Where is "System Services" in systemsettings?

[KeithZG]

I've been cleaning up things on my main PC to prepare to upgrade it from 8.04 to 9.04; on the way I was double-checking with my Jaunty computers to make sure I'd have the same functionality. One thing that seems to be missing on my 9.04 computers is the "System Services" module, which I honestly use all the time to start, stop, restart and toggle start-at-boot things like sshd, distcc, LCDd, etc etc. Basically I love how easy it makes it to control daemons.

Unfortunately, it seems entirely missing from KDE4, and I know from checking my 13" laptop (which has both KDE3.5 and KDE4.3 installed on Jaunty) that KDE3.5's ability to load the "System Services" module seems to be broken by Jaunty, so using the KDE3.5 version of systemsettings on Jaunty to get at this functionality seems not to be an option either.

I mean, I'm not adverse to commandline methods, not at all, but it's really quite nice to have a straightforward GUI listing all the services, whether they're running or not, whether they start on boot or not, at which runlevel they do so, and allowing you to fiddle with all of that. So what's a user to do?

[Rog131]

Re: Where is "System Services" in systemsettings?

Earlier > Topic: System Services


With the KDE 4

> kubuntu-devel -- Kubuntu Developer Discussion

Part I > Guidance porting to KDE 4 (Sat Nov 15 2008)
Part II > Guidance porting to KDE 4 (Sat May 23 2009)
Part III > Guidance porting to KDE 4 (Thu Jul 2 2009)

It seems that the Guidance (and the System Services module ?) are ported to the KDE 4. It will take some time, maybe with the KDE 4.4 (... or KDE 4.5...).

...(which has both KDE3.5 and KDE4.3 installed on Jaunty) that KDE3.5's ability to load the "System Services" module seems to be broken by Jaunty, so using the KDE3.5 version of systemsettings on Jaunty to get at this functionality seems not to be an option either.

KDE 3.5 remix ?

Packages that are depending python might need repairing (or rebuild) > upcoming python changes / upgrade issues

Maybe a report to the KDE 3.5 remix maintainers will help...

[KeithZG]

Re: Where is "System Services" in systemsettings?

Hmm, thanks for the info, somehow I managed to miss that on my google and kubuntuforums searches.

Considering that in "Part III" he mentions the KDE 4.4 feature plan, but it was already
in the plan for KDE 4.3 yet obviously won't be done for that...well, I'll believe it when I see it Plus as far as I can tell the System Services part of Guidance hasn't been touched in 6 months!

Alas, there's no perfect world, KDE4 seems to add only as much as it takes away... I guess I have to go back to weighing the options and re-evaluating whether I should jump to Jaunty or not. It's painful being denied things like ext4 and the new DigiKam, but it's also quite painful how many things are still broken or missing . . .

WAIT.

WAIT WAIT WAIT.

Okay, sorry for the caps, but it's late and I'm suddenly overjoyed. Also, yet again Python proves to be perhaps the best programming language there is.

I just did the following on my netbook (Jaunty, KDE4.3):
(1) Downloaded the serviceconfig.py file as it now stands in SVN, last modified 6 months ago.
(2) Ran it with "kdesudo python serviceconfig.py" (just plain ol' sudo works too, and since it declares "#!/usr/bin/python" at the start you surely don't have to use "python" in the command either, but I was being ultra-precise).

Voil-f***ing-a! It's honestly that simple, and it works perfectly as far as I can tell. I won't claim to be too informed on how this is all working in the background, or why it isn't yet being released with KDE4 since it really does seem to work without issue (and even if there's some unseen problem, I have doubts it's as much of a problem as the program being entirely missing). Especially since it seems like it must have been working 6 months ago, unless some necessary backend parts only recently got built/fixed in 4.3. But there you have it.

I wouldn't be surprised if some of the other parts of Guidance already worked just fine on their own in their KDE4 incarnations too, but my eyes are loudly objecting to still being open, heh.

Anyways, result!

[KeithZG]

Re: Where is "System Services" in systemsettings?

Just a slight addendum, I put serviceconfig.py on my older desktop PC which, since I hardly ever use it, is still running 4.2; the System Services program seems to work fine there too, so even those holding off on upgrading to 4.3 until it's finalized can run the nice python app.

[Detonate]

Re: Where is "System Services" in systemsettings?

I just installed Webmin to take a look at it. Have used it before, but the new model is great. It used to be a rather complicated program but it is very easy to use now, and it includes a lot of modules that make system administration from a GUI very easy. One of the modules allows you to control system services. Lots of other things to look at there. Mount manager, network admin, including samba and nfs, to much to write about here, give it a try.

http://www.webmin.com

Downlad the deb and install.

To access Webmin, enter https://localhost:10000 in your brower. The first time you use it, you will have to make an exception to the security certificate requirement.

[GreyGeek]

Re: Where is "System Services" in systemsettings?

Detonate, THANK YOU!!!

It has been YEARS since I used Webadmin. I believe it was in beta when I used it and all of its functions were represented by icons on a single page. I used it primarily to admin my PostgreSQL server.

This version is SO MUCH MORE powerful and inclusive there is no comparison to the old version I used.

I am glad you mentioned it!!

[Detonate]

Re: Where is "System Services" in systemsettings?

Yes, I just downloaded and installed it this morning and I am amazed at the control it gives you. You can modify just about everything in your system with this program.