LXSession

LXSession is a lightweight X11 session manager derived from XSM.

LXSession is the default X11 session manager of LXDE. (LXDE: Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment) http://lxde.sourceforge.net/

Though being part of LXDE, it's totally desktop-independent. It doesn't depend on any desktop environment, and has few dependencies. The goal of this project is to make a simple and clean a X11 session manager which isn't tight to any desktop environment.

We know that GNOME session by default loads GNOME, XFCE4 session by default loads XFCE, and what will LXSession load then? "It's all up to you." You can give it a list of applications you want to launch, including window manager and other components of a regular desktop environment should have. Then, give this combination a new name, and you can have "your own custom desktop environment" now.

At the end of this README file, there will be a tutorial telling you how to create your own new desktop environment. So, be patient.

By default LXSession ships with a set of config files giving you a new desktop environment called LXDE. When you choose LXDE in GDM, KDM, or simply execute startlxde in xinitrc, When launching, LXDE will load icewm (window manager), pcmanfm (file manager), and lxpanel (desktop panel).

This, of course, can be changed, but I guess users will be intrested in creating their own new customized DE.

Check these files with text editors to see how LXSession works. These files define a default session named LXDE:

/usr/share/xsessions/LXDE.desktop: Add an entry in GDM & KDM
/usr/bin/startlxde: Convinient script launching LXDE
/etc/LXSM-LXDE-Default: Default programs loaded when LXDE is started,
containing window manager, desktop panel...etc.

You can create your own desktop session and give it a new name. For example, let's create a new desktop environment called MyDE.

1. Copy /usr/share/xsessions/LXDE.desktop to
/usr/share/xsessions/MyDE.desktop
2. Edit MyDE.desktop with the text editor you like. Replace all LXDE
with MyDE, and replace startlxde with startmyde.
3. Copy /usr/bin/startlxde to /usr/bin/startmyde.
4. Edit startmyde with text editor, and again, replace LXDE with MyDE.
5. Copy /etc/LXSM-LXDE-Default to /etc/LXSM-MyDE-Default
6. Edit LXSM-MyDE-Default, and list the programs you want to launch when
MyDE gets started in the file. Note that you had better not remove
"smproxy" since this can make programs without session management
support supported by session manager.
7. Done. Logout to check if your DE appears in the menu of GDM or KDM.
If not, restart them. If you don't use display manager, you can add
startmyde to your xinitrc to see if it works.

Requirements:

• gtk+
• libsm (X session management)
• libice (Inter-client exchange)