldn’t the same thing be accomplished by simply booting to text mode?