[SOLVED] "cannot open theme file" stuck (and lost) in command mode!

[lostNoob]

Did a software update via a prompt today, I think it was updating to Kubuntu 10.06...

when I power on, I get a blue-backgrounded screen that says Kubuntu, then an error message that says, "Cannot open theme file /usr/share/kde4/apps/kdm/themes/oxygen-air"

When I click OK I am at the login prompt. I can login, 'cd' and 'ls' folders but that is about it.

I'm sorry I can only provide very limited info on my system as I am not well versed enough in command line or Kubuntu to get the information this forum requires:

Dell laptop, intel core2 duo

Please help!

[grahamt]

Re: "cannot open theme file" stuck (and lost) in command mode!

Hi,

If I was in that situation, I would try to complete the failed upgrade.

On the command line, try:

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get -y upgrade && sudo apt-get -y dist-upgrade

Just one noob trying to help another, so I hope this helps.

Regards

Graham

[Snowhog]

Re: "cannot open theme file" stuck (and lost) in command mode!

The /etc/kde4/kdm/kdmrc file needs to be edited (as root) and the following entry commented (put a # in front of it):

Theme=/usr/share/kde4/apps/kdm/themes/oxygen-air

so that it looks like:

#Theme=/usr/share/kde4/apps/kdm/themes/oxygen-air

Save and then reboot.

[lostNoob]

Re: "cannot open theme file" stuck (and lost) in command mode!

Thanks!

@Snowhog: i navigated to the kdm folder to try to edit the kdmrc file;
($ e kdmrc)
and got "Warning: unknown mime-type for "kdmrc" -- using "application/octet-stream"
Error: no write permission for file "kdmrc"

?

@grahamt: ran the command successfully but msg said basically nothing was updated so I assume i'm already up to date...

[Snowhog]

Re: "cannot open theme file" stuck (and lost) in command mode!

You are in a console. Verify that you are in the /etc/kde4/kdm directory. Type the following:

kdesudo kate kdmrc

You will be prompted for your user password. Type it and press enter. Kate will open the kdmrc file 'as root' for editing. Locate the line and place the # in front of it. Save and close. Then type:

cd
sudo shutdown -r now

[lostNoob]

Re: "cannot open theme file" stuck (and lost) in command mode!

OK, did that and got:
"kdesudo: cannot connect to X server"

Before trying that, I searched for how to get root access and typed:
sudo -s
I entered my password and seemed to get root access at that point:
root@username:/etc/kde4/kdm#

at that line I typed your instructions again:
kdesudo kate kdmrc
and again got:
kdesudo: cannot connect to X server

[Snowhog]

Re: "cannot open theme file" stuck (and lost) in command mode!

Okay, you are already operating as root. But let's get out of that:

exit

You'll be back to your users prompt with the $ sign. Ensure you are then in the /etc/kde4/kdm directory. If not, change into it and then type:

kdesudo kate /etc/kde4/kdm/kdmrc

[lostNoob]

Re: "cannot open theme file" stuck (and lost) in command mode!

Ok, went back to user prompt, verified correct location and typed
kdesudo kate /etc/kde4/kdm/kdmrc

but again got:
"kdesudo: cannot connect to X server"

[lostNoob]

Re: "cannot open theme file" stuck (and lost) in command mode!

to disable access control, entered:
xhost +

but got:
xhost: unable to open display ""

[vinnywright]

Re: "cannot open theme file" stuck (and lost) in command mode!

if X wont start he cant use kate can he?

he will half to use vi or similar or a live cd.


VINNY

[Snowhog]

Re: "cannot open theme file" stuck (and lost) in command mode!

Okay. Will do it the non-GUI way.

From in the directory, type:

sudo vi kdmrc

vi is a command-line editor, and it should be installed by default. If it is, type your user password and press enter.

Use your down arrow key until you are at the desired line. (It's a fair way down in the file)

Press the letter 'i' on your keyboard to enter 'insert mode'.

Enter the # and a space.

Press the Esc key to return to 'command mode'.

Press shift+; (semi colon) to get a colon ( : ) prompt.

Type wq (to 'write' and 'quit')

Now shutdown and reboot with:

sudo shutdown -r now

[Snowhog]

Re: "cannot open theme file" stuck (and lost) in command mode!

if X wont start he cant use kate can he?

hehe. Often the sighted are to blind to see!

You are of course, right. I should have 'seen' that, but as said above...

[miKeyBabid]

Re: "cannot open theme file" stuck (and lost) in command mode!

vi and vim can be a bit confusing for beginners - especially if they're stuck at the commandline - maybe nano would be an easier way to go?

Just a suggestion to make a difficult beginner task a bit easier...

[lostNoob]

Re: "cannot open theme file" stuck (and lost) in command mode!

WOO-HOO!

Thank you Snowhog!

Lets see, learned how to:
-get root permissions
-shutdown and reboot
-get back to user prompt
-vi commands

just started (2 days ago) using macvim so it was great to practice. i had actually tried to open kdmrc using: open -a vim kdmrc, but now i know how to 'grub' it open.

Whew, what a pain! Hope every update doesn't go this way - I really want to learn OS's other than Windows.

Do i get my first Unix star?
-Jen

[Snowhog]

Re: "cannot open theme file" stuck (and lost) in command mode!

Future updates should not be bad. What you experienced is a known 'issue.' What caused it is that the referenced Theme - oxygen-air - isn't installed. The kdmrc file was not updated, so it was telling the system to start X with a theme that wasn't available. Thus, X would not start.

I'm happy that I was able to 'walk' your through this. Welcome to KFN by the way. I think you might like it here.