Desktop, light setup

After installing the base system, here are instructions on how to get a desktop up and running quickly. The example provided shows how to get xdm login manager with JWM, but these examples should provide useful information for using other session managers or desktops.

Install

The input "pkg install xdm jwm xorg" is sufficient to install the programs for a running Desktop system.

Session manager set up

Basic session managers are XDM, WDM, and slim. KDM and GDM are other options for a not minimal system.

For session managers be sure to create the files .xinitrc and .xsession in the home folder. One of these files is needed to start a window manager from startx, and the other is needed to start a window manager from a session manager, otherwise the session manager will reload. .xinitrc and .xsession files are identical. Another version of these two files exists in /usr/local/etc/, but use the file in the home folder for custom changes. Be sure to add exec [window manager]. Do not add an & after this, only add a space and ampersand after programs that are meant to run and detach.

Example of both .xinitrc and .xsession files:

exec jwm

The slim configuration files are at /user/local/etc/. To enable slim add slim_enable="YES' to /etc/slim.conf. The old versions of slim could have their window manager configured in the file slim.conf under desktop session. Newer versions of slim require a *.desktop file that is specified in the location by slim.conf

Example of a *.desktop file: