Bug 277521

Summary:	preloadkde is executed even when commented-out in kdmrc
Product:	[Unmaintained] kdm	Reporter:	Raphael Geissert <atomo64>
Component:	general	Assignee:	kdm bugs tracker <kdm-bugs-null>
Status:	RESOLVED NOT A BUG
Severity:	minor
Priority:	NOR
Version:	unspecified
Target Milestone:	---
Platform:	Debian unstable
OS:	Linux
Latest Commit:		Version Fixed In:
Sentry Crash Report:

Description Raphael Geissert 2011-07-11 02:28:31 UTC

(Using KDE 4.6.4; sorry, the guided bug reporting form is too annoying with the "steps to reproduce" and "expected results" requirements)

Even when Preloader is commented-out in kdmrc kdm_greet attempts to execute it. It is either a bug in the program or the documentation in kdmrc should be updated.

$ grep -B4 Preloader /etc/kde4/kdm/kdmrc
# A program to run while the greeter is visible. It is supposed to preload
# as much as possible of the session that is going to be started (most
# probably).
# Default is ""
#Preloader=/usr/bin/preloadkde

Comment 1 Oswald Buddenhagen 2011-07-16 12:11:13 UTC

impossible. maybe you are looking at the wrong kdmrc? try restarting kdm with "-debug 2" and check the syslog. see the kdm README for more info on debugging.

Comment 2 Raphael Geissert 2011-10-25 14:14:17 UTC

Sorry for taking so long to get back.

(In reply to comment #1)
> impossible. maybe you are looking at the wrong kdmrc? try restarting kdm with
> "-debug 2" and check the syslog. see the kdm README for more info on debugging.
The kdmrc I'm using is /etc/kde4/kdm/kdmrc (from the Debian package), and whatever change I make _is_ reflected. That includes enabling a Preloader.

From the audit log the call to preloadkde _is_ there (that's how I noticed it tried to execute it):
type=SYSCALL syscall=11 exit=-13 comm
="kdm_greet" exe="/usr/lib/kde4/libexec/kdm_greet"
type=PATH name="/usr/bin/preloadkde" mode=0100644

(this time I did have a preloadkde file that I tried to use to debug but forgot to make it +x)

Anyway, looking at the init script, I see it uses genkdmconf. So let's try...
$ mkdir /tmp/kdm-test
$ genkdmconf  --in /tmp/kdm-test/
Information: reading pre-existing kdmrc /etc/kde4/kdm/kdmrc (config version 2.4
$ grep Preload /tmp/kdm-test/kdmrc
Preloader=/usr/bin/preloadkde
$ grep Preloader /etc/kde4/kdm/kdmrc
#Preloader=/usr/bin/preloadkde

Mystery solved, the bug is in genkdmrc

Comment 3 Oswald Buddenhagen 2011-10-25 15:04:56 UTC

not so much a bug as expected behavior. to persistently disable it, use Preloader=.

fwiw, it's a bit weird that the init script calls genkdmconf - it's only meant for post-install. maybe ask the debian guys what their reasoning for that is.

Comment 4 Raphael Geissert 2011-10-25 16:04:39 UTC

(In reply to comment #3)
> not so much a bug as expected behavior. to persistently disable it, use
> Preloader=.

I beg to differ, the file itself says the default is "", and that's what I expect.
Is there a place where genkdmrc's behaviour is documented? Even if, as you say, that's the expected behaviour I think it could be (better?) documented to avoid similar confusion in the future. Perhaps a notice in kdmrc providing some pointers.

Thanks

Comment 5 Oswald Buddenhagen 2011-10-25 16:58:12 UTC

defaults refer to kdm's built-in defaults. genkdmconf is an installation helper tool kdm knows nothing about.
one could certainly document genkdmconf, but given that it is a heuristics-based helper, it is expected to produce unexpected results anyway (it generates a README file which says exactly that). the Instance fields in http://quickgit.kde.org/?p=kde-workspace.git&a=blob&f=kdm/config.def are the authoritative "documentation".