[SOLVED]Installed custom KDM Themes not being listed

[Snowhog]

I've been playing with creating custom KDM login themes. I've posted my first four login screen shots in the Image Gallery. But I have a problem.

Each of the themes is in its own directory in my user directory. I create the archive from the CLI with the syntax:

tar cvzf mytheme.tar.gz mytheme/*.*

The .tar.gz file is created. When I open KDM Theme Manager, select Install New Theme, navigate to the .tar.gz file, select it and click on OK, the new theme doesn't appear in the installed KDM Themes list. But the theme folder and its files are extracted to the /usr/share/apps/kdm/themes directory.

When I download other packaged KDM themes (www.kde-look.org) and install them with KDM Theme Manager, they do show in the listing of installed themes.

What am I missing or doing wrong?

[Snowhog]

Re: Installed custom KDM Themes not being listed

Is there no one who can shed some light on this? Hmm.

[Rog131]

Re: Installed custom KDM Themes not being listed

What do you have in the KdmGreeterTheme.desktop (or the GdmGreeterTheme.desktop) ?

Example:

KdmGreeterTheme.desktop

[GdmGreeterTheme]
Encoding=UTF-8
Greeter=test.xml
Name=This_Is_Very_Important_Line

Description=Test theme

Author=Rog131
Screenshot=smile.png

Notes !
This_Is_Very_Important_Line = unique name. There can't be two themes with the same name.

There can be KdmGreeterTheme.desktop or the GdmGreeterTheme.desktop but the KdmGreeterTheme.desktop should start with the [GdmGreeterTheme].


and the output:

[toad]

Re: Installed custom KDM Themes not being listed

Rog is right, that one liner is the all important one.

[MoonRise]

Re: Installed custom KDM Themes not being listed

Sorry SnowHog, didn't see this until now, but yes, that is the important file and line you need.

[Rog131]

Re: Installed custom KDM Themes not being listed

I wrote:

There can be KdmGreeterTheme.desktop or the GdmGreeterTheme.desktop but the KdmGreeterTheme.desktop should start with the [GdmGreeterTheme].

BUT with the Kubuntu Intrepid Ibex 8.10 (alpha-1); KDE 4.1 (beta-2):
KdmGreeterTheme.desktop should start with the [KdmGreeterTheme]

More > Intrepid Ibex Alpha-1 alternate CD installation (KDM themes)


> Kubuntu-Volutes has:
.desktop files:
- GdmGreeterTheme.desktop, [GdmGreeterTheme]
- KdmGreeterTheme.desktop, [KdmGreeterTheme]

[toad]

Re: Installed custom KDM Themes not being listed

So what's the score Snowhog, got it sorted? If so, let's have a couple of links

[MoonRise]

Re: Installed custom KDM Themes not being listed

BUT with the Kubuntu Intrepid Ibex 8.10 (alpha-1); KDE 4.1 (beta-2):
KdmGreeterTheme.desktop should start with the [KdmGreeterTheme]

> Kubuntu-Volutes has:
.desktop files:
- GdmGreeterTheme.desktop, [GdmGreeterTheme]
- KdmGreeterTheme.desktop, [KdmGreeterTheme]

I've done that with my KdmGreterTheme.desktop already but still have problems with part of it not working (when using KDM-KDE4) (Works Beautifully with KDM). I think, for my issue, it has to do with the XML file. I think they changed how it functions with the new KDM-KDE4. Does Intrepid have the normal Login Splash like GG? If so, could you post it's XML file here so I can see why mine isn't working completely? Thanks!

[Snowhog]

Re: Installed custom KDM Themes not being listed

First, thank you for the replies. At least I'm getting some feedback, and that is greatly appreciated.

I've created five custom themes. This is the content of the GdmGreeterTheme.desktop file of one of them:

[GdmGreeterTheme]
Encoding=UTF-8
Greeter=train.xml
Name=Dragon
Description=Train theme
Author=Paul Loughman
Screenshot=preview.png

When I access the KDM Theme Manager via Alt+F2 /usr/bin/kcontrol and click on the Administrator Mode button and enter my password, I then click on Intall New Theme and navigate to the compressed theme file (train.tar.gz) located in my home directory. I end up with it not being listed under the Enabled KDM Themes window. But, the theme folder does get installed to the /usr/share/apps/kdm/themes directory.

I'm not doing something correctly, but I don't know what it is. As previously stated, if I download a KDM Theme from kde-look.org and navigate to it for installation, it installs and shows in the list.

[toad]

Re: Installed custom KDM Themes not being listed

You say that you did it for the GdmGreeterTheme.desktop - do it for the KdmGre... as well in case you haven't. For reference, here is one of mine (which worked in 7.10, not sure about 8.04 though).

[KdmGreeterTheme]
Author=me
Copyright=GPL
Description=PCelsus KDM theme
Encoding=UTF-8
Greeter=PCelsus.xml
Name=PCelsus
Screenshot=screenshot.jpg

Apart from that the xml file has to start like this:

<?xml version = '1.0' encoding = 'UTF-8'?>
<!DOCTYPE greeter SYSTEM "greeter.dtd">

- but I guess you know that.

How did you go about building your theme? From scratch? Or did you take a working theme and amended it?

[Snowhog]

Re: Installed custom KDM Themes not being listed

No Kdm*Theme.desktop files on my system - only Gdm*Theme.desktop. I used an existing theme and copied the contents of it's folder to a new folder in my home directory. From there, I modified the Gdm*Theme.desktop file to reference the new .xml file.

The 'copied' files in the donor theme folder were from the default kubuntu theme.

[Rog131]

Re: Installed custom KDM Themes not being listed


MoonRise:

Does Intrepid have the normal Login Splash like GG? If so, could you post it's XML file here so I can see why mine isn't working completely?

Do you mean Kde splash (Moodin) ? As default II is coming with the KsplashX > KDE 4.1 - Now (New splash)



If, i make: /usr/share/apps/kdm/themes/Dragon/
and
make text file :GdmGreeterTheme.desktop

[GdmGreeterTheme]
Encoding=UTF-8
Greeter=train.xml
Name=Dragon
Description=Train theme
Author=Paul Loughman
Screenshot=preview.png

then GG's KDM Theme Manager wills show: "Theme: Dragon / Author: Paul Loughman/Train theme"

[MoonRise]

Re: Installed custom KDM Themes not being listed

MoonRise:

Does Intrepid have the normal Login Splash like GG? If so, could you post it's XML file here so I can see why mine isn't working completely?

Do you mean Kde splash (Moodin) ? As default II is coming with the KsplashX > KDE 4.1 - Now (New splash)

No the actual Log In portion where you enter your user name and password. What I wanted was the XML file that II's GdmGreeter.desktop file references and wanted to know if II's Login shows the Users ID and Pic and the other buttons.

Aside from that, the other thing you mentioned also affects me as well as my other Splash (After the Log In Screen) uses Moodin and I can't get it working under 4.1 Beta2. Is Moodin a thing of the Past now? If so, where can I get instructions to to recreate it under the "new" methodology. I've tried finding the Default, but haven't been succesful. I've lookde at ones on KDE-Look and used files there, but none of those worked.

These two areas I wish had more Documentation then they do. At least through all my searches I found nothing on this, especially now that KDE4.1 has mod these two areas. I really would like to make more for KDE4.1 but don't know where to start!

[Rog131]

Re: Installed custom KDM Themes not being listed

Is Moodin a thing of the Past now? If so, where can I get instructions to to recreate it under the "new" methodology. I've tried finding the Default, but haven't been succesful. I've lookde at ones on KDE-Look and used files there, but none of those worked.

I have not tried to install Moodin or the new KsplashX themes from the > 4.X Splash Screens

Many of The KDE-Look.org splash themes are pointing to the > Ksplash README but as you wrote documentation is lacking.

What I wanted was the XML file that II's GdmGreeter.desktop file references and wanted to know if II's Login shows the Users ID and Pic and the other buttons.

I think that II understands same KDM themes as previous versions (It needs KdmGreeter.desktop and [KdmGreeterTheme])

This is working in the GG and II. It is barebone => There are not clocks, caps/pam errors or over/pressed "animation". KDM theme has enter/system/session buttons + userlist.

Download > Barebone-with-userlist.tar.gz

Screenshot:

[Snowhog]

Re: Installed custom KDM Themes not being listed

Please note, that I'm running HH KDE 3.5.9. My KDM Theme 'problem' is within this version of Kubuntu and KDE. I haven't tried custom themes in HH KDE 4.