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  • LightDM and .dmrc

    From Nicolas George@21:1/5 to All on Thu Jan 30 10:20:01 2025
    Hi.

    I just ran the following tests with lightdm (and the default Gtk
    greeter, but the same issue seems to be happening with slick and
    arctica. Please see below for a summary:

    - type login utest
    - select fvwm in menu
    - type password
    - fvwm session opens
    - log out
    - `~utest/.dmrc` contains `Session=fvwm`
    - type login vtest
    - select gnome in menu
    - type password
    - gnome session opens
    - log out
    - `~vtest/.dmrc` contains `Session=gnome`, `~utest/.dmrc` unchanged
    - type login vtest
    - do not touch the menu
    - type password
    - gnome session opens

    - update `/etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf` with `greeter-hide-users=false`
    - both `.dmrc` contain `Session=gnome`
    - select utest in users list
    - select fvwm in menu
    - type password
    - fvwm session opens
    - select vtest in users list
    - the menu icon immediately switches to a gnome foot
    - type password
    - gnome session opens
    - log out
    - select utest in users list
    - the menu icon immediately switches to a wrench
    - type password
    - fvwm session opens

    - `dpkg-reconfigure gdm3` and select gdm3
    - select utesst in users list, select fvwm, type password, log out
    - select vtesst in users list, select gnome, type password, log out
    - check `.dmrc`
    - select utest in users list, type password
    - fvwm session opens

    So, in short, and in reverse order:

    With gdm3, users are logged into the kind of session they used last.

    With lightdm with users list, same.

    With lighdm and the default config of hidden users list, users are
    logged into the kind of session chosen by the last person who chose one.

    The behavior of lighdm without users list seems invalid. Do you agree? I
    want to check before submitting a bug report.

    By the way, if somebody already has a comparison of DMs… I am looking
    for one where the screen background is well exposed for our nice
    backgrounds and lets users choose their session types without forcing
    one on them.

    Regards,

    --
    Nicolas George

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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  • From Nicolas George@21:1/5 to All on Thu Jan 30 11:10:01 2025
    didier gaumet (12025-01-30):
    (Warning: I've never really tried to modify the LightDM setup and I
    presently use gdm3)

    Perhaps you will find answers on the GIT page of LightDM (section "Configuration"): https://github.com/canonical/lightdm?tab=readme-ov-file#configuration

    and on this page which details all LightDM possible options: https://github.com/canonical/lightdm/blob/main/data/lightdm.conf

    Thanks, but I have already read the example configuration file, it
    contains the exact same information.

    user-session is not set in Debian LightDM setup: if you want the default session to be the last, perhaps you can try assigning "last" value to it (I don't know, I have tried it)

    No effect.

    That would have been rather surprising, in fact: why should the behavior
    be different if users list is shown or not.

    Regards,

    --
    Nicolas George

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Loris Bennett@21:1/5 to Nicolas George on Thu Jan 30 12:10:01 2025
    Nicolas George <[email protected]> writes:

    [snip (32 lines)]

    I want a display manager that
    (1) does not try to display a list of users, there are thousands;
    (2) lets users choose their session type, remembers the choice and takes
    it into account;
    (3) has a eye button to see the password being typed.

    It seems (1)+(2) are too much to ask, except for Gnome where just (1) is
    too much ask.

    Regarding (1) for Gnome, does the recipe described here

    https://help.gnome.org/admin/system-admin-guide/stable/login-userlist-disable.html.en

    not work? If not, how does it fail?

    [snip (3 lines)]

    Cheers,

    Loris

    --
    This signature is currently under constuction.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Nicolas George@21:1/5 to All on Thu Jan 30 11:20:01 2025
    Nicolas George (12025-01-30):
    So, in short, and in reverse order:

    With gdm3, users are logged into the kind of session they used last.

    With lightdm with users list, same.

    With lighdm and the default config of hidden users list, users are
    logged into the kind of session chosen by the last person who chose one.

    The behavior of lighdm without users list seems invalid. Do you agree? I
    want to check before submitting a bug report.

    I have tried all the display managers listed in this page:

    <https://wiki.debian.org/DisplayManager>

    - lightdm does not take `~/.dmrc` into consideration unless users list
    is shown;

    - sddm, slim, wdm do not take `~/.dmrc` into consideration at all;

    - xdm does not take `~/.dmrc` into consideration and does not let users
    choose;

    - gdm3 uses some kind of windows-like registry for its configuration and
    the documented way to disable the users list
    <https://help.gnome.org/admin/system-admin-guide/stable/login-userlist-disable.html.en>
    has no effect;

    - lxdm is not in Trixie.

    I want a display manager that
    (1) does not try to display a list of users, there are thousands;
    (2) lets users choose their session type, remembers the choice and takes
    it into account;
    (3) has a eye button to see the password being typed.

    It seems (1)+(2) are too much to ask, except for Gnome where just (1) is
    too much ask.

    I know how to work around the lack of (2), but it is ugly.

    Regards,

    --
    Nicolas George

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Nicolas George@21:1/5 to All on Thu Jan 30 13:20:01 2025
    Loris Bennett (12025-01-30):
    Regarding (1) for Gnome, does the recipe described here

    https://help.gnome.org/admin/system-admin-guide/stable/login-userlist-disable.html.en

    not work? If not, how does it fail?

    Just a few lines later in the mail you are replying to:

    - gdm3 uses some kind of windows-like registry for its configuration and
    the documented way to disable the users list
    <https://help.gnome.org/admin/system-admin-guide/stable/login-userlist-disable.html.en>
    has no effect;

    --
    Nicolas George

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)
  • From Loris Bennett@21:1/5 to Nicolas George on Thu Jan 30 14:20:01 2025
    Nicolas George <[email protected]> writes:

    Loris Bennett (12025-01-30):
    Regarding (1) for Gnome, does the recipe described here

    https://help.gnome.org/admin/system-admin-guide/stable/login-userlist-disable.html.en

    not work? If not, how does it fail?

    Just a few lines later in the mail you are replying to:

    - gdm3 uses some kind of windows-like registry for its configuration and >>> the documented way to disable the users list
    <https://help.gnome.org/admin/system-admin-guide/stable/login-userlist-disable.html.en>
    has no effect;

    Sorry, my bad. Nevertheless I assume it may well be possible, since
    there other suggestions about how to do it, such has here:

    https://fostips.com/hide-user-login-screen-fedora-manjaro/

    However, if the method given on help.gnome.org does not work, that does
    not engender confidence and having had some trouble with 'gconf-editor'
    several years ago, I would only want to fiddle GDM via 'dconf-editor' on
    a test system for fear of locking myself out.

    --
    This signature is currently under constuction.

    --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
    * Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)