An awesome app called Qingy (Part 1)

[antipop]

Ok, if I log using a qingy terminal and start KDE I artsd (KDE sound server) cannot open /dev/dsp (permission denied). Starting with the usual getty make it works.
I guess that must be a pam problem: any help?

I'm having the same problem using Qingy to log into XFce4 and running XMMS. I tried starting xmms as root and I got sound again.

Edit: I got sound working by placing my username into audio group

[fgarbrecht]

Aaaargh! I put in the /etc/directfbrc file and on bootup I get this:

(*) parsing config file ' /etc/directfbrc' .
framebuffer_mode.c <665>
(#) DirectFBError [DirectFBCreate (&dfb)]: Not supported!
INIT: Id "c1" respawning too fast: disabled for 5 minutes

So it sits for 5 minutes, tries again and gives the same message, except that now its
INIT: Id "c2" respawning too fast: disabled for 5 minutes

and on and on....

Anyone seen this, know why or what do do?

Thanks
Fred

[Chickpea]

What mode did you use in the /etc/directfbrc? My guess would be that perhaps the right mode isnt being used for the video card?

mode=1024x768 (or whatever you use)

[fgarbrecht]

I used mode=1024x768 which is the mode I've always used.

[tomaw]

It's unfortunate that the author is using a copyrighted work from digitalblasphemy.com. He even stripped out the digitalblasphemy line from the bottom-right and doesn't even extend credit to the author. Bah.

Perhaps worth droping a note to the folks at digitalblasphemy?

Would it not be far better to drop a note to the offending author first and give him the chance to put it right and contact digitalblasphemy himself?

Tom

[s4t4n]

First, allow me to introduce myself. I'm Michele Noberasco, author of qingy. I also think this is my first post on the forums...

It's unfortunate that the author is using a copyrighted work from digitalblasphemy.com. He even stripped out the digitalblasphemy line from the bottom-right and doesn't even extend credit to the author. Bah.

Perhaps worth droping a note to the folks at digitalblasphemy?

No need to do that: I removed the offending images from qingy web site. Shouldn't have put them there at all, though. My fault.

[s4t4n]

I dont use a joy stick so I cant help you there.

You are speaking of after you have logged in using quingy right?

yes.. After I log in using qingy no applications are able to use my joystick. The error I get is something like "Cannot open /dev/js0"

But if I log in normaly ( without running qingy ) all my applications will use the joystick.

I don't know what to tell here, as I don't own a joystick. I believe it could be related to PAM authentication. Maybe I got something wrong there. Same goes for non root kde sound support. I did notice this, but didn't relate it qo qingy until now. I'll investigate...
Of course I would have known nothing if not for this forum

[s4t4n]

I haven't actually set this up yet(been too busy) but I do have everything installed and the initab edited, just haven't been home yet. However, is there a way to look your desktop without using xscreensaver or something and have it just go back to qingy but only allow the locked user the ability to login? Kinda how you lock a windows machine where it locks it but takes it basically to your login screen.

Right now, there is not such a feature, but it is already planned. I was thinking about something slightly different than what is stated above:
- allow user xxx to lock his session
- any user can log in into the system (using another vt running qingy)
- when switching to the vt locked by xxx, reauthentication is required
Suggestions? Better ideas?

[s4t4n]

IWBCMAN WROTE

The background image appeared inside that box -yet the rest of the screen had no background-and when I moved the mouse over it I eneded up with unerasable mousetrails and the text would overwrite itself until becomming utterly illegible. So I mucked and mucked around until I figured out what was going on. My solution was to create a /etc/directfbrc

Hey you copied me That was my solution too. Works very nice. I am so obsessed with the program now. I have been experimenting making themes etc...I wish I was an artist and could make my own wallpapers and art etc.

currently I have borrowed my favorite gdm theme: crystal rose. It is so wonderful...

and yes, it is fast and takes up less of a memory footprint.

If this apparently works for everyone here, I will add it to qingy documentation and web site...

[s4t4n]

Aaaargh! I put in the /etc/directfbrc file and on bootup I get this:

(*) parsing config file ' /etc/directfbrc' .
framebuffer_mode.c <665>
(#) DirectFBError [DirectFBCreate (&dfb)]: Not supported!
INIT: Id "c1" respawning too fast: disabled for 5 minutes

So it sits for 5 minutes, tries again and gives the same message, except that now its
INIT: Id "c2" respawning too fast: disabled for 5 minutes

and on and on....

Anyone seen this, know why or what do do?

Thanks
Fred

Are you sure your card is supported by DirectFB (and not just console framebuffer)? Do the directfb test and example programs work? If not so, you might try using vesa framebuffer...

[ksuther]

I did the initial setup and it works...sorta. It draws all over the screen and doesn't completely draw over my old framebuffer splash. When I try to select what session I want to run, going up and down over them causes the options to draw over each other, so I have no idea what session I'm logging into.

Any idea?

[ZeroDivide]

I don't know what to tell here, as I don't own a joystick. I believe it could be related to PAM authentication. Maybe I got something wrong there. Same goes for non root kde sound support. I did notice this, but didn't relate it qo qingy until now. I'll investigate...
Of course I would have known nothing if not for this forum

Nice work on qingy Noberasco! It seems like directfb is taking hold of the joystick device and not letting any other apps connect but im no expert, or maybe you shouldn't smoke that stuff next time..

[s4t4n]

I did the initial setup and it works...sorta. It draws all over the screen and doesn't completely draw over my old framebuffer splash. When I try to select what session I want to run, going up and down over them causes the options to draw over each other, so I have no idea what session I'm logging into.

Any idea?

As already posted before, you should try creating file /etc/directfbrc containing this line: "mode=1024x768". Substitute 1024x768 with your actual framebuffer resolution. Again, if this works I'll put it into the docs.

[ksuther]

As already posted before, you should try creating file /etc/directfbrc containing this line: "mode=1024x768". Substitute 1024x768 with your actual framebuffer resolution. Again, if this works I'll put it into the docs.

Ah, thank you I don't know how I missed that reading the thread.

[cybe]

Great program... Happened to wonder the other day if there is such a program since its a bit disturbing with two different logins, and the Qingy approach is the right one...

Noticed that screen doesn't seem to work because of Qingy, it gives me this:


Cannot open your terminal '/dev/tty2' - please check.


Also, the mouse isn't working for me, I can move the pointer a few pixels, then it dissapears...

As for suggestions for further development, probably no new ideas: non graphical mode, more customizabilty options...[/quote]

[maw]

Well, it's a nice little program. The default theme's text is very hard to read against the background, but I'll do my own theme for it anyway at some point to match my bootsplash.

Some suggestions for future enhancement though:

- don't echo password characters, even as masked - a normal getty login doesn't echo at all, and this is the way I prefer it, then nobody knows how long your password is unless they're good at keyboard watching
- make the session choice mouse-interactive, a drop-down list or something, although I suspect you may have to code that from scratch. It would be helpful though
- please let enter navigate from the username field to the password field, then enter in password field to attempt login. Please!!!!

[FastTurtle]

I haven't actually set this up yet(been too busy) but I do have everything installed and the initab edited, just haven't been home yet. However, is there a way to look your desktop without using xscreensaver or something and have it just go back to qingy but only allow the locked user the ability to login? Kinda how you lock a windows machine where it locks it but takes it basically to your login screen.

Right now, there is not such a feature, but it is already planned. I was thinking about something slightly different than what is stated above:
- allow user xxx to lock his session
- any user can log in into the system (using another vt running qingy)
- when switching to the vt locked by xxx, reauthentication is required
Suggestions? Better ideas?

Sounds like someone wants to use vlock which is setup to lock a virtual console.

[Chickpea]

Some suggestions for future enhancement though:

- don't echo password characters, even as masked - a normal getty login doesn't echo at all, and this is the way I prefer it, then nobody knows how long your password is unless they're good at keyboard watching
- make the session choice mouse-interactive, a drop-down list or something, although I suspect you may have to code that from scratch. It would be helpful though
- please let enter navigate from the username field to the password field, then enter in password field to attempt login. Please!!!!

I like those ideas except I DO like the password echoing. Really there is only me who uses the machine and i supposed it doesnt matter.

Perhaps give an option to those who dont like the echoed passwords so that those of us who still like it can keep it.

[maw]

Maybe. As long as I can turn it off, I'm happy.

I think I can do a patch to make Enter in the username field behave like I want to. The source code is quite pleasantly easy to read

[maw]

Oh, when Qingy is told to shut down or reboot, I get part of my console background back (the border around the actual text box), but the text area remains black and I can't see the output of shutdown. I believe hiding the output is intentional, but it would be nice if it somehow managed to avoid getting part of the bootsplash redrawn on top of it.

[s4t4n]

Well, it's a nice little program. The default theme's text is very hard to read against the background, but I'll do my own theme for it anyway at some point to match my bootsplash.

Some suggestions for future enhancement though:

- don't echo password characters, even as masked - a normal getty login doesn't echo at all, and this is the way I prefer it, then nobody knows how long your password is unless they're good at keyboard watching

personally I like it the way it is. But I'll allow it as an option. Also, I could add an option to hide last user name with something like 'lastuser' so that an attacker with access to the monitor cannot get a free valid user name.

- make the session choice mouse-interactive, a drop-down list or something, although I suspect you may have to code that from scratch. It would be helpful though

Already planned, but you are right: I have to do it from scratch. Shouldn't be too much trouble, though.

- please let enter navigate from the username field to the password field, then enter in password field to attempt login. Please!!!!

Again, I like it the way it is, but hell! why not... it wouldn't change the way I use it.

[s4t4n]

Oh, when Qingy is told to shut down or reboot, I get part of my console background back (the border around the actual text box), but the text area remains black and I can't see the output of shutdown. I believe hiding the output is intentional, but it would be nice if it somehow managed to avoid getting part of the bootsplash redrawn on top of it.

It is indeed intentional. Again, I'll add an option to show or hide system shutdown messages...
Have you checked the previous posts about creating a /etc/directfbrc file? Those could solve your issue...

[maw]

I have a directfbrc file, had to in order to get Qingy to run at 1280x1024. It just says

mode=1280x1024

in it, I don't think I'm missing anything... the problem only occurs during the time shutdown is running, when the border of my console image (it has a border where no text is drawn) gets drawn on top of Qingy's 'shutting down' screen. I hope there's something that can be done about this, but I have no idea if it's a Qingy thing or a bootsplash thing or a DirectFB thing or another thing entirely.


Hiding the last username would be good. Or maybe an option not to display the last username at all, but a setting where it automatically uses their last selected session unless they say otherwise? Might be better for shared computers (although mine isn't shared, I must admit). Although at this point I think it's worth remembering that the GNOME folks do have a point, too many options can be bad. Obviously don't do anything you're not happy with, it's your program, and I can always modify my own copy of it if I get really frustrated with anything, since you write such nice readable code

[mweinstein]

Pardon the stupid question, but I am relatively new to Gentoo and need to know how to build quigy from the ebuild after I download it. I tried "emerge qingy-0.2.ebuild" but it won't work.

Thanks! Mark

[slymonkey]

ebuild qingy-0.2.ebuild digest
ebuild qingy-0.2.ebuild merge