Starting window manager from non gui login prompt arch Linux

Hi I am Rupesh from India and I have a system with Intel i3 10th generation processor and a crt monitor. I have installed Arch Linux along with windows 11. At present current kernel version is 6.1.

Everything is working fine I mean I am able to login using sddm display manager into kde plasma and gnome desktop environments and do some work. Yesterday I have installed window managers like awesome, black box etc., Some of these window managers like awesome have an entry in sddm but others like blackbox don't have.

Now my requirement is I want to use blackbox, aewm and so upon booting process has been completed and seeing sddm display manager I have pressed Ctrl alt F2 and I got command line login prompt and I have entered my username and password and after that I have entered command blackbox but I am getting errors.

Upon entering the commands of window managers like blackbox aewm I am getting errors as

can't open display check your DISPLAY variable

After that I have exported display variable to screen 0 and issued same command as before but I am getting error as "Invalid MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1 key".

I am showing whole process as below.

Arch Linux 6.1# login
password

$ aewm++
can't open display check your DISPLAY variable

$ export DISPLAY=:0
$ aewm++
 Invalid MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1 key
can't open display check your DISPLAY variable

The same thing is happening when I issue the command startplasma-x11.

Kindly try to suggest how to set display variable properly and are there any things to do inorder to use other window managers which does not have an entry in sddm display manager.

May I know how to add an entry for blackbox in sddm display manager ie., how to create a file in /usr/share/xsessions.

If you can't suggest everything atleast try to refer a small manual or link in internet so that I can follow.

Regards,
Rupesh.

This error happens if you are changing the value of the DISPLAY environmental value in a profile file. The fix is to remove the change from the profile file.

The DISPLAY variable is set during login to where the key is put. Changing it after login causes it to access the wrong/missing key.

Hi at present I am able to launch window manager from tty2 as

startx /path/to/window/manager/name

May I know how to make monitor display resolution as 1024*768 to all desktop environments and window managers. At present each and every time when I login to a desktop environment or window manager the default resolution is 800*600. Each and every time I have to change resolution using tools such as arandr or monitor settings.

Another issue is as I am using sddm display manager and my system has 3 users added. Each and every time when my system gets booted it shows only one user which was created during installation. I mean it can't remember and show last user login.

To change the display resolution for all desktop environments and window managers, you can try the following steps:

  1. Open the terminal and enter the command xrandr. This will show you the available resolutions for your monitor.
  2. To set the resolution to 1024x768, enter the command xrandr -s 1024x768. This should change the resolution to 1024x768.
  3. If you want to set this resolution permanently, you can create a script with the xrandr command and set it to run at startup.

To make the display manager (SDDM) remember and show the last user login, you can try the following:

  1. Open the SDDM configuration file by entering the command sudo nano /etc/sddm.conf
  2. Find the line Session= and change it to Session=plasma.desktop (or the name of the desktop environment you are using).
  3. Find the line RememberLastSession=false and change it to RememberLastSession=true
  4. Save the file and exit.

This should make the display manager remember and show the last user login.

Hi may where to place the command "xrandr -s 1024*768".

I mean in which startup scripts like ~/.xinitrc or ~/.bashrc etc.,

Some people from arch Linux forum suggested to configure kms.

Well, @chatgpt was clear it seems that you can easily run this script at startup (or at login, or anywhere you wish, really).

Unless you are not familiar with startup scripts and where they are located and how to use them, I don't think you need to ask this follow-up question in a forum (this forum or any forum).

If you do not understand about startup scripts, please advise.

It really depends on you @rupeshforu3 as to where and how you wish to add this to your system. Most people experiment with a few different places (or more than one place if it pleases them).

So, I think our team member @chatgpt gave the best advice, to be honest.

A per-user x-command can be placed in the (executable!) user's .xinitrc (in the user's home directory).
Create it if not present.
This is traditionally used by commands like startx.
Some Linux distros have .xprofile(?)

Even a global xinitc or Xinitrc might exist that is run for all users.
A general setting that is done by sddm can be placed in a file like
/usr/share/sddm/scripts/Xsetup

Also the X-server process (Xorg?) might have a setting (xorg.conf?).

Consult the man pages:

man sddm
man sddm.conf
man xinitrc

Or google for them, e.g. for
man xinitrc arch linux

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