GNOME and KDE... together?

[Wisp558]

Yes, you read the title right. I actually want to use BOTH! I think there should be a sticky outlining how to make the two desktop giants work together. But Until then, I have a few problems. But first, I should say... My systme started out as a clean Kubuntu install. After a while path I found the apt-get install ubuntu-desktop command and used it to install both GNOME and XFCE (though I haven't used it much yet...) . It is currently set using a GDM login screen, and I usually use GNOME as the default session. However, my problems are as follows...

1) The view ~/Desktop plasmoid in KDE lags like hell. It sucks, and I hate it. This is the primary reason I use GNOME over KDE as my default session.

2) Many Icons in the System Tray (Or whatever its called in KDE) have a white square around them, instead of being part of the bar... It looks ugly.

3) Firefox is my web browser. Period. It looks ugly in KDE. Any button just looks... intolerable, and check-boxes in the internet look bad too. I hate it. --solved

4) In GNOME, all the shortcuts from the KDE desktop plasmoid show up as icons, that do nothing. Aggravating. How do I make them disappear in GNOME, but stay in KDE.

5) How do I theme KDE apps to look nice in GNOME, and vice versa. I like the app selection about evenly down the middle. --Solved for GNOME in KDE

6) Is there any possible way I could implement the KMenu bar in GNOME? I really like it a lot more than Gnomes.

I really like them about equally, but a sticky, or just some answers to my questions would be very, very appreciated.

~Wisp

Also, I've attached a screenshot which shows what I mean about the check-boxes, and the white squares around the system tray items.

[MarblePanther]

to fix the firefox problem, go to appearances in kde and change the gtk settings from oxygen to a real gtk theme like glossy or something similar

i'm using kde 4.2 and gnome right now

edit: click on use another style instead of the use kde style option

[Wisp558]

Whoooo! Perfect. Exactly what I was looking for. You sir, earn a cookie.


Oh, and something I missed.

How do you change what the pointer looks like in KDE? Is it just part of a theme, or can you set it separately?

[MarblePanther]

Keyboard and Mouse in System Settings

[Wisp558]

Okay. I feel stupid. I can't believe I missed that. :facepalm:

[MarblePanther]

Oh, no I agree kde4 is confusing and cluttered

dont feel stupid

Gnome is so much easier to configure

I like aspects of both DE's though

[Wisp558]

KDE has everything in obscure places, but it has more. It should take a look at GNOME for ideas on how to make customization features easier to find... I like GNOME, because its simpler, and and also because its wireless assistant actually likes my card. Knetworkmanager doesn't like me.
(D-Link WUA-1340) But I'm not really annoyed at that, because the GNOME version works fine, and knet works great for other people.

Oh. Another thing... I run games in Wine, and a lot of them don't work quite as smoothly with compiz, so I made a script to change to metacity, and then check to see if the game process is running every 5 seconds or so... if it isn't running anymore, it runs compiz --replace again. Like so:

[CODE]
#!/bin/bash

metacity --replace
env WINEPREFIX="/home/wisp558/.wine" padsp wine "F:\Program Files\World of Warcraft\Launcher.exe"
null=""
string="`ps -A|grep WoW.exe`"
echo string=$string
while [ -n "$string" ]; do
sleep 5
string="`ps -A|grep WoW.exe`"
echo string=$string
done
compiz --replace &
[\CODE]

So, can I use an If then statement to check whether KDE or GNOME is running? What should I ps -A | grep for?

[MarblePanther]

You can install wicd to replace networkmanager (google wicd's main site and add their repo)

In kde go to System Settings, click the tab advanced and then go to autostart

uncheck networkmanager and add a script with shellscript wicd-client


Wicd is so much better for gnome and kde

I love it!


EDIT:

Here's a pic:

95575

[Wisp558]

note: I edited my last post... so... let it not be lost. I didn't realize Marble posted again.

Oh, and I'll try wicd.

[MarblePanther]

The best option for playing games (what i do) is login to fluxbox or icewm instead of gnome or kde. Works like a charm

edit: or if you like masochistic wm's you can use twm ;)

[Wisp558]

Yeah, but I'm a bit spontaneous. I like just clicking. I know I'm spoiled but... I have it running great in GNOME. (it being WoW)

[MarblePanther]

Idk, perhaps metacity or kwin

[Wisp558]

Hmm... but I'm usually running compiz, so wouldn't meta and kwin not be running?

Oh, and I installed wicd. works like a charm. I'll remember that. Thanks for the idea.

[Wisp558]

Oh, Here's my ps -A

wisp558@wisp558-desktop:~$ ps -A
PID TTY TIME CMD
1 ? 00:00:01 init
2 ? 00:00:00 kthreadd
3 ? 00:00:01 migration/0
4 ? 00:00:55 ksoftirqd/0
5 ? 00:00:00 watchdog/0
6 ? 00:00:00 migration/1
7 ? 00:00:27 ksoftirqd/1
8 ? 00:00:00 watchdog/1
9 ? 00:00:02 events/0
10 ? 00:00:01 events/1
11 ? 00:00:00 khelper
51 ? 00:00:00 kintegrityd/0
52 ? 00:00:00 kintegrityd/1
54 ? 00:00:01 kblockd/0
55 ? 00:00:00 kblockd/1
57 ? 00:00:00 kacpid
58 ? 00:00:00 kacpi_notify
143 ? 00:00:00 cqueue
147 ? 00:00:00 kseriod
193 ? 00:00:04 pdflush
194 ? 00:00:09 kswapd0
236 ? 00:00:00 aio/0
237 ? 00:00:00 aio/1
1188 ? 00:00:00 ksuspend_usbd
1189 ? 00:00:00 khubd
1246 ? 00:00:00 khpsbpkt
1378 ? 00:00:40 ata/0
1414 ? 00:00:01 ata/1
1482 ? 00:00:00 ata_aux
1873 tty9 00:06:49 Xorg
1904 ? 00:00:00 gnome-keyring-d
1914 ? 00:00:00 startkde
1976 ? 00:00:00 dbus-launch
1977 ? 00:00:01 dbus-daemon
1985 ? 00:01:18 scsi_eh_0
1986 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_1
1993 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_2
1996 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_3
2006 ? 00:00:00 knodemgrd_0
2017 ? 00:00:00 kdeinit4
2018 ? 00:00:00 klauncher
2020 ? 00:00:03 kded4
2025 ? 00:00:00 kwrapper4
2026 ? 00:00:00 ksmserver
2085 ? 00:00:00 nepomukserver
2086 ? 00:00:04 krunner
2088 ? 00:00:00 nepomukservices
2089 ? 00:00:00 nepomukservices
2090 ? 00:00:00 nepomukservices
2092 ? 00:00:57 plasma
2099 ? 00:00:00 kaccess
2122 ? 00:00:00 kmix
2127 ? 00:00:00 gconfd-2
2128 ? 00:01:54 python
2130 ? 00:00:05 emerald
2133 ? 00:00:48 alarm-clock
2134 ? 00:00:02 python
2135 ? 00:00:00 nm-applet
2139 ? 00:00:00 python
2141 ? 00:00:00 ksmserver <defunct>
2146 ? 00:00:06 knotify4
2147 ? 00:00:16 python
2148 ? 00:00:00 kblueplugd
2150 ? 00:00:00 klipper
2158 ? 00:02:02 amarokapp
2160 ? 00:00:01 notification-da
2171 ? 00:00:00 gvfsd
2172 ? 00:00:00 kdeinit
2177 ? 00:00:23 kjournald
2181 ? 00:00:00 dcopserver
2184 ? 00:00:00 klauncher
2187 ? 00:00:00 gvfs-fuse-daemo
2196 ? 00:00:01 kded
2213 ? 00:00:00 python
2340 ? 00:00:00 kio_file
2352 ? 00:00:00 udevd
2362 ? 00:00:00 knotify
2380 ? 00:00:00 ruby
4388 ? 00:00:35 mount.ntfs-3g
4392 ? 00:17:08 mount.ntfs-3g
4394 ? 00:00:00 kjournald
4666 tty4 00:00:00 getty
4667 tty5 00:00:00 getty
4672 tty2 00:00:00 getty
4673 tty3 00:00:00 getty
4674 tty6 00:00:00 getty
4851 ? 00:00:00 acpid
4904 ? 00:00:00 kondemand/0
4905 ? 00:00:00 kondemand/1
4978 ? 00:00:00 syslogd
5034 ? 00:00:00 dd
5036 ? 00:00:00 klogd
5059 ? 00:00:18 dbus-daemon
5081 ? 00:00:00 avahi-daemon
5082 ? 00:00:00 avahi-daemon
5128 ? 00:00:00 cupsd
5348 ? 00:00:02 nmbd
5350 ? 00:00:00 smbd
5391 ? 00:00:00 smbd
5421 ? 00:00:01 winbindd
5429 ? 00:00:00 winbindd
5440 ? 00:00:00 yum-updatesd
5469 ? 00:00:00 console-kit-dae
5613 ? 00:00:48 firefox
5623 ? 00:00:00 bluetoothd
5629 ? 00:00:00 btaddconn
5630 ? 00:00:00 btdelconn
5650 ? 00:00:00 krfcommd
5697 ? 00:00:00 nm-system-setti
5723 ? 00:00:00 gdm
5750 ? 00:00:00 system-tools-ba
5784 ? 00:00:00 atd
5812 ? 00:00:00 cron
5884 tty1 00:00:00 getty
6267 ? 00:00:00 evolution-data-
8727 ? 00:00:00 kio_file
10110 ? 00:00:00 loop0
12878 ? 00:00:00 gdm
13187 ? 00:00:00 evolution-data-
13413 ? 00:00:00 dbus-daemon
13415 ? 00:00:00 dbus-launch
13433 ? 00:00:00 kdeinit4
13434 ? 00:00:00 klauncher
13437 ? 00:00:00 kded4
13460 ? 00:00:00 kio_file
14810 ? 00:00:00 konsole
14812 pts/1 00:00:00 bash
15781 ? 00:00:25 rt73usb
16079 ? 00:00:00 wicd
16101 ? 00:00:00 wicd-monitor
16304 ? 00:00:00 sh
16305 ? 00:00:01 wicd-client
17006 ? 00:00:00 wpa_supplicant
17140 ? 00:00:00 dhclient
19002 ? 00:00:00 winbindd
19003 ? 00:00:00 winbindd
19306 pts/1 00:00:00 ps
25781 ? 00:00:00 gvfs-hal-volume
25783 ? 00:00:00 gvfs-gphoto2-vo
25785 ? 00:00:00 trackerd
27823 ? 00:00:57 artsd
29339 ? 00:00:03 hald
29340 ? 00:00:00 hald-runner
29365 ? 00:00:00 hald-addon-inpu
29394 ? 00:00:00 hald-addon-cpuf
29396 ? 00:00:00 hald-addon-acpi
29466 ? 00:01:12 hald-addon-stor
29830 ? 00:00:00 sh
29831 ? 00:00:00 compiz
29883 ? 00:00:38 compiz.real
30551 ? 00:00:00 kwalletd
31511 ? 00:00:00 pdflush
32079 ? 00:00:00 kwalletmanager


Sooo.... maybe klauncher, kinit, or plasma?

[MarblePanther]

all of those would be good choices since they have to be running, go with plasma

[Wisp558]

So... anyone have any ideas for the other problems I mentioned?

Is there a way to do in GNOME what Marble suggested I do in KDE with the GTK styles? That would make KDE more integrated into GNOME?

Also, as far as I found, I should use kdeinit (for the determining of whether KDE of GNOME is running)


As such...

Startkde Script

The KDE startup sequence starts with the startkde script. In most cases this script gets called from the display manager (KDM) once the user has been authenticated. There are two very important lines in the startkde script:

LD_BIND_NOW=true kdeinit +kcminit +knotify

and

kwrapper ksmserver $KDEWM

The first line starts the kdeinit master process. This process is used to start all other KDE processes. The arguments behind kdeinit are the names of additional services to be started. The + indicates that kdeinit needs to wait till the service has finished.

The second line asks kdeinit to start the ksmserver session manager process. The session manager determines the lifetime of the session. When this process exits, the user is logged out.


I found that on a website. So, kdeinit is THE master process that should definitively tell if KDE is running.

[Wisp558]

I've been working on the WoW script. It currently stands at


#!/bin/bash

string1="`ps -A|grep gnome-session`"
string2="`ps -A|grep plasma`"
if [ -n "$string1"]; then
metacity --replace
elif [-n "$string2"]; then
kwin --replace
fi
env WINEPREFIX="/home/wisp558/.wine" padsp wine "F:\Program Files\World of Warcraft\Launcher.exe" WINEDEBUG=warn-all
null=""
string="`ps -A|grep WoW.exe`"
echo string=$string
while [ -n "$string" ]; do
sleep 5
string="`ps -A|grep WoW.exe`"
echo string=$string
done
compiz --replace &


But it does nothing. I think there is something wrong in the string comparison. I'm a relatively new scriptor. Could someone please look it over or make suggestionss? Please?

Oh, and kdeinit is infact running on a GNOME session.

[Wisp558]

Ah, c'mon. surely SOMEONE has some more insight! Don't leave me hanging here!

[Wisp558]

Okay...bump?