SLiM

SLiM (Simple Login Manager) is a Desktop-independent graphical login manager for X11, derived from Login.app. It aims to be light and simple, although completely configurable through themes and an option file; is suitable for machines on which remote login functionalities are not needed.

Features

• PNG and XFT support for alpha transparency and antialiased fonts
• External themes support
• Configurable runtime options: X server, login / shutdown / reboot commands
• Single (GDM-like) or double (XDM-like) input control
• Can load predefined user at startup
• Configurable welcome / shutdown messages
• Random theme selection

Requirements

• X11
• libpng
• libjpeg
• freetype

Instalation

Use package, SlackBuild or compile it from source.

Configuration

Themes

Themes are located in /usr/share/slim/themes. If you want more themes, try themepack or standalone theme from project download page. Unpack file there

$ tar xvzf themefile.tar.gz -C /usr/share/slim/themes

By default SLiM use default theme. You can change it in it's configuration file /etc/slim.conf by rewriting current_theme line

# current theme, use comma separated list to specify a set to 
# randomly choose from
#current_theme       default
current_theme       theme_you_like

If you use SlackBuild (at least for 13.0) it comes with nice Slackware theme. Rewrite current_theme line to

current_theme       slackware-black

Startup

Edit run level 4 init script - /etc/rc.d/rc.4 - to try start SLiM as default graphical login manager. You have to add these lines before GDM (or whatever graphical login manager you have as default; GDM is set as first to start by default)

#! /bin/sh
#
# rc.4		This file is executed by init(8) when the system is being
#		initialized for run level 4 (XDM)
#
# Version:	@(#)/etc/rc.d/rc.4	2.00	02/17/93
#
# Author:	Fred N. van Kempen, <waltje@uwalt.nl.mugnet.org>
# At least 47% rewritten by:  Patrick J. Volkerding <volkerdi@slackware.com>
#

# Tell the viewers what's going to happen...
echo "Starting up X11 session manager..."

# Add this if statement to the top
# If you have SliM, it goes first
#---------------------------------

if [ -x /usr/bin/slim ]; then
  exec /usr/bin/slim -nodaemon 
fi

#---------------------------------
# end of new if statement

# Try to use GNOME's gdm session manager.  This comes first because if
# gdm is on the machine then the user probably installed it and wants
# to use it by default:
if [ -x /usr/bin/gdm ]; then
  exec /usr/bin/gdm -nodaemon
fi

If you aren't already using this, set run level to 4 in /etc/inittab

# These are the default runlevels in Slackware:
#   0 = halt
#   1 = single user mode
#   2 = unused (but configured the same as runlevel 3)
#   3 = multiuser mode (default Slackware runlevel)
#   4 = X11 with KDM/GDM/XDM (session managers)
#   5 = unused (but configured the same as runlevel 3)
#   6 = reboot

# Default runlevel. (Do not set to 0 or 6)
id:4:initdefault:

Reboot and you have nice simple login manager running :~)

Links

Project homepage