# I built the CDE desktop, how do I link it into the logon menu?



## Michael Faklis (Sep 6, 2016)

Using FreeBSD 10.3, I was able to complete the build of CDE, using the procedure found at
https://sourceforge.net/p/cdesktopenv/wiki/FreeBSDBuild/.

I hit a wall in step 10
./installCDE -s** /path/to/**cdesktopenv-code/cde

* I don't know what this /path/to/ should be.
* I also don't know what X display manager (xdm, sddm, ...) is being used in FreeBSD 10.3.
* I don't recognize xdm or sddm configuration, so it must be something else.
* I'd like to know how to get CDE listed as one of the window desktops, along with kde,  Then when the user selects CDE, what is the linkage to the startcde file?
I tried tracking down the linkages for kde, but I could not find what I needed.
Would someone point me to the documentation I need to reference?

I use the term linkages to describe the sequence of events and what causes the invocation of the next event.


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## acheron (Sep 7, 2016)

/path/to is where your sources are located.
There are no window manager installed by default on FreeBSD.
You need to create a desktop entry to choose cde in kdm/gdm: https://sourceforge.net/p/cdesktopenv/wiki/Createxsession/
I don't know what a linkage is.


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## Michael Faklis (Sep 7, 2016)

acheron said:


> /path/to is where your sources are located.
> There are no window manager installed by default on FreeBSD.
> You need to create a desktop entry to choose cde in kdm/gdm: https://sourceforge.net/p/cdesktopenv/wiki/Createxsession/
> I don't know what a linkage is.



I meant to ask what "X Display Manger" is used in the default install of FreeBSD 10.3.  In my install of FreeBSD 10.3 from an ISO image, I selected KDE as the Window Manager, but I could not determine what X Display Manger is used to invoke KDE after I log onto the X Windows logon screen.


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## SirDice (Sep 7, 2016)

Michael Faklis said:


> I meant to ask what "X Display Manager" is used in the default install of FreeBSD 10.3.


Nothing. There is no default, it's up to you to decide what to use.



> I selected KDE as the Window Manager, but I could not determine what X Display Manger is used to invoke KDE after I log onto the X Windows logon screen


KDE's display manager is KDM. But KDE works just as well with GDM (Gnome's Display Manager).


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## kpedersen (Sep 7, 2016)

I think the nicest way is using the display manager provided by CDE.

In /usr/rc.local add something like:


```
/usr/dt/bin/dtlogin
```

If not, in your .xsession file (if using xdm) or .xinitrc (if using startx) you can add something like:


```
/usr/dt/bin/dtsession
```

You might need to tweak paths and things but should be something to get you started.

FYI, X11 comes with a display manager called XDM (though provided by a separate package) which is kinda close to FreeBSD's "official" display manager because it is referenced by /etc/ttys in base (a feeble reason, I know )


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## SirDice (Sep 7, 2016)

kpedersen said:


> FYI, X11 comes with a display manager called XDM (though provided by a separate package) which is kinda close to FreeBSD's "official" display manager because it is referenced by /etc/ttys in base (a feeble reason, I know )


It's probably more a relic from the "good old days" of XFree86 

Traditionally XDM (X Display Manager) and TWM (Timeless Window Manager) were part of one big XFree86 package. Xorg is based on XFree86, just a bit more modernized (some would argue not modern enough).


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## Michael Faklis (Sep 8, 2016)

I need xdmrc access in my LAN, so I will install either xdm or kdm.


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## kpedersen (Sep 11, 2016)

I assume you mean XDMCP? Then yeah xdm or kdm will be fine but you might also like to look into SSH/X11 forwarding or VNC. Less complicated to set up and often more secure, especially if VNC is tunnelled through SSH.

That said, the official CDE login manager (dtlogin) also supports xdmcp if you have issues with kdm or xdm.


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## Michael Faklis (Sep 11, 2016)

kpedersen said:


> I assume you mean XDMCP? Then yeah xdm or kdm will be fine but you might also like to look into SSH/X11 forwarding or VNC. Less complicated to set up and often more secure, especially if VNC is tunnelled through SSH.
> 
> That said, the official CDE login manager (dtlogin) also supports xdmcp if you have issues with kdm or xdm.



I manage my personal LAN of various headless OS images.  I haven't been able to connect using tightVNC, but that's likely my learning curve.  As far as I read VNC requirs operator intervention on the targeted machone inorder to authorize the connect to the workstation.  That's not easy to do with headless machines.  XDMCP (and its' varients) allows me to authenicate via the XDMCP configuration file, so I can connect to the target machine from my worksttion without manual intervation on the target machine.

I'm testing interactions and communications between various operating systems from withing my own sandbox LAN.  I mastered XDKRC and its' varients long ago.  VNC is new to me, and I havent sucessfully made a connection yet.


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