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Problems With Trying to Change GDM Theme

Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 11:57 am
by resuni
I found this thread but everything they suggest doesn't work.
http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.p ... 78&start=0
First off, I don't have a 20_debian file in /usr/share/gdm/greeter-config/, but I do have a 10_desktop-base file. When I try to edit that, my login screen doesn't change when I switch users to see if it did. So I try copying 10_desktop-base to 20_debian and try again. Still doesn't work. I've moved all the files I need to the corresponding /usr/share/ directories like that thread says to do. I can't figure out what's wrong. Here's a paste of my 10_desktop-base and 20_debian file, if needed.

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/desktop/gnome/background/picture_filename      /usr/share/backgrounds/Firefox-wallpaper.png
/desktop/gnome/background/picture_options       stretch
/desktop/gnome/interface/gtk_theme		Brownish
/desktop/gnome/interface/icon_theme		gnome-dust

Re: Problems With Trying to Change GDM Theme

Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 12:10 am
by dawgdoc
Just checked my directories.

I do not have a "file" named 20_debian in /usr/share/gdm/greeter-config, but there is a link with that name in the directory. The target of the link is
/etc/gdm3/greeter.gconf-defaults The link does not target a file named 20_debian.

This is the content of my 10_desktop-base

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/desktop/gnome/background/picture_filename      /usr/share/images/desktop-base/login-background.svg
/desktop/gnome/background/picture_options       zoom
I never see this image during boot or log-in. The first 2 lines of the file the 20_debian link targets is similar to the first two lines you posted.

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# Use a specific background
/desktop/gnome/background/picture_filename	/usr/share/backgrounds/linuxmint/default_background.jpg
/desktop/gnome/background/picture_options	stretched
do you have the greeter.gconf-defaults file? This may be the one you need to edit. I will play with this and see what changes, it may be tomorrow evening before I reply back.

Re: Problems With Trying to Change GDM Theme

Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 9:39 pm
by dawgdoc
Let me make sure I am understanding what you are trying to change. I am thinking you (1) are trying to change the desktop image behind the log-in chooser. You (2) are not, at this time trying to change the grub2 splash screen -- the desktop behind the text on the page where you choose LinuxMint, LinuxMint Recovery, Memtest, and any other OS choices. You (3) are not trying to change your wallpaper of the system once the desktop is up and running.

UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT: I initially opened /etc/gdm3/greeter.gconf-defaults as an administrative user -- I right clicked from within the Nautilus file manager and edited the file to point to a different image within /usr/share/backgrounds/linuxmint/. I rebooted and nothing had changed.

Here is a way to change the image behind the user log-in in the middle of the screen. This is not the correct or proper way to do this. It worked for me.

SUCCESSFUL: I first changed the name of the image file pointed to in the first line of /etc/gdm3/greeter.gconf-defaults which for me was actually a link to a file in another folder. I used this command

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sudo mv /usr/share/backgrounds/linuxmint/default_background.jpg /usr/share/backgrounds/linuxmint/default_backgroundbak.jpg
I then copied another wallpaper into the directory and gave it the name of the file which was pointed to by /etc/gdm3/greeter.gconf-defaults. I used one of the other wallpapers which came with Mint 10, but one I had never used for anything.

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sudo cp /usr/share/backgrounds/linuxmint-julia/treeish-dark.jpg /usr/share/backgrounds/linuxmint/default_background.jpg
I then rebooted and the image had changed to the one I had copied into the directory. The change has held through several reboots. A definite shortcoming of this method for me is that I may not be able to use a image of another file format; such as a .png, .bmp, or .svg file. In a bit I will attempt to open /etc/gdm3/greeter.gconf-defaults using the command line gksudo gedit. I'll report back.

Re: Problems With Trying to Change GDM Theme

Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 10:15 pm
by doktordave
You might want to have a look at the discussion here.

Re: Problems With Trying to Change GDM Theme

Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 11:01 pm
by dawgdoc
Thanks Dave,

That provides a several of solutions, each more elegant than what I posted.

I did not see anyone commenting on having edited /usr/share/linuxmint/adjustments/gdm3/greeter.gconf-defaults instead of editing /etc/gdm3/greeter.gconf-defaults I am going to give this a try, unless you have seen anything suggesting it is a bad idea. It could be done without adding a file as RHTopics suggested, removing files, or editing any of the scripts.

Re: Problems With Trying to Change GDM Theme

Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 6:58 pm
by dawgdoc
dawgdoc wrote: edited /usr/share/linuxmint/adjustments/gdm3/greeter.gconf-defaults instead of editing /etc/gdm3/greeter.gconf-defaults I am going to give this a try,
This also works, and has for several reboots.

So, several solutions are available:
* editing /usr/share/linuxmint/adjustments/gdm3/greeter.gconf-defaults

* for me, the first lines of /usr/share/linuxmint/adjustments/gdm3/greeter.gconf-defaults and of /etc/gdm3/greeter.gconf-defaults point to the same desktop wallpaper, which was /usr/share/backgrounds/linuxmint/default_background.jpg. So I put the image I wanted at that location and changed it's name to match. I could also do the same with a link named default_background.jpg which points to any image I wanted regardless of name.

* use one of the several solutions on the second page of the thread posted by doktordave. Without his post I would not have known about /usr/share/linuxmint/adjustments/gdm3/greeter.gconf-defaults

Re: Problems With Trying to Change GDM Theme

Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2011 1:54 pm
by doktordave
I might have gotten there on my own, but I hate to think how long it would have taken. Got a lot of good help on that one. I ended up using the .preserve solution. Editing /usr/share/linuxmint/adjustments/gdm3/greeter.gconf-defaults would have worked for a while, but as soon as it gets replaced in an update, back to fixing it.

All in all, it's good to have multiple ways to solve the problems, when they come up. Better yet to have a good forum with knowledgeable users to help guide the dangerous ones like myself.

Re: Problems With Trying to Change GDM Theme

Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2011 3:31 pm
by dawgdoc
doktordave wrote:Editing /usr/share/linuxmint/adjustments/gdm3/greeter.gconf-defaults would have worked for a while, but as soon as it gets replaced in an update, back to fixing it.
There is truth in tht statement.

The .preserve file will prevent mint theme updates from changing the background. Debian testing updates can be corrected in the standard Debian manner. And since Mint Theme updates will probably be more frequent than Debian ones, the .preserve option is most likely the best.

But then you have folks like me. When the update offered to show me the differences between the current and new gdm3 files and I saw the only relevant difference was the files being pointed to, I declined the new file. Now I learn that since the Mint Updates override the Debian gdm3 updates my fussiness made no difference. (Of course, I have declined Mint theme updates in the past.)

I expect we will continually be pointing out how to change the file back for many and then show them how to prevent it again