97 lines
2.8 KiB
Markdown
97 lines
2.8 KiB
Markdown
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# Building and Running
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## Building gnome-shell
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gnome-shell uses the [meson] build system, and can be compiled
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with the following commands:
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```sh
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$ meson setup _build
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$ meson compile -C _build
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```
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Unfortunately gnome-shell has a non-trivial number of dependencies
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that cannot always be satisfied by distribution packages.
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This is particular true for [mutter], which is developed in lock-step
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with gnome-shell and always has to be built from source.
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[meson]: https://mesonbuild.com/
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[mutter]: https://mutter.gnome.org
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## Toolbox
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[Toolbox][toolbox] is a container tool for Linux, which allows the use of
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interactive command line environments for development, without having to
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install software on the host.
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It is suitable for gnome-shell development, and we maintain a number of scripts
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to make its use easier and more convenient.
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You can set up a new container that satisfies all build- and runtime
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dependencies with the following script:
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```sh
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$ tools/toolbox/create-toolbox.sh
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```
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The script will download the container image and build mutter, so it is
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expected that it will take a while.
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Once you have a working container, the following scripts can be
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used to build and run gnome-shell:
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```sh
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$ tools/toolbox/meson-build.sh
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$ tools/toolbox/run-gnome-shell.sh
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```
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If building or running fails with errors about `meta`, `clutter` or `cogl`,
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there was probably an incompatible change in mutter. You can update the
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dependency with the following command:
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```sh
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$ toolbox run --container gnome-shell-devel update-mutter
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```
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Refer to the [README][toolbox-tools] for further information on the scripts.
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[toolbox]: https://containertoolbx.org/
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[toolbox-tools]: ../tools/toolbox/README.md
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## Running a nested instance
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It is possible to run gnome-shell as "nested" instance in a window.
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The `run-gnome-shell` script will automatically do that when run from
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a graphical session, or you can run the following command:
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```sh
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$ WAYLAND_DISPLAY=shell-test-1 dbus-run-session \
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gnome-shell --wayland-display=shell-test-1 --nested
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```
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There are limitations to the nested instance, such as keyboard shortcuts
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usually not getting to the nested compositor.
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In order to still bring up the [Looking Glass][lg] debugger, you can
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use an [extension][lg-button] as workaround.
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[lg]: ./looking-glass.md
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[lg-button]: https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/2296/looking-glass-button/
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## Native
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Sometimes it's necessary to run the "native backend", on real display hardware.
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To do that, switch to a tty and either use the `run-gnome-shell` script
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or run the following command:
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```sh
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$ dbus-run-session gnome-shell --wayland
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```
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Some functionality is not available when running gnome-shell outside a GNOME
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session, including logout. To exit gnome-shell, bring up the run dialog with
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<kbd>Alt</kbd> <kbd>F2</kbd> and enter `debugexit`.
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