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

Installing Xfce into /usr

Create an addition to the Bash Startup Files:

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

export XFCE_PREFIX=/usr

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

# End /etc/profile.d/30-xfce.sh
EOF

source /etc/profile

Installing Xfce into /opt

Create the /opt/xfce directory:

install -v -m755 -d /opt/xfce

Add the Xfce services directory to the D-BUS config:

sed -i "/<servicedir>\/usr\/share/a\  <servicedir>/opt/xfce/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-xfce.sh << "EOF"
# Begin /etc/profile.d/30-xfce.sh

export XFCE_PREFIX=/opt/xfce

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

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

export XDG_DATA_DIRS="${XDG_DATA_DIRS}${XDG_DATA_DIRS+:}${XFCE_PREFIX}/share"
export XDG_CONFIG_DIRS="${XDG_CONFIG_DIRS}${XDG_CONFIG_DIRS+:}/etc/xfce/xdg"

# End /etc/profile.d/30-xfce.sh
EOF

source /etc/profile

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

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

/opt/xfce/lib

# End XFCE addition
EOF

Multilib

Create an addition to the Bash Startup Files:

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

export XFCE_PREFIX=/opt/xfce

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

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

export XDG_DATA_DIRS="${XDG_DATA_DIRS}${XDG_DATA_DIRS+:}${XFCE_PREFIX}/share"
export XDG_CONFIG_DIRS="${XDG_CONFIG_DIRS}${XDG_CONFIG_DIRS+:}/etc/xfce/xdg"

# End /etc/profile.d/30-xfce.sh
EOF

source /etc/profile

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

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

/opt/xfce/lib
/opt/xfce/lib32
/opt/xfce/lib64

# End XFCE addition
EOF

Source Retrieval

There are not an overwhelming number of tarballs for XFCE, but you may wish to grab them all at once. Create a directory for the XFCE tarballs and retrieve them before you begin the build:

mkdir XFCE &&
cd XFCE &&
wget http://webpages.charter.net/weibullguy/docs/linux/wget_lists/xfce.wget &&
wget -i xfce.wget