KDE Plasma Desktop

   Warning

User:Tassietux This page is work-in-progress!

Introduction...

(see kde.org, wikipedia, etc.)

Versions

KDE SC 4

The KDE Software Compilation 4...

(e.g. KDE Plasma 4, KDE Platform, Applications)

KDE Software Compilation 4 is the most stable version of the KDE desktop environment. Many 3rd-party packages support KDE SC 4. It is the recommended version to install.

KDE Plasma 5

KDE Plasma 5 desktop environment...

(e.g. Plasma 5 desktop, KDE Frameworks, KDE Applications)

   Warning

While KDE Plasma 5 is maturing, several KDE applications are yet to be migrated to KDE Frameworks 5. Combining KDE Plasma 5 with KDE SC 4 packages may be problematic. 3rd-party packages that claim support for KDE may remain broken until updated to support Plasma/Frameworks 5. Proceed with caution.

Installation

Preparation

The following instructions are written for a new installation of Funtoo Linux performed using the Install guide.

Funtoo Profiles

Correctly setting Funtoo Profiles is required to install KDE. Review the selected profiles using epro.

root # epro show

The recommended flavor for KDE is desktop. This can be selected with the following command.

root # epro flavor desktop

With the flavor has been set to desktop, update Funtoo with the following command.

root # emerge --ask --update --verbose --deep --newuse --with-bdeps=y @world

   Tip

This command can be shorted to

root # emerge -auvDN --with-bdeps=y @world

Install the X Window System

KDE requires the X Window System (X11) to present graphics (video) and the use of input devices (keyboard, mouse, joystick, etc.). Configuration is required in order for X11 to work with your particular video card. Use the Video guide to determine the appropriate VIDEO_CARDS entry for your install of Funtoo Linux. Using your favorite editor, edit make.conf to include the setting that you wish to apply.

   /etc/portage/make.conf - example for Intel HD Graphics

VIDEO_CARDS="intel i965"

Now install the X Window System with the following command.

root # emerge --ask ---verbose x11-base/xorg-x11

Optional: To install KDE for a language other than English (United States) add an appropriate LINGUAS entry to make.conf.

   /etc/portage/make.conf - Example for English (United Kingdom)

LINGUAS="en_GB"

   Tip

More information on Localization can be found at Funtoo Linux Localization.

Choose a KDE Installation

There are several variations to choose from.

KDE SC 4

This will provide the most 'complete' KDE desktop environment.

Earlier you set your Profiles to use the desktop flavor. Now you must add a mix-in in order to ensure the smooth installation of KDE. There are two KDE-related mix-ins available in Funtoo: kde and kde-plasma-5.

   Important

A mix-in for KDE Plasma 5 - kde-plasma-5 - is currently not available as validation testing is still ongoing. See FL-2373. (4-Nov-2015)

The mix-in required for KDE SC 4 is kde. Do NOT use kde-plasma-5. Add the mix-in using epro

root # epro mix-in kde

You are now ready to install KDE SC 4. With the Profile change (added mix-in) you must update the world set of packages, as well as merge KDE. This can be performed as two separate commands

root # emerge -auvDN --with-bdeps=y @world

followed by

root # emerge --ask kde-base/kde-meta

or alternatively in one line

root # emerge -auvDN --with-bdeps=y @world kde-base/kde-meta

Once completed proceed to the chapter Configure and Start KDE.

KDE Plasma 5

This will result in a minimal desktop environment based on KDE Plasma 5. Additional packages will need to be installed manually in order to provide a 'complete' desktop environment.

Earlier you set your Profiles to use the desktop flavor. Now you must add a mix-in in order to ensure the smooth installation of KDE. There are two KDE-related mix-ins available in Funtoo: kde and kde-plasma-5.

   Important

A mix-in for KDE Plasma 5 - kde-plasma-5 - is currently not available as validation testing is still ongoing. See FL-2373. (4-Nov-2015)

The mix-in required for KDE Plasma 5 is kde-plasma-5. Do NOT use kde. Add the mix-in using epro

root # epro mix-in kde-plasma-5

You are now ready to install KDE SC 4. With the Profile change (added mix-in) you must update the world set of packages, as well as merge KDE. This can be performed as two separate commands

root # emerge -auvDN --with-bdeps=y @world

followed by

root # emerge --ask kde-plasma/plasma-meta

or alternatively in one line

root # emerge -auvDN --with-bdeps=y @world kde-plasma/plasma-meta

Unlike the KDE SC 4 meta-package (kde-base/kde-meta) merging kde-plasma/plasma-meta on its own does not install additional core applications such as a file manager or terminal emulator. The following KDE Applications 5 are available in Funtoo Linux

• kde-apps/dolphin (File Manager for KDE Plasma desktops)
• kde-apps/kate (An advanced text editor for KDE)
• kde-apps/konsole (KDE's terminal emulator)

Merge these using one command

root # emerge --ask kde-apps/dolphin kde-apps/kate kde-apps/konsole

   Tip

At the time of writing this guide there are a small number of KDE meta-package ebuilds available to introduce several KDE Applications 5 applications.

Example:

root # emerge --ask kde-apps/kdeadmin-meta kde-apps/kdemultimedia-meta kde-apps/kdetoys-meta

KDE Plasma 5 with KDE SC 4 packages

This combines the KDE Plasma 5 desktop with compatible KDE SC 4 packages.

   Warning

Updating an existing KDE SC 4 installation to KDE Plasma 5 may be problematic. This method is not recommended. Please consider a clean installation. Proceed with caution.

Earlier you set your Profiles to use the desktop flavor. Now you must add a mix-in in order to ensure the smooth installation of KDE. There are two KDE-related mix-ins available in Funtoo: kde and kde-plasma-5.

   Important

A mix-in for KDE Plasma 5 - kde-plasma-5 - is currently not available as validation testing is still ongoing. See FL-2373. (4-Nov-2015)

The mix-in required for KDE Plasma 5 (combined with KDE SC 4 ebuilds from kde-base/kde-meta) is kde-plasma-5. Do NOT use kde. Add the mix-in using epro

root # epro mix-in kde-plasma-5

You are now ready to install KDE SC 4. With the Profile change (added mix-in) you must update the world set of packages, as well as merge KDE. This can be performed as separate commands

root # emerge -auvDN --with-bdeps=y @world

followed by

root # emerge --ask kde-base/kde-meta

and

root # emerge --ask kde-plasma/plasma-meta

Alternatively the above commands can be combined into one:

root # emerge -auvDN --with-bdeps=y @world kde-base/kde-meta kde-plasma/plasma-meta

Once completed proceed to the chapter Configure and Start KDE.

Configure and Start KDE

OpenRC

After the many packages have been merged there will be a variety of post-install messages. Some of these request that critical services must be started in order for KDE to work. Typically these are ALSA (media-libs/alsa-lib), ConsoleKit (sys-auth/consolekit), DBus (sys-apps/dbus), and UDev (sys-fs/eudev). If the desktop flavor has been set then CUPS (net-print/cups) will also be included.

As a minimum execute the following series of commands to start services automatically via OpenRC

root # rc-update add alsasound boot
root # rc-update add cupsd default
root # rc-update add consolekit default

DBus is usually started when these services start.

UDev is usually rebuilt during an install of KDE due to changes in USE flags from changing Profile. To accommodate changes it is best to restart the service.

root # /etc/init.d/udev --nodeps restart

   Tip

Do not confuse the UDev package eudev (sys-fs/eudev) with evdev! evdev is the generic input device driver for the X Window System (x11-drivers/xf86-input-evdev)!

Create a User Account

Now is a good point to create a user account in addition to root. The following example creates a user alice and associates that account with the Groups games, ld, ldadmin, plugdev, users, video and wheel. A home directory for the account alice will be created at /home/alice.

root # useradd -m -G games,ld,ldadmin,plugdev,users,video,wheel alice

Now set a password for alice

root # passwd alice

Starting KDE with a Display (Login) Manager (Recommended)

KDE SC 4

The default Display Manager for KDE SC 4 is KDM (kde-base/kdm).

To use KDM edit the configuration file for xdm (x11-apps/xdm) with your favorite editor, updating the DISPLAYMANAGER entry to equal 'kdm'

   /etc/conf.d/xdm

DISPLAYMANAGER="kdm"

Now add xdm to the default runlevel of OpenRC.

root # rc-update add xdm default

The display manager KDM should appear at the end of computer boot. To avoid an unnecessary restart you can launch KDE from here with a simple command

root # rc

You will be presented with a login screen. Input devices (mouse, keyboard) should be working at this stage. Logging in will take you to the KDE Plasma desktop of KDE SC 4.

KDE Plasma 5 with SDDM (Recommended)

The recommended Display Manager for KDE Plasma 5 is SDDM (x11-misc/sddm). Installing KDE Plasma 5 with the kde-plasma-5 mix-in will install SDDM.

A configuration file for SDDM is not created automatically. Create one using the following command

root # sddm --example-config > /etc/sddm.conf

A configuration file now exists - /etc/sddm.conf. Edit this file with your favorite editor, changing the option 'Current' to be equal to 'breeze'.

   /etc/sddm.conf - Change the line Current=

[Theme]
# Current theme name
Current=breeze

To use SDDM edit the configuration file for xdm (x11-apps/xdm) with your favorite editor, updating the DISPLAYMANAGER entry to equal 'sddm'.

   /etc/conf.d/xdm

DISPLAYMANAGER="sddm"

Now add xdm to the default runlevel of OpenRC.

root # rc-update add xdm default

The display manager SDDM should appear at the end of computer boot. To avoid an unnecessary restart you can launch KDE from here with a simple command

root # rc

You will be presented with a login screen. Input devices (mouse, keyboard) should be working at this stage. Logging in will take you to the KDE Plasma 5 desktop.

KDE Plasma 5 with LightDM

(details)

Without a Display (Login) Manager

Starting KDE automatically at login

(details)

Starting KDE manually from a terminal

KDE can be launched from a terminal with the command

root # startkde

Tips and Tricks

Desktop Effects

System Setting > Desktop Behavior > Desktop Effects

Enable the Application Dashboard in KDE Plasma 5

Unlock Widgets Right-click on Panel > Alternatives

Useful packages

app-cdr/k3b

net-firewall/ufw + kde-misc/kcm-ufw

kde-misc/yakuake

NetworkManager frontends

Troubleshooting

Package Blockers

(with kde-base/kde-meta + kde-plasma/plasma-meta)

Blank Screen with SDDM

root # gpasswd -a sddm video

KDE Plasma 5 desktop crashes over VNC

Requires a OpenGL-capable viewer.

Missing KCM in KDE Plasma 5

kde-misc/kcm-ufw has not been updated to work with KDE Plasma 5.

Combining KDE mix-ins with others

(Details) (Category:Official Documentation ?)