Workshop: BE::SHELL in LMDE

[zerozero]

in this first post i'm going mainly to focus in the compiling/building part of BE::Shell

from the description "what is BE::Shell"

BE::Shell is a simple desktop shell on KDE technology (namely KIO and Solid) for the rest of us.

The focus is on control and understanding.

Therefore the very first thing you get after you succeeded Installation is the void. Ok, you do get a desktop window and if you figure how to use your right mouse button, you're ready to start constructing your desktop (that means: "with an editor", so better attach your keyboard)

To get a usable desktop shell - your desktop shell - you'll have to edit the Configuration (or borrow someone elses, maybe you found the example folder)

Once you have laid out your desktop, you maybe want to control it's look via Qss Theming

That's it.
Have Fun

and it's absolutely like that after successfully compiling and starting BE::Shell this is what i got

the VOID and a trash icon (non-functional as far as i can see)

and this is what we can make it look like
http://craazyt.deviantart.com/gallery/
http://hombremaledicto.deviantart.com/gallery/
http://lagadesk.deviantart.com/gallery/
i can't resist a couple examples
LaGaDesk

CraazyT


ok, now the compiling part:
i followed these 2 pages
http://blog.desdelinux.net/instalacion- ... e-beshell/ (spanish, sorry about that)
http://sourceforge.net/p/be-shell/wiki/Installation/

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apt install packaging-dev git-core

also to prevent the errors i found further down

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apt install kdelibs5-dev libxrender-dev

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git clone http://git.code.sf.net/p/be-shell/code be-shell-code

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cd be-shell-code

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./configure

at this point configure gives the following error

CMake Error at /usr/share/cmake-2.8/Modules/FindKDE4.cmake:98 (MESSAGE):
ERROR: cmake/modules/FindKDE4Internal.cmake not found in
/home/zerozero/.kde/share/apps;/usr/share/mintkde-default-settings/kde4-profile/default/share/apps;/usr/share/kde4/apps
Call Stack (most recent call first):
CMakeLists.txt:4 (FIND_PACKAGE)

googling takes me to this http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=718183 and i install kdelibs5-dev

-- Build files have been written to: /home/zerozero/be-shell-code/build

Done, now "cd build; make && sudo make install"

configure now goes ok

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cd build

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make

[ 31%] Building CXX object CMakeFiles/be.shell.dir/systray.o
/home/zerozero/be-shell-code/systray.cpp:59:36: fatal error: X11/extensions/Xrender.h: No such file or directory
compilation terminated.

ends with this error and a quick synaptic search reveals that i'm missing libxrender-dev

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sudo make install

now we have to stop plasma and start BE::Shell

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kquitapp plasma-desktop

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kquitapp kuiserver

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kquitapp krunner 

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be.shell

and welcome to the Void

final note:
there's a quick way to get an usable theme:
right-click > config > edit (this will open kate with the default config file)
in tools open terminal and from there

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cd be-shell-code/examples/

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cp be.shell.win2000 ~/.kde/share/config/be.shell

at least now we have a task bar and an easy way to open and close app

[killer de bug]

Interesting... Nice tutorial. Some of the themes are good looking... But it's using KDE and I'm not that fan of this DE.
Still preferring Cinnamon but I will consider the opportunity of using VB...