I’ve an appqube that uses the template debian 13 with GNOME. When I launch the Settings app from the app menu nothing happens.
If I run the command gnome-control-center in a terminal I get the following error:
$ gnome-control-center &
[1] 7979
(base) [11ms][~]$ Running gnome-control-center is only supported under GNOME and Unity, exiting
In the template the package gnome is installed (and many other gnome related packages). I’ve tried to install unity-control-center (although I think it shouldn’t be necessary) but I get the following error:
% sudo apt install unity-control-center
Package unity-control-center is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source
Error: Package 'unity-control-center' has no installation candidate
zsh: exit 100 sudo apt install unity-control-center
I’ve read this post and some other in this forum ,and googled a lot but still don’t know how to fix the problem.
According to chatGPT this is not going to work because gnome-control-center needs a full GNOME Desktop Environment in order to work properly. But in QubesOS the graphical session is provided by dom0 and it is not a full GNOME session. The session lacks some components required by gnome-control-center so it refuses to run.
It makes sense to me but my knowledge of dom0 and how graphical sessions are managed is very limited. So I suppose it is time to read docs about dom0 and GUI…
Anyway, could someone confirm that chatGPT is right?
chatGPT is never right. Sometimes it’s guesses appear to be correct,
sometimes not.
In this case it has guessed incorrectly.
You do not say why you want to run Gnome-control-center, or what you
want to do with it.
If you do, then you need to install gnome and particularly gnome-session.
At a minimum you need to run a gnome session. This kludge will work - or at
least used to:
Open two root terminals
gnome-shell -r -x11 --mode-gdm
In other terminal, gnome-session
Now you’re working in a gnome session - there’s a mutter guard window to
deal with, and nested window decorations, and many Qubes utilities wont
work, but gnome-control-center is good.
There is, of course, a better way.
In the template you want to use, after installing gnome, install
tigervnc-standalone-server and tigervnc-viewer.
Create a script at /etc/skel/gnome.sh with this content:
Make it executable - chmod +x gnome.sh
Shut down the template.
When you create a new qube from that template, run gnome.sh in the
qube and you have access to a fully working gnome session AND access to
all the Qubes utilities.
That may not suit you, but you have not said what it is you want to do, so
I am working blind (not the first time).
I never presume to speak for the Qubes team.
When I comment in the Forum I speak for myself.
Thanks for your answer @unman. Just as you say I didn’t mention what I’m trying to achieve. The reason is simply that I don’t have a specific goal. I’m just playing and reading (and breaking things) in order to learn how things work. Sorry for forcing you to work blind.
No worries - I’m always working blind.
Nothing wrong with playing and breaking things - it’s a good way to
familiarise yourself with Qubes before you adopt in earnest. Enjoy
yourself.
I never presume to speak for the Qubes team.
When I comment in the Forum I speak for myself.