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KDE Plasma 5
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 (KDE Frameworks), KDE Plasma combined with KDE Applications aims to deliver a desktop environment that is tightly integrated and visually consistent.
Funtoo Linux offers KDE Plasma 5, Applications and Frameworks.
The aim of this guide is to detail the steps required to complete a default installation of KDE Plasma 5 on x86 architectures. It assumes the initial completion of the Install guide.
To install the KDE SC 4 instead see the page KDE SC 4. Development of KDE SC 4 has mostly concluded.
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
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 GraphicsVIDEO_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"
More information on Localization can be found at Funtoo Linux Localization.
Emerge 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.
For KDE Plasma 5 the correct mix-in is "kde-plasma-5". DO NOT add "kde" instead of "kde-plasma-5" or add both at the same time - they are incompatible.
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.
Now KDE Plasma 5 can be merged.
This is performed by merging the package kde-plasma/plasma-meta. This will install the Plasma Desktop (KDE Plasma 5), KDE Applications and supporting libraries and services (KDE Frameworks, Qt, etc.).
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-plasma/plasma-meta
Once completed continue on to the next chapter to install one or more KDE Applications. If this is not desired then instead proceed to the chapter Configure and Start KDE Plasma.
Installing kde-plasma/plasma-meta alone will result in a minimal desktop environment (KDE Plasma 5). Several key features of a desktop environment such as multimedia (audio) controls, terminal emulator and file manager are NOT installed automatically with kde-plasma/plasma-meta.
Installing KDE Applications while optional is recommended.
Install KDE Applications
This section is in need of updates.
In addition to the Plasma Desktop the KDE Community also produces a number of applications. These KDE Applications are designed to ingrate well with the Plasma desktop, sharing the same underlying set of libraries and services (KDE Frameworks).
KDE applications appear in the Portage Tree under the group 'kde-apps'. Applications of a similar them have been grouped together into convenient 'meta-packages' to assist with installation. Currently the available KDE Applications meta-packages are:
| meta-package ebuild | description |
|---|---|
kde-apps/... | foo |
Once the final emerge has completed continue on to the next chapter to configure and start KDE Plasma.
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
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
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
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.
This concludes the basic installation of KDE Plasma on Funtoo Linux.
Troubleshooting
Applications Icons
This section is in need of updates.
(Following plasma-meta merge, default icons appear to use the Oxygen theme instead of Breeze)
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