How To Get KDE Plasma Workspace Ubuntu 9.10

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In this article, we will show you how you can get KDE Plasma Workspace running in Ubuntu 9.10 along with Compiz and Emerald. So, if you would like to get KDE Plasma Workspace without migrating to KDE full time, here is what you need to do:

Install the required applications with the commands given below:

sudo apt-get install kde-minimal

sudo apt-get install kdeplasma-addons

sudo apt-get install plasma-scriptengine-python

Create a script to launch gnome desktop with the command:

gedit ~/Desktop/gnome-desktop.sh

In the gnome-desktop.sh file copy the code below and save.

#!/bin/bash
killall fusion-icon
killall gnome-panel
killall plasma-desktop
gnome-desktop &
fusion-icon &

Create a script to launch plasma-desktop with the command:

gedit ~/Desktop/plasma-desktop.sh

Copy and paste the code given below in plasma-desktop.sh.

#!/bin/bash

killall fusion-icon
killall gnome-panel
killall plasma-desktop
plasma-desktop &
fusion-icon &

Make plasma-desktop.sh and gnome-desktop.sh executable with the command

chmod +x ~/Desktop/plasma-desktop.sh
chmod +x ~/Desktop/gnome-desktop.sh

Open gconf-editor with the command

gconf-editor

In gconf-editor, go to desktop -> gnome -> session -> required_components. Double click the panel option and remove the gnome-panel value. Close it.
Now, to get the Plasma Workspace, double click on plasma-desktop.sh, which is located on your desktop, and select Run.
To get back the Gnome Desktop, run gnome-desktop.sh, which is in the desktop, in the same way you ran plasma-desktop.sh above.

source: ubuntu forum

Tags: kde, Plasma, ubuntu

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jhugg

will do

jhugg

ok so i got it. the commands in the above guide are the same for both shell scripts. i changed the 2nd one and now i can access gnome again. but somewhere along the way, my top and bottom gnome taskbars got deleted, so i cant access any of my menus or anything at all really. anybody know how to create a taskbar without having another taskbar to r-click and choose "create panel" ? also something in this process seems to have disabled my ability to press alt/F2 to be able to bring up a command window in gnome desktop. :'''(

Ricky Laishram

To restore the taskbar execute the following commands in the terminal:
gconftool-2 --shutdown
rm -rf ~/.gconf/apps/panel
pkill gnome-panel

jhugg

in gnome, i have no taskbars to open the terminal from, and after doing this guide, the alt/F2 function doesnt work now iether. in the plasma workspace, i entered those commands into the "Run Command" window and it didnt do anything for me. All I have under the gnome desktop is my desktop cube and my two shell scripts. am i going to have to reinstall ubuntu ?

Ricky Laishram

Ok. See if this works.
Note down the commands I gave earier.
Press Alt+Ctrl+F1 (or Alt+Ctrl+F2 if it doesn't work).
Enter your username and password.
Execute the commands I gave earlier.
Press Alt+Ctrl+F7 to return to the desktop.

jhugg

ok i was messing around in the gnome desktop and if i right click the desktop, one of the options in the context menu is "create a launcher". and it will let me browse for a command to launch an application or whatever. is there something somewhere in the filesystem that i can create a launcher for that will allow me to configure my desktop, create a taskbar? thats about the only option i can think of at this point cause theres not a whole lot else i can do because of my current lack of menus. thank you by the way for all your help, i really appreciate it. without your help, i wuold be re-installing ubuntu right now

jhugg

i had already done that. that allows the gnome desktop to stay up, instead of just reverting back to the plasma desktop. but it doesnt bring back my taskbars in the gnome desktop. i did it again anywys, editing the gnome desktop.sh , and then i even did the alt/ctrl/F1 thing and the 3 commands again, but no luck. i am able to remain in the gnome desktop, but it is not useful to me now, as i cannot access any menus without the top or bottom taskbars. again, thank you for your help and patience

jhugg

@ Ricky Laishram :

Dude!!! I booted into windows for a little while to do some paperwork for my job, and when I booted back into Ubuntu, abracadabra!! Both my taskbars were back!!! Thank you so much for all your help, you are the coolest most patient person I have met ont the web in a long time. My taskbars dont have any of the crap that I had put in them, like icons for crap, shortcuts (not complainin believe me, im glad to just have the bars) so I woulfd imagine the stuff you told me to do worked, just needed a reboot to take effect.

Ricky Laishram

Awesome :)
and thanks :)

jhugg

I successfully entered the three commands in the fashion which you described, using alt/ctrl/F1. But there are still no taskbars at the top or bottom of my screen in the gnome desktop. The plasma desktop has a fully functional taskbar at the bottom, but when i switch to gnome there is none. is there another way to create a bar?

Ricky Laishram

I went through the codes and looks like I have found the problem.
Please edit the gnome-desktop.sh file as below:
#!/bin/bash
killall fusion-icon
killall gnome-panel
killall plasma-desktop
gnome-desktop &
fusion-icon &

jhugg

i had already done that. that allows the gnome desktop to stay up, instead of just reverting back to the plasma desktop. but it doesnt bring back my taskbars in the gnome desktop. i did it again anywys, editing the gnome desktop.sh , and then i even did the alt/ctrl/F1 thing and the 3 commands again, but no luck. i am able to remain in the gnome desktop, but it is not useful to me now, as i cannot access any menus without the top or bottom taskbars. again, thank you for your help and patience

jhugg

I followed the instructions in this article exactly, when I was finished, I double clicked the plasma desktop.sh, chose "run" from the given options(run, open, run in terminal) and the plasma workspace launched just fine. But then when I double clicked on the gnome desktop.sh , it launched the gnome desktop but then almost immediately returns me to the plasma workspace every time. Someone pleeeease help !!!!