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Add "Miscellaneous" chapter, "Additional software" cahpter, on-screen keyboard hints, changes on "Display" chapter
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The Alpine repository already contains all the packages for x86_64, armhf and aarch64 architectures.
The Alpine repository already contains all the packages for x86_64, armhf and aarch64 architectures.
Nothing has to be done to enable it.
Nothing has to be done to enable it.
On <code>Extra packages</code>:
* Add an on-screen keyboard like <code>onboard</code>, <code>matchbox-keyboard</code> or <code>corekeyboard</code>, see [[Input_methods#Conventional_on-screen_keyboards]].
* The <code>network-manager-applet</code> is recommendable. It can be added to the panel later.


After installation, the shell will automatically launch upon boot. If it doesn't, have a look at <code>/etc/profile.d/start_mate.sh</code> script.
After installation, the shell will automatically launch upon boot. If it doesn't, have a look at <code>/etc/profile.d/start_mate.sh</code> script.
Add the on-screen keyboard to Preferences -> Personal -> Startup Applicactions. Command e.g. <code>/usr/bin/onboard</code>. Thereafter, logout or reboot.


For the official MATE instructions, see [https://wiki.alpinelinux.org/wiki/MATE their website].
For the official MATE instructions, see [https://wiki.alpinelinux.org/wiki/MATE their website].


== Guide ==
== Display ==
 
Follow the [[Display]] guide to optionally change it to landscape mode or fix display related issues.
 
== Miscellaneous ==
 
* For terminal usage: Change text color within the terminal by Edit -> Profile Preferences -> tab "Colors" -> uncheck "Use colors from system theme" -> choose e.g. built-in scheme "Custom", text color a light grey and backgrund color black (which optionally can be set transparent in the "Background" tab).
* Disable mouse cursor by <code>sudo vi /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf</code>, change <code>#xserver-command=X</code> to <code>xserver-command=X -nocursor</code>, logout or reboot.
* Secondary mouse click see [[Input_methods#Simulate_secondary_click]].
* Add "Battery Charge Monitor" to the panel.
* If you want to use LightDM as a login screen, see [[Display_manager#LightDM]].
* Screen locking is a bit of a challenge.
** The easy part is enabeling it:
*** A timed locking in System -> Preferences -> Look and Feek -> Screensaver -> check "Lock screen when screensaver is active".
*** By e.g. pressing the power button in System -> Preferences -> Hardware -> Keyboard Shortcuts -> double-click the shortcut next to "Lock screen" -> press the power button to assign.
** The tricky part is getting a virtual keyboard for unlocking, see [[Screen_locker#mate-screensaver]].
** For disabling the inputs, you can try something like [[Screen_locker:Disable_inputs#Xfce4]] but the script sure needs to be adapted to the situation, whicht might not be easy.
 
== Additional software ==


Follow the [https://wiki.postmarketos.org/wiki/Display Display] guide to change and fix display related issues.
* As a browser, install e.g. <code>firefox</code> or <code>firefox-esr</code>. To enable touch screen behaviour, add a new file <code>sudo vi /etc/profile.d/firefox-touch-scrolling.sh</code> and write <code>export MOZ_USE_XINPUT2=1</code>, in <code>about:config</code> change <code>dom.w3c.touch_events.enabled</code> from 2 (default, auto-detect) to 1 (enabled). For better touch screen usability, install package <code>mobile-config-firefox</code> ([https://gitlab.com/postmarketOS/mobile-config-firefox/-/blob/master/README.md more information])
* For phone applications, try <code>calls</code>, <code>chatty</code> and <code>gnome-contacts</code>, which are used in Phosh. Package <code>modemmanager</code> needs to be installed, start the service by <code>sudo rc-service modemmanager start</code>, add it permanently by <code>sudo rc-update add modemmanager default</code> and reboot.
* To view PDF files, install package <code>atril</code>, for alternatives see [[PDF#PDF_viewers]].


[[Category:Interface]]
[[Category:Interface]]

Revision as of 22:53, 24 August 2021

MATE running on Samsung Galaxy S Advance (i9070)
MATE running on Samsung Galaxy S Advance (i9070)
In postmarketOS
Package postmarketos-ui-mate
Status Available

MATE is a desktop environment forked from the maintained code base of GNOME 2. It is installable on postmarketOS.

Status

It works on most devices with a working display, works fine without hardware acceleration. Also it has Hi-Dpi support. So apps will look better and usable. Use packages from Alpine repo.

After the postmarketOS loading splashscreen you will get a black screen for 20-30 seconds before the desktop appears. This seems due to an issue with marco (MATE window manager):

mate-session[1377]: WARNING: Application 'marco.desktop' failed to register before timeout

Install MATE Desktop

Run pmbootstrap init and choose mate in the interface section. The Alpine repository already contains all the packages for x86_64, armhf and aarch64 architectures. Nothing has to be done to enable it.

On Extra packages:

After installation, the shell will automatically launch upon boot. If it doesn't, have a look at /etc/profile.d/start_mate.sh script.

Add the on-screen keyboard to Preferences -> Personal -> Startup Applicactions. Command e.g. /usr/bin/onboard. Thereafter, logout or reboot.

For the official MATE instructions, see their website.

Display

Follow the Display guide to optionally change it to landscape mode or fix display related issues.

Miscellaneous

  • For terminal usage: Change text color within the terminal by Edit -> Profile Preferences -> tab "Colors" -> uncheck "Use colors from system theme" -> choose e.g. built-in scheme "Custom", text color a light grey and backgrund color black (which optionally can be set transparent in the "Background" tab).
  • Disable mouse cursor by sudo vi /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf, change #xserver-command=X to xserver-command=X -nocursor, logout or reboot.
  • Secondary mouse click see Input_methods#Simulate_secondary_click.
  • Add "Battery Charge Monitor" to the panel.
  • If you want to use LightDM as a login screen, see Display_manager#LightDM.
  • Screen locking is a bit of a challenge.
    • The easy part is enabeling it:
      • A timed locking in System -> Preferences -> Look and Feek -> Screensaver -> check "Lock screen when screensaver is active".
      • By e.g. pressing the power button in System -> Preferences -> Hardware -> Keyboard Shortcuts -> double-click the shortcut next to "Lock screen" -> press the power button to assign.
    • The tricky part is getting a virtual keyboard for unlocking, see Screen_locker#mate-screensaver.
    • For disabling the inputs, you can try something like Screen_locker:Disable_inputs#Xfce4 but the script sure needs to be adapted to the situation, whicht might not be easy.

Additional software

  • As a browser, install e.g. firefox or firefox-esr. To enable touch screen behaviour, add a new file sudo vi /etc/profile.d/firefox-touch-scrolling.sh and write export MOZ_USE_XINPUT2=1, in about:config change dom.w3c.touch_events.enabled from 2 (default, auto-detect) to 1 (enabled). For better touch screen usability, install package mobile-config-firefox (more information)
  • For phone applications, try calls, chatty and gnome-contacts, which are used in Phosh. Package modemmanager needs to be installed, start the service by sudo rc-service modemmanager start, add it permanently by sudo rc-update add modemmanager default and reboot.
  • To view PDF files, install package atril, for alternatives see PDF#PDF_viewers.