[SOLVED] Creating custom KDM Login Theme - KDE 4.1.3

[Snowhog]

Intrepid Ibex, KDE 4.1.3

I've created a custom KDM Login theme. I'm presented with the custom login screen, but after pressing enter, the system continues to use the Oxygen theme for the animated progress. Where do I look to change this so that my custom background image is used instead of the default gray Oxygen curl image?

[Rog131]

Re: Creating custom KDM Login Theme - KDE 4.1.3

KsplashX ?

> Say hello to the new splashscreen!
> KsplashX - README
> KSplasherX for KDE4

This is KSplasher (a convenient Splash Screen Editor and Creator) but for the new ksplashx, the splash engine for KDE4.

> 4.X Splash Screens (examples)
> Topic: KDE 4.1 - Now

Ksplash directory: /usr/share/kde4/apps/ksplash/Themes/Default

I'm not sure but maybe the Moodin-engine is still usable: Topic: Moodin Engin information and genreal KSPlash Info

[Rog131]

Re: Creating custom KDM Login Theme - KDE 4.1.3

Quick & Dirty


1) Copying a new picture (background.png) to the /usr/share/kde4/apps/ksplash/Themes/Default/1920x1200 <1>
2) Testing : ksplashx Default --test. Seems to work.


<1> I have a 1680x1050 (=16:10) monitor so i need a 16:10 (=>1920x1200) picture/folder. KDE will scale picture to the /var/tmp/kdecache-rog/ksplashx/Default-1680x1050-background.png (/var/tmp/kdecache-<USER>/ksplashx/Default-1680x1050-background.png).


KsplashX now (FAQ: Attached files are show only to the members ?) :

[MoonRise]

Re: Creating custom KDM Login Theme - KDE 4.1.3

http://www.kde-look.org/content/show...?content=88975

Great little tool. Did the job for me.

[Snowhog]

Re: Creating custom KDM Login Theme - KDE 4.1.3

Rog131 -

I tried your Quick & Dirty method. I must be missing something, because when I run ksplashx Default --test I still see the default background image. These are the folders I have in /usr/share/kde4/apps/ksplash/Themes/Default
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 2008-11-29 12:43 1024x768
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 2008-11-29 12:44 1280x1024
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 2008-11-29 12:35 1600x1200
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 2008-11-29 12:41 1920x1200
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 2008-11-29 12:45 600x400
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 2008-11-29 12:47 800x600

The only one that contains the icon images and other files, is 1600x1200
I copied (as root) the background.png file I'm using as my KDM Login background (/usr/share/kde4/apps/kdm/themes/bluemoon/background.png) to each of the folders above (renaming the original first).

What am I doing wrong? And why is the default background image being displayed by the test when that image isn't in any of the folders?

[Snowhog]

Re: Creating custom KDM Login Theme - KDE 4.1.3

Some trial and error, and observation and analysis of same, has resulted in success.

My laptop has a native display resolution of 1440x900. That's what I'm using. This is an aspect ratio of 16:10 (same ratio as Rog131's display). I noticed, as was previously posted, that all the files used by ksplashx were in the 1600x1200 folder. Even with copying the background.png file from my custom KDM Theme folder to the 1600x1200 folder, I still had the default Oxygen splash background being shown. Still don't know how that was being accomplished.

So, I copied the contents of the 1600x1200 folder to the 1920x1200 folder and replaced the background.png with the background.png file I had in my custom KDM Theme folder (usr/share/kde4/apps/kdm/themes/bluemoon/background.png). I removed all but the background.png file from the 1600x1200 folder, and renamed it background.png_ORIG (so it would not be recognized by KSplashx - just in case).

Running ksplashx Default --test was successful! I had my custom background.png file being used, and at the correctly scaled resolution. All the animation functioned, and it faded to the desktop just as it is supposed to. The only thing noticeable in the image used by ksplashx, is a one-pixel high white line at the bottom of the image (full width). No amount of editing the image in Gimp will get rid of it. Minor visual annoyance, and as soon as the splash fades to the desktop, it is a non-issue. Interestingly, the same image file used as the KDM Login background does not display this artifact. Hmm.

Thanks Rog, you have once again, provided me with the tools and understanding to get this done.

I am of course, using the KSplash Default directory, simply substituting my own background.png image. I would like to know how to create my own KSplash Theme. I'll take a look at KSplasherX (thanks MoonRise). So for the moment, this issue is resolved.