Graphical UI for configuring systemd

[SteveRiley]

Saw this on Phoronix today. There exists a KCM (KDE control module) for configuring systemd. Version 1.2.0 was released a few days ago.



The previous version, 1.1.0, is available for 15.04 in the standard repository: install kde-config-systemd.

It contains a packaging bug, though: LP 1445392. kcm_systemd.so gets placed into the wrong subdirectory. A symlink fixes this:

sudo ln -s /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/plugins/kcm_systemd.so /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/qt5/plugins/

[ronw]

Nice, I had not seen this one. Thanks for the pointer.

[claydoh]

Hmmm...... what does this knob do?

[oshunluvr]

Hmmm...... what does this knob do?

Yeah right? I bet I can break it before you!

[Feathers McGraw]

Nice! Do you think this might make its way into a future Kubuntu release (by default)?

[claydoh]

I don't think it is something that a general purpose distro needs to have installed by default, but that is of course open for debate.

[vinnywright]

I don't think it is something that a general purpose distro needs to have installed by default, but that is of course open for debate.

+1

LOL like that new sig

VINNY

[SteveRiley]

It's packaged by Kubuntu already -- observe:

steve@x250:~$ [B]apt-cache show kde-config-systemd[/B]
Package: kde-config-systemd
Priority: optional
Section: universe/kde
Installed-Size: 613
[COLOR="#B22222"]Maintainer: Kubuntu Developers <kubuntu-devel@lists.ubuntu.com>[/COLOR]
Original-Maintainer: Shawn Sörbom <shawn@sorbom.com>
Architecture: amd64
Version: 1.1.0+git20150330-0ubuntu1
Depends: systemd (>= 215), libboost-filesystem1.55.0, libboost-system1.55.0, libc6 (>= 2.17), libgcc1 (>= 1:4.1.1), libkf5auth5 (>= 4.96.0), libkf5configwidgets5 (>= 4.96.0), libkf5coreaddons5 (>= 4.100.0), libkf5i18n5 (>= 4.97.0), libkf5service5 (>= 4.96.0), libkf5widgetsaddons5 (>= 4.96.0), libqt5core5a (>= 5.4.0), libqt5dbus5 (>= 5.0.2), libqt5gui5 (>= 5.0.2) | libqt5gui5-gles (>= 5.0.2), libqt5widgets5 (>= 5.2.0), libstdc++6 (>= 4.1.1), libsystemd0
Filename: pool/universe/k/kde-config-systemd/kde-config-systemd_1.1.0+git20150330-0ubuntu1_amd64.deb
Size: 145342
MD5sum: f6d6bc3a83a25b202c064135ab883f4b
SHA1: 6d2a29b674f345af92eba47974e2ce2e5ea3a270
SHA256: 81c621666ef17e9c7ce319f150806ba9abab1d37b21e690afea0a07acd46f1a1
Description-en: KDE control center module for Systemd
 This package is a Plasma System Settings module for the systemd
 daemon.  It is capable of starting and stopping systemd units.
 .
 In addition, it allows for the configuration of several systemd
 parameters.
Description-md5: 3631c192cd4c3902621558ce74bd2c72
Homepage: https://github.com/rthomsen/kcmsystemd
Bugs: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+filebug
Origin: Ubuntu

It just isn't part of the default installation.

[MoonRise]

Crap!!! Just broke it!!

[Feathers McGraw]

I don't think it is something that a general purpose distro needs to have installed by default, but that is of course open for debate.

Not even buried in system settings? I think KSystemLog comes installed by default, can't you make a similar argument for that?

[SteveRiley]

It's a KCM, so it'll show up in System Settings when you install it.

We can't put everything in the ISO. I'd wager that people who are sufficiently skilled to modify systemd can install the package first

KSystemLog is useful to have around when one person is assisting another and needs to see log files. Of course, here on the forum we tend to ask people to obtain logs at the command line so hmmmm...

[claydoh]

Not even buried in system settings? I think KSystemLog comes installed by default, can't you make a similar argument for that?

Because ksyslog doesn't make system changes.

Was there ever a great need for an Sysvinit or an Upstart module before systemd?

[Feathers McGraw]

It's a KCM, so it'll show up in System Settings when you install it.

Neat

We can't put everything in the ISO. I'd wager that people who are sufficiently skilled to modify systemd can install the package first

That's a fair point. I have a really small (dimensions) USB drive with the SUSE logo on it, I was a bit put out to find I couldn't get a <4GB ISO with everything on it, would have been an easy way to remember what it was for! Then again, they do offer smaller ISOs for specific DEs like Plasma, but I was curious to see how the installer works so I wanted the lot.

KSystemLog is useful to have around when one person is assisting another and needs to see log files. Of course, here on the forum we tend to ask people to obtain logs at the command line so hmmmm...

Exactly, it would be really annoying if everyone posted images of KSystemLog!

I actually quite frequently get people send me emails containing really high definition, full window screenshots of PuTTY running on a massive multiple-monitor setup (where most of the screenshot is their windows background, not even PuTTY). Inconvenient and wasteful for so many reasons!

Because ksyslog doesn't make system changes.

That in itself isn't a reason not to bundle it, there are plenty of programs installed by default that do make system changes, for example KDE Partition Manager, the Plasma NM widget...

Was there ever a great need for an Sysvinit or an Upstart module before systemd?

I concede it's not really necessary on a desktop - more useful if you're running Apache on a laptop for testing purposes or something, which is quite a niche case.