How to install MPX and Metacity

First of all, you will need the MPX xserver, then you will need to apply a patch in gtk+, and finally you will be able to download and install metacity.

Warning: this really takes some time and requires a lot of free disk space.

Compiling MPX

  • If you've got Ubuntu, just download the .deb! See [6].

    • I don't know if these .debs contains the latest versions of MPX. If you start getting compiler warnings or bugs, use the MPX from git.
  • Download all the pre-requisites to compile X.org. You will need the git-core package, and if you're using a Debian-based distribution, you can use 'apt-get build-dep xserver-xorg-core'. If you're using another distribution, there might be an equivalent command. If something is still needed, you might want to take a look at the X.org wiki[0].
  • Download the git_xorg.sh script[1].
  • Edit it. Remove all the useless modules.
    • Remove all the useless video drivers. You will probably only want to download your own video card driver, and maybe the VESA driver, in case the other doesn't work.
    • Remove all the useless input drivers. You will probably only want to download the mouse, keyboard and evdev drivers. If you've got other odd input devices, download their modules too.
    • Remove the applications. Compiling these takes a really big time, and if you need them, you probably have an already-compiled version that came with your distribution (and it works with MPX).
    • Remove the fonts. They use a lot of space in your hard disk and the fonts already compiled in your computer work with MPX.
    • Remove anything else you might consider useless.
  • Run the git_xorg.sh script. It will download all the needed components in the current directory.
  • Change to MPX. Use the install_mpx.sh script[2] or follow the instructions at the mpx website[3].
  • Edit the util/modular/build.sh script (that you downloaded via git_xorg.sh). Remove all the modules that you removed from the git_xorg.sh script. You don't want to compile something you didn't download.
  • Compile drm:
    • cd drm
    • LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/opt/mpx/lib PKG_CONFIG_PATH=/opt/mpx/lib/pkgconfig ./autogen.sh --prefix=/opt/mpx
    • make
    • make install
    • cd ..
  • Compile pixman:
    • cd pixman
    • LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/opt/mpx/lib PKG_CONFIG_PATH=/opt/mpx/lib/pkgconfig ./autogen.sh --prefix=/opt/mpx
    • make
    • make install
    • cd ..
  • Run the build.sh script using the command:
    • PATH=/opt/mpx/bin:$PATH ./util/modular/build.sh /opt/mpx/
  • Possible problems:
    • If you want to debug stuff, use the command 'export CFLAGS="-O0 -g3"'. This makes the binaries a lot bigger.
    • You might find a problem related to xcb (something undefined). If you get this, go to the libxcb directory you downloaded from the separate repository, and use these commands:
      • LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/opt/mpx/lib PKG_CONFIG_PATH=/opt/mpx/lib/pkgconfig ./autogen.sh --prefix=/opt/mpx
      • make
      • make install
    • Remember: most of the problems happen because of not-installed required packages.
    • If you find any other problems, you may write it here so I can write a solution, ask at the #xorg channel in irc.freenode.net, or talk to me, PauloZanoni.

  • You've finally compiled xserver!

There are other techniques to reduce the xserver compiling time and the binary sizes. If you compile xserver with the options like "--disable-kdrive --disable-dmx --disable-xglx" and others, you'll save a lot of disk space and time, but you'll need to find out how to compile by yourself =)

Compiling GTK+

  • You'll need to download the GTK+ source. I've used the 2.10.11 version, but you might use another. Use the command:
  • Get my patch[4], and apply it:
    • Go to the gtk+ directory you just created, and do the command:
    • patch -p1 < gtkPatch.patch

  • Now compile everything. Use the commands:
    • LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/opt/mpx/lib PKG_CONFIG_PATH=/opt/mpx/lib/pkgconfig ./autogen.sh --prefix=/opt/mpx --with-xinput=yes
    • make
    • make install

Compiling Metacity

Finally, you'll just need to download metacity!

Running everything

  • First, add a few keyboards and mice to your computer.
  • Then, create your xorg.conf. Make a copy of /etc/X11/xorg.conf and edit it. Use my example xorg.conf file[5].
  • Now, use the command:
    • export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/opt/mpx/lib
  • Run the xserver:
    • Stop your gdm using:
      • /etc/init.d/gdm stop
  • Now, run the xserver:
    • /opt/mpx/bin/X -config /opt/mpx/xorg.conf :0
  • Start your gnome-session:
    • DISPLAY=:0 gnome-session
  • Finally, start metacity:
    • DISPLAY=:0 /opt/mpx/bin/metacity --replace

Have fun =)

If you have any questions, e-mail (PauloZanoni) me or ask me at IRC (it may take a few hours for me to answer on IRC, since I'm online even when sleeping).

If you have any feedback, bug reports or free beers, send me an e-mail too! I'd really like to know if someone is installing it =)

Projects/Metacity/MpxHowto (last edited 2013-11-23 01:29:21 by WilliamJonMcCann)