KDE Plasma Desktop

KDE Plasma is a desktop environment developed by the KDE Community. KDE Plasma is based on the Qt framework. Funtoo Linux offers KDE Plasma together with a variety of Applications also from KDE. Through Qt and a common platform of libraries and services, KDE Plasma combined with KDE Applications aims to deliver a desktop environment that is tightly integrated and visually consistent.

Currently there are two versions of the KDE Plasma Desktop available for Funtoo Linux - Plasma 4 and Plasma 5.

KDE Plasma 4 was released in 2008 [1] and succeeded by Plasma 5 in 2014 [2]. Development of Plasma 4 ceased in 2015 [3].

This guide aims to cover the steps required to achieve a basic install of KDE Plasma on x86 architectures following the completion of the Install guide.

External Links:

KDE.org - www.kde.org

KDE Plasma Desktop - www.kde.org/workspaces/plasmadesktop/

KDE Applications - www.kde.org/applications/

Gentoo Linux Wiki - wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/KDE

Phoronix - "KDE Plasma 5.5: The Quintessential 2016 Review" - http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=kde-2016-review&num=1

Pre-Installation

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

=== Enabled Profiles: ===

        arch: x86-64bit
       build: current
     subarch: intel64-haswell
      flavor: core
     mix-ins: (not set)


=== All inherited flavors from core flavor: ===

                         minimal (from core flavor)

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

root # epro flavor desktop

=== Enabled Profiles: ===

        arch: x86-64bit
       build: current
     subarch: intel64-haswell
      flavor: desktop
     mix-ins: (not set)

>>> Set flavor to desktop.

Following a flavor change an update of Funtoo packages is required

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

   Tip

This command can be shortened 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 receive input (keyboard, mouse, joystick, etc.). Configuration is required for X11 to work with the video card on the target hardware. Use the Video guide to determine the appropriate VIDEO_CARDS entry for Funtoo Linux. With your favorite editor, edit make.conf to include the setting appropriate for the target video hardware.

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

VIDEO_CARDS="intel i965"

Now install the X Window System by merging the meta-package No results

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

Localization

To install KDE for a language other than English (United States) add an appropriate LINGUAS entry to /etc/portage/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.

Emerge KDE Plasma

Choose a version of KDE Plasma.

KDE Plasma 5

The Funtoo Profiles were earlier set to the desktop flavor. Now an additional mix-in profile is required to provide a smooth installation of KDE Plasma 5.

There are two KDE-related mix-ins available in Funtoo: kde and kde-plasma-5. The mix-in required for Plasma 5 is kde-plasma-5. Do NOT choose kde. Add the mix-in using epro

root # epro mix-in kde-plasma-5

=== Enabled Profiles: ===

        arch: x86-64bit
       build: current
     subarch: intel64-haswell
      flavor: desktop
     mix-ins: kde-plasma-5

>>> Added kde-plasma-5 mix-in.

This is the point to emerge KDE Plasma 5. This is performed by merging the package kde-apps/kde-meta:5 which include the Plasma Desktop and a variety of KDE Applications. Including the colon-5 without a space (:5) after kde-meta ensures that Plasma 5 (not 4) will be merged. Since the Profile has changed (added mix-in) the world set of packages must be updated as well. These actions can be performed in one step

root # emerge -auvDN --with-bdeps=y @world kde-apps/kde-meta:5

   Note

Versions of kde-apps/kde-meta for Plasma 5 are in the format 15.xx.x, for example kde-apps/kde-meta-15.08.3.

Once completed proceed to the chapter Configure and Start KDE.

Alternative - Plasma 4 (discontinued by KDE)

This chapter is for users wanting to install the older Plasma 4 desktop.

The Funtoo Profiles were earlier set to the desktop flavor. Now an additional mix-in profile is required to provide a smooth installation of KDE Plasma 4.

There are two KDE-related mix-ins available in Funtoo: kde and kde-plasma-5. The mix-in required for Plasma 4 is kde. Do NOT choose kde-plasma-5. Add the mix-in using epro

root # epro mix-in kde

=== Enabled Profiles: ===

        arch: x86-64bit
       build: current
     subarch: intel64-haswell
      flavor: desktop
     mix-ins: kde

>>> Added kde mix-in.

Now KDE Plasma 4 can be merged.

This is performed by merging the package kde-apps/kde-meta:4 which include the Plasma Desktop and a variety of KDE Applications. Including the colon-4 without a space (:4) after kde-meta ensures that Plasma 4 (not 5) will be merged. Since the Profile has changed (added mix-in) the world set of packages must be updated as well. These actions can be performed in one step

root # emerge -auvDN --with-bdeps=y @world kde-apps/kde-meta:4

   Note

The version of kde-apps/kde-meta for Plasma 4 is currently 4.14.3, not 15.xx.x.

Once completed proceed to the chapter Configure and Start KDE.

Configure and Start KDE

OpenRC

After the many packages have been merged portage will present a variety of post-install messages. A number of these will request that critical services are started first in order for KDE to work. Typically these are ALSA (No results), ConsoleKit (No results), DBus (sys-apps/dbus), and UDev (No results). Since the desktop flavor has been set CUPS (No results) will also be included.

Issue the following commands to set these essential services to start automatically via OpenRC (sys-apps/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 flavor and mix-ins. 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 the appropriate point to create a user account for use with KDE Plasma. The following example creates a user alice and associates that account with the Groups lp, lpadmin, plugdev, users, video and wheel. A home directory for the account alice will be created at /home/alice.

root # useradd -m -G games,lp,lpadmin,plugdev,users,video,wheel alice

Now set a password for alice

root # passwd alice

Starting KDE with a Display (Login) Manager

KDE Plasma 5

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

A few steps must first be completed in order for SDDM to work correctly . The first step is to create a configuration file for SDDM as one is not created automatically. Generate one using the following command

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

The configuration file now exists at /etc/sddm.conf. Edit this file with your favorite editor, changing the option 'Current' to be equal to 'breeze' - the KDE Plasma 5 default theme.

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

[Theme]
# Current theme name
Current=breeze

Next it is required to allow SDDM access the video hardware. This is achieved by adding the user sddm to the group video with the following command

root # gpasswd -a sddm video

SDDM is installed with support for ConsoleKit (No results) and Pluggable Authentication Modules (PAM). For these features to operate correctly edit the file /etc/pam.d/system-login and change the line

   /etc/pam.d/system-login

session    optional    pam_ck_connector.so nox11

by removing the part 'nox11'. It should now read

   /etc/pam.d/system-login

session    optional    pam_ck_connector.so

The final steps involve configuring OpenRC to load SDDM during startup.

Edit /etc/conf.d/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 SDDM/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 4

The default Display Manager for KDE Plasma 4 is KDM (kde-base/kdm), not SDDM.

To use KDM first edit /etc/conf.d/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 KDM/KDE from here with a simple command

root # rc

You should be presented with a graphical 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.

Next Steps?

This concludes the basic installation of KDE Plasma on Funtoo Linux.

For advanced installation options visit the individual package pages for KDE Plasma:

For KDE Plasma 5 see No results.

For KDE Plasma 4 (KDE SC 4) see kde-base/kde-meta.

Tips and Tricks

   Important

This section is in need of updates.

Install KDE Plasma 5 from an Alternative Repository (overlay)

An alternative installation method exists for KDE Plasma 5 which utilizes an external repository of KDE packages (separate to Funtoo Linux).

See KDE Plasma 5.

Change Desktop Effects

System Setting > Desktop Behavior > Desktop Effects

Enable the Application Dashboard in KDE Plasma 5

Unlock Widgets Right-click on Panel > Alternatives

Troubleshooting

Missing KCM in KDE Plasma 5

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