starting window manager from non gui login prompt arch Linux

rupeshforu3

Disciple
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

Code:
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.

Code:
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.
 
Stop the SDDM - "systemctl stop sddm"
create the file ".xinitrc" in your home directory with the below content
"exec <full path to window manager>"

This is the way I used to do it. Also please read this
 
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.
 
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