MX Linux Forum

Posted: **Fri Apr 20, 2018 1:37 am**

Hi everyone .

As the title may suggest , i would like to try and install LXQt desktop on MX , mostly as a learning exercise , probably on a usb stick with persistence , and experiment on it .

I was inspired by Dolphin Oracle's videos on Mate Desktop , plus the LXQt desktop is an interesting , lightweight proposition , and in my opinion , close to the ethos of antix-MX.

I have a couple of questions before i embark on this .
First ,is it a good idea to start with MX , add lxqt , and work backwards removing xfce packages , or , in the way dolphin oracle illustrated , start with antix base and add packages ?

Second , besides all the lxqt packages i found on the repos , and openbox window manager (the designated lxqt window manager ) are there anymore packages anyone can suggest , so as to achieve a functional desktop ?

Any help on this would be appreciated
Best Regards

Posted: **Fri Apr 20, 2018 2:22 am**

I've done an antiX+ xfce but it doesn't bring in the MX tools and MX updater. I added the mx repo and installed MX updater but it doesn't seem to be working on its own, as in if I leave it alone for a long time, it doesn't seem to run an update check. So the empty box icon never turns green on its own. I've changed mirrors a few times with no success. If I do an apt update in terminal, only then are updates detected and the icon turns green. Plus the login screen (desktop manager) is the antiX one (slim??) and not lightdm. Network connection also uses different programs from MX.

Of course, I'm not an expert so I started with antiX full and not the base version. I'm sure someone more knowledgeable could have built up a proper xfce version much better from base.

But my point is that you might want to start from MX and install lxde or lxqt, if you want MX tools and MX's identity. From there you can decide what you don't want.

Depends what you want.

Posted: **Fri Apr 20, 2018 6:24 am**

Thank you for replying .
You do make a good point , that maybe the best course of action is to start with MX and work my way backwards .
In fact there are many MX tools i'd like to keep ,so this is the way to go for now .

I'll get back on this as soon as i start and with ,hopefully , some screenshots

Best Regards

Posted: **Fri Apr 20, 2018 10:43 am**

Ok , here is a couple of screenshots

I 'm using kde breeze icons and widget style.
Problems so far .
I cannot bind app menu to super key through keyboard shortcuts. I guess the easy fix would be to use ksuperkey.
There is inconsistency in icons (as evidenced by the panel icons for wireless and battery.),and some app menu icons are missing
And i cannot start the window manager tweaks app to change the window decorations .

Well that's it for now . I will keep loooking on how to resolve these issues , and get back soon.

Best Regards

Posted: **Fri Apr 20, 2018 10:57 am**

Images don't show you can use Screenshot to post images on Imgur for example and then link them in post (screenshot programs actually gives you the code)

Posted: **Fri Apr 20, 2018 11:42 am**

A lot of the customization in mx tweak is based on commands for Xfce. You'll have to use the lxde appearance settings menu.

Posted: **Fri Apr 20, 2018 12:11 pm**

@ Adrian i posted the images using imgur link . Right click on the image presents a " show image " option. I had to install lximage-qt , so that i could take screenshots in lxqt.
You are right about the screenshot tool in mx(xfce) but in the new DE it was not working so i uploaded the images to Imgur ,took the provided link and posted .

@ asqwerth I was not aware of this ,thanks . I will add it and work my way from there .

I will get back as soon as i have news .

Best Regards

Posted: **Fri Apr 20, 2018 12:43 pm**

I've started with MX and added MATE and it went pretty well. Last year I installed the LXQt version of Fedora. I was nice, but felt too incomplete for me. I think it has great promise though and it really has just gotten started. Next to Xfce, the MATE desktop is my favorite. Both are lightweight and both feel like full-fledged desktops.

Posted: **Fri Apr 20, 2018 12:44 pm**

Ah, OK, I meant inserting them in the post like this (I think it didn't work for you because the imgur link you used was a bit different):

Posted: **Fri Apr 20, 2018 1:04 pm**

Icons:
If you're using LXQT instead of LXDE, you might want to try the Papirus icons because the set is very comprehensive and also works well with KDE. I think they've got all the appropriate symlinks to the correct Plasma locations, so maybe it'll also work better with LXQT? But this is just a guess.

Superkey and keybindings:
I don't know if xdotool might help. I have used it to trigger events on a mouseclick rather than a keyboard click. Not sure if it works for the latter.

Posted: **Fri Apr 20, 2018 1:06 pm**

asqwerth wrote:...added the mx repo and installed MX updater but it doesn't seem to be working on its own, as in if I leave it alone for a long time, it doesn't seem to run an update check. So the empty box icon never turns green on its own. I've changed mirrors a few times with no success. If I do an apt update in terminal, only then are updates detected and the icon turns green...

I took a look at this, it looks like I need to add anacron as a dependency, it's not a problem in MX because it's already installed by default, but it's not in antiX.

I also found a problem that some of the /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/ files didn't get installed, though that might be because of how I'm installing the apt-notifier package. I don't have an actual install of antiX, on the LiveUSB I have a /antiX/deb/ folder with the apt-notifier .deb and the .debs of it's dependencies (and now also anacron), which installs the apt-notifier package during the LiveUSB boot, but not everything seems to get completely configured, I found I needed to run `sudo dpkg --configure -a` in the terminal after getting to the desktop. It adds the following files (and maybe some others).

demo@antix1:~
$ ls -l /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/
total 25
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 769 Sep 13 2017 01autoremove
-r--r--r-- 1 root root 1907 Mar 17 12:43 01autoremove-kernels
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 870 Apr 20 12:24 02periodic
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 164 Jan 21 2015 20apt-show-versions
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 80 Dec 11 2016 20auto-upgrades~
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 4259 Apr 20 08:23 50unattended-upgrades
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 756 Apr 20 12:24 51unattended-upgrades-mx
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 182 May 21 2017 70debconf
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 224 Feb 7 2017 99-update-menus
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 276 Feb 7 2017 99-update-slim

Either of these commands also seem to fix problem with the missing /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/ files.

Code: Select all

sudo dpkg --configure apt-notifier

OR

Code: Select all

sudo bash /var/lib/dpkg/info/apt-notifier.postinst configure

I was planning on releasing a apt-notifier update this weekend, so with it I'll also add anacron as a dependency. There might still be some configuration issues though.

Posted: **Fri Apr 20, 2018 1:18 pm**

oooooooh..... I'll test this out over the weekend.

Thanks!

Posted: **Fri Apr 20, 2018 3:11 pm**

@rover, Your image links do not work, Imgur links do work. I use linked bbcode from their site by copying it directly from the side panel that shows with your image page.
This is an image posted in that fashion.

Posted: **Sat Apr 21, 2018 5:06 am**

@ richb Sir thank you for pointing this out to me . I apologize for any inconvenience i may have caused . Please understand that posting directly from imgur is uncharted territory for me , and this procedure escaped me completely .

Best Regards

Posted: **Sat Apr 21, 2018 5:31 am**

@ asqwerth My understanding is , and maybe i'm wrong , that xdotool simulates keystrokes via the terminal . In fact , i 've used it a few months ago , as part of a script to launch and minimize an app. If you can , please provide an example on how it can apply in this case.
I find that the ksuperkey approach is easier , at last for me , because i install it , run the command in terminal to activate , and add it to startup ,job done !

I found a solution for the window manager tweaks issue i had , with a package called obconf-qt , so now i can change window decorations.

I wiil try your icon pack suggestion and let you know how it went .

Best Regards

Posted: **Sat Apr 21, 2018 5:46 am**

I don't have an example, since I was just throwing ideas into the mix.

I use "xdotool key ctrl+alt+d" command as part of my bl-hotcorners settings to trigger "show desktop" in one corner of the screen. I was just wondering, since you had a problem with the superkey being bound to the menu, whether some other way could be found to trigger the menu.

Posted: **Sat Apr 21, 2018 6:19 am**

kmathern wrote:
asqwerth wrote:...added the mx repo and installed MX updater but it doesn't seem to be working on its own, as in if I leave it alone for a long time, it doesn't seem to run an update check. So the empty box icon never turns green on its own. I've changed mirrors a few times with no success. If I do an apt update in terminal, only then are updates detected and the icon turns green...
I took a look at this, it looks like I need to add anacron as a dependency, it's not a problem in MX because it's already installed by default, but it's not in antiX.

I also found a problem that some of the /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/ files didn't get installed, though that might be because of how I'm installing the apt-notifier package. I don't have an actual install of antiX, on the LiveUSB I have a /antiX/deb/ folder with the apt-notifier .deb and the .debs of it's dependencies (and now also anacron), which installs the apt-notifier package during the LiveUSB boot, but not everything seems to get completely configured, I found I needed to run `sudo dpkg --configure -a` in the terminal after getting to the desktop. It adds the following files (and maybe some others).... [SNIP]

Either of these commands also seem to fix problem with the missing /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/ files.
Code: Select all
sudo dpkg --configure apt-notifier
OR
Code: Select all
sudo bash /var/lib/dpkg/info/apt-notifier.postinst configure
I was planning on releasing a apt-notifier update this weekend, so with it I'll also add anacron as a dependency. There might still be some configuration issues though.

Well, I installed anacron from antiX's repos, but I had to refresh the repos before installing said package, so apt-notifier icon turned green anyway, so I won't be able to test whether the notifier will now run update checks on its own, until the next round of antiX updates.

BTW, I don't keep the MX repos enabled all the time, just in case it messes with the antiX packages.

I did check and my antiX /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/ folder already had the files you said were missing for you (but yours is a live running system).

Posted: **Sat Apr 21, 2018 10:25 am**

@ asqwerth Ok i see . Thank you

Best Regards

Posted: **Thu Apr 26, 2018 12:50 pm**

O.k. an update on the subject

So i was able to find window decorations for openbox in
https://www.box-look.org/browse/cat/140/ord/latest/

and complete this part of the theme

It also helps to install lxappearance , from lxde , but this a workaround that (as well as a number of other issues ) will be addressed by version 1.0

Concluding this experiment, lxqt needs some refining , but it's an interesting proposition , and well worth revisiting.

Best Regards

Posted: **Thu Apr 26, 2018 9:04 pm**

LXQt is one of the most interesting DE's. I sometimes worry that Gnome will do something really stupid with GTK and cause downstream problems. If so, having a lightweight QT desktop will be nice.

Posted: **Tue May 01, 2018 4:16 am**

@KBD Respect to you sir , for using GNOME !!
Personally , i like KDE ,been using it for a year (on KDE Neon) , alongside my MX machine , and i 'm more than happy with both .
As you said lxqt is an interesting proposition, for low end hardware ( i did my testing on a 1GB Dell Mini 9 ) , without significant compromise in usability ,or customisability .
In a later date i will revisit lxqt , and try to set it up with mostly lightweight Qt Apps ( like Qupzilla/Falkon browser , for example)
Sorry for late reply .

Best Regards

Posted: **Tue May 01, 2018 12:41 pm**

rover wrote:@KBD Respect to you sir , for using GNOME !!
Personally , i like KDE ,been using it for a year (on KDE Neon) , alongside my MX machine , and i 'm more than happy with both .
As you said lxqt is an interesting proposition, for low end hardware ( i did my testing on a 1GB Dell Mini 9 ) , without significant compromise in usability ,or customisability .
In a later date i will revisit lxqt , and try to set it up with mostly lightweight Qt Apps ( like Qupzilla/Falkon browser , for example)
Sorry for late reply .

Best Regards

rover, I'm very interested in Qt, and KDE is looking quite awesome lately. I have tried to like Gnome, and even put up with it as my DE for awhile, but one should not have to 'put up' with a DE but should enjoy it :) My two favorite desktops are Xfce and MATE, though I worry about both as I'm hearing gtk3/4 is adding bloat that can then gets passed on to other DE's based on it, which is making Qt and the desktops made from it look more appealing. Even when I have the hardware to run DE hogs like Gnome I still prefer lighter desktops though I want then to be fully functional like Xfce.
We have an advantage with Debian that it can make even heavy desktops not as bad because it is such a light OS.

Posted: **Wed May 02, 2018 2:59 am**

@KBD I can only provide my personal experience ,and opinion , on the matter , so here goes .
In its current version(5.12.4.) kde can hold it's own ground against the two commercial OS's ( and for the sake of discussion i use windows 10 , as well , so i am able to make direct comparisons ) .

Ram Management is very good (400-450 mb , on startup , in a vanilla installation , on my system , with kmail runing in the background i get around 700-750 mb , a number i find very acceptable , as i use it on a low power 4gb ram machine.

Does it have faults ? Well software is not infallable , but as it evolves there are fewer things to complain about . I guess i could say that for someone at first glance , settings can seem unneccesarily complex, but on the other hand, there is not a single aspect that cannot be tweaked.
One thing i would like to see return , would be dolphin root actions( removed by developers for security reasons , and you have to open a terminal instead , but that is another matter)

I could go on for pages on this, but in the end it comes down to what any user will decide to do , and as you can understand i 'm more than happy with my choice.

XFCE is the reliable tool that is always there , always works , giving you peace of mind , and that is a pricelless feature!
Mate is an excellent choice as well i 've used for a while , but eventually it was the integration of services that drew me to kde.
I genuinelly extended my respect to you for using gnome ! I know some will swear by it , and that's o.k , it just wasn't for me , one of the main reasons beeing high ram usage ( 1-1.5 gb of ram on the testing i did , which is windows 10 level usage for me).

Hope i've helped you with this post , please feel free to ask ,if you 'd like any other details , i'll gladly reply .

Best Regards

Posted: **Wed May 02, 2018 10:43 am**

@KBD One thing i forgot to mention and had another look at . Debian's Plasma version is 5.8 . I wish they would allow at least the newest LTS Plasma (5.12.0) , because there are aeons of distance between the two versions , in stabillity and features .

A Debian (MX) base and a fresh Plasma version , imagine what a cracker that would be !!!

Best Regards

Posted: **Wed May 02, 2018 12:13 pm**

Rover, I began Linux with KDE on MEPIS11, so it won me over early. But for awhile after that it kind of got left behind and looked dated next to Gnome2. Now it is the other way around. None of the Buntu's looked remotely interesting to me except Kubuntu out of the 18.04 releases and I have it installed on one of my desktop computers and will likely install it on a Thinkpad I bought on ebay.
Xfce has been, and still is, my 'go to' desktop that just works with no drama. I agree, it would be interesting to see MX with a fresh Plasma version on it :)

Posted: **Thu May 03, 2018 12:55 pm**

@KBD I'm sure you'll enjoy it

. Oh , don't forget , although i'm sure you have already , to add the kubuntu-backports repository , so you can follow plasma updates.

Best Regards

Posted: **Thu May 03, 2018 3:47 pm**

rover wrote:@KBD One thing i forgot to mention and had another look at . Debian's Plasma version is 5.8 . I wish they would allow at least the newest LTS Plasma (5.12.0) , because there are aeons of distance between the two versions , in stabillity and features .

A Debian (MX) base and a fresh Plasma version , imagine what a cracker that would be !!!

Best Regards

We have one report of a user adding NeptuneOS's repository to get KDE 5.12 with success. If I manage to respin MX 17.1 with KDE 5.8, after that I'll try upgrading it to 5.12 and see if I can respin that one.

Another lightweight desktop is the new Enlightenment 0.22 backport we have in the test repo.

Posted: **Thu May 03, 2018 5:36 pm**

rover wrote:@KBD I'm sure you'll enjoy it . Oh , don't forget , although i'm sure you have already , to add the kubuntu-backports repository , so you can follow plasma updates.

Best Regards

Thanks for the heads up about the Kubuntu backports!

Posted: **Thu May 03, 2018 5:38 pm**

Stevo wrote: We have one report of a user adding NeptuneOS's repository to get KDE 5.12 with success. If I manage to respin MX 17.1 with KDE 5.8, after that I'll try upgrading it to 5.12 and see if I can respin that one.

Another lightweight desktop is the new Enlightenment 0.22 backport we have in the test repo.

Thanks Stevo! Would be interested in trying that respin :)

Posted: **Fri May 04, 2018 11:46 am**

@ Stevo , thank you for the enlightenment DE suggestion . Surely , i 'll have a look into that as well!

By the way , the other day , before embarking on the LXQT experiment , i had a look into installing plasma in MX , and saw that the version is 5.8.6 , which is older than the LTS version (5.8.8 , and even that recently received a security update to 5.8.9 ) .
I hope this information can help you in setting up the Plasma respin . I 'll look forward to use it .

Best Regards

Posted: **Fri May 04, 2018 11:50 am**

@KBD Glad i could help !
Best Regards

Posted: **Fri May 04, 2018 12:00 pm**

rover wrote:@KBD Glad i could help !
Best Regards

Thanks! Keep us posted if you spend more time with LXQt down the road. That is one I'm going to enjoy seeing develop over time.

Posted: **Fri May 04, 2018 2:29 pm**

Same here. Not that I don't like Xfce but I can't wait to see further MXQt(!) development.

Posted: **Tue May 08, 2018 11:03 am**

@KBD @cyrilus31 Sorry for the late reply guys . Sure ,will do , as soon as i pick up my experiment again .
So stay tuned !
And from what i've seen ,in the thread that Stevo mentions in his post , discussion included lxqt as well , but in a level much higher than any knowledge i have .
So something good may come out of my unsientific ,novice approach after all

!
Best Regards

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