Gnome Pre-Installation Configuration

If you're using the Bash Startup Files then run the commands below. Otherwise make sure that the values you want are properly set.

Installation Strategies

If you're committed to Gnome as your desktop, you will likely install it in the /usr hierarchy. If less committed, or you prefer to install Gnome in an easy to remove location, the /opt hierarchy may be more suitable.

Installing Gnome into /usr

Create and addition to the Bash Startup Files:

cat > /etc/profile.d/30-gnome.sh << "EOF"
# Begin /etc/profile.d/30-gnome.sh

export GNOME_PREFIX=/usr

export XDG_CONFIG_DIRS="${XDG_CONFIG_DIRS}${XDG_CONFIG_DIRS+:}/etc/gnome/xdg"

# End /etc/profile.d/30-gnome.sh
EOF
source /etc/profile

Installing Gnome into /opt

Create the /opt/gnome directory:

install -dv -m755 /opt/gnome

Gnome heavily relies on D-BUS. GNOME Virtual File System, Control Center, and a large number of other packages install a D-BUS service file that will end up outside of where D-BUS will look for the services. Use the following sed to make D-BUS look in /opt/gnome.

sed -i "/<servicedir>\/usr\/share/a\  <servicedir>/opt/gnome/share/dbus-1/services</servicedir>" /etc/dbus-1/session.conf

Non-Multilib

Create an addition to the Bash Startup Files:

cat > /etc/profile.d/30-gnome.sh << "EOF"
# Begin /etc/profile.d/30-gnome.sh

export GNOME_PREFIX=/opt/gnome
export LIBGLADE_EXE_PREFIX=${GNOME_PREFIX}

if [ $EUID -eq 0 ]; then
  export PATH="${PATH}:${GNOME_PREFIX}/sbin"
fi
export PATH="${PATH}:${GNOME_PREFIX}/bin"

export PKG_CONFIG_PATH="${PKG_CONFIG_PATH}${PKG_CONFIG_PATH+:}${GNOME_PREFIX}/lib/pkgconfig"

export XDG_DATA_DIRS="${XDG_DATA_DIRS}${XDG_DATA_DIRS+:}${GNOME_PREFIX}/share"
export XDG_CONFIG_DIRS="${XDG_CONFIG_DIRS}${XDG_CONFIG_DIRS+:}/etc/gnome/xdg"

# End /etc/profile.d/30-gnome.sh
EOF
source /etc/profile

Add a new entry to /etc/ld.so.conf for the libraries that Gnome is going to install:

cat >> /etc/ld.so.conf << "EOF"
# Begin Gnome addition to /etc/ld.so.conf

/opt/gnome/lib

# End Gnome addition
EOF

Multilib

Create an addition to the Bash Startup Files:

cat > /etc/profile.d/30-gnome.sh << "EOF"
# Begin /etc/profile.d/30-gnome.sh

export GNOME_PREFIX=/opt/gnome
export LIBGLADE_EXE_PREFIX=${GNOME_PREFIX}

if [ $EUID -eq 0 ]; then
  export PATH="${PATH}:${GNOME_PREFIX}/sbin"
fi
export PATH="${PATH}:${GNOME_PREFIX}/bin"

export PKG_CONFIG_PATH32="${PKG_CONFIG_PATH32}${PKG_CONFIG_PATH32+:}${GNOME_PREFIX}/lib/pkgconfig"
export PKG_CONFIG_PATHN32="${PKG_CONFIG_PATHN32}${PKG_CONFIG_PATHN32+:}${GNOME_PREFIX}/lib32/pkgconfig"
export PKG_CONFIG_PATH64="${PKG_CONFIG_PATH64}${PKG_CONFIG_PATH64+:}${GNOME_PREFIX}/lib64/pkgconfig"

export XDG_DATA_DIRS="${XDG_DATA_DIRS}${XDG_DATA_DIRS+:}${GNOME_PREFIX}/share"
export XDG_CONFIG_DIRS="${XDG_CONFIG_DIRS}${XDG_CONFIG_DIRS+:}/etc/gnome/xdg"

# End /etc/profile.d/30-gnome.sh
EOF
source /etc/profile

Add a new entry to /etc/ld.so.conf for the libraries that Gnome is going to install:

cat >> /etc/ld.so.conf << "EOF"
# Begin Gnome addition to /etc/ld.so.conf

/opt/gnome/lib
/opt/gnome/lib32
/opt/gnome/lib64

# End Gnome addition
EOF