GNU bug report logs - #18698
Our WindowMaker wrapper pollutes PATH in the entire X session

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Message #5 received at submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Mark H Weaver <mhw <at> netris.org>
To: bug-guix <at> gnu.org
Subject: Our WindowMaker wrapper pollutes PATH in the entire X session
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2014 20:48:49 -0400

We install a wrapper script around WindowMaker that prepends
/gnu/store/XXX-windowmaker-XXX/bin to $PATH.  This setting is propagated
to all subprocesses in the entire X session, which is suboptimal.  It
would be nice to find another solution, preferably by using absolute
pathnames when launching subprocesses run by WindowMaker.

      Mark

Message #10 received at 18698-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: ludo <at> gnu.org (Ludovic Courtès)
To: Mark H Weaver <mhw <at> netris.org>
Cc: 18698-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#18698: Our WindowMaker wrapper pollutes PATH in the entire X
 session
Date: Thu, 13 Nov 2014 08:59:16 +0100

Mark H Weaver <mhw <at> netris.org> skribis:

> We install a wrapper script around WindowMaker that prepends
> /gnu/store/XXX-windowmaker-XXX/bin to $PATH.  This setting is propagated
> to all subprocesses in the entire X session, which is suboptimal.  It
> would be nice to find another solution, preferably by using absolute
> pathnames when launching subprocesses run by WindowMaker.

Fixed in be05e64.

Ludo’.

Message #17 received at 18698 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Ricardo Wurmus <ricardo.wurmus <at> mdc-berlin.de>
To: <18698 <at> debbugs.gnu.org>
Subject: Re: bug#18698: Our WindowMaker wrapper pollutes PATH in the entire X
 session
Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2015 12:01:54 +0100

The fix may have resulted in unintended side-effects.  On a fresh
installation of the System Distribution v0.8.1 WindowMaker is installed
by default, but it is not completely functional.

For example, the attempt to change the style via the menu results in
this error to be displayed:

    Could not execute command:
        setstyle /gnu/store/...windowmaker.../share/WindowMaker/Styles/Black.style

Likewise, selecting "Configure Window Maker" from the right-click menu
results in this error:

    Could not execute command: exec WPrefs

The "setstyle" executable is located in
/gnu/store/...windowmaker.../bin/, but is not in the PATH.

~~ Ricardo

Message #20 received at 18698 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: 宋文武 <iyzsong <at> gmail.com>
To: 18698 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#18698: Our WindowMaker wrapper pollutes PATH in the entire
 X	session
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2015 20:32:50 +0800

Ricardo Wurmus <ricardo.wurmus <at> mdc-berlin.de> writes:

> The fix may have resulted in unintended side-effects.  On a fresh
> installation of the System Distribution v0.8.1 WindowMaker is installed
> by default, but it is not completely functional.
>
> For example, the attempt to change the style via the menu results in
> this error to be displayed:
>
>     Could not execute command:
>         setstyle /gnu/store/...windowmaker.../share/WindowMaker/Styles/Black.style
>
> Likewise, selecting "Configure Window Maker" from the right-click menu
> results in this error:
>
>     Could not execute command: exec WPrefs
>
> The "setstyle" executable is located in
> /gnu/store/...windowmaker.../bin/, but is not in the PATH.
Yes, the $out/bin of windowmaker is not in $PATH, and same for sawfish.

Instead of wrapping every executable of session-type, we can:

#1: Add the package to system profile ('packages').
  It's not clear to me how to do it now, until we have something
  like the NixOS's module system.

#2: Make SLiM use '/run/current-system/profile/share/xsessions' as
    session_dir.
  So simply add a package providing xsession file to 'packages' should
  make it available to SLiM.  And all DE and many window-managers provide
  xsession files already (eg: openbox, sawfish, xfce), we can patch
  the rest (eg: WindowMaker) to install one.

I would like to go #2, WDYT?

Message #23 received at 18698 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: ludo <at> gnu.org (Ludovic Courtès)
To: 宋文武 <iyzsong <at> gmail.com>
Cc: 18698 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#18698: Our WindowMaker wrapper pollutes PATH in the entire
 X	session
Date: Thu, 12 Feb 2015 21:15:06 +0100

宋文武 <iyzsong <at> gmail.com> skribis:

> Ricardo Wurmus <ricardo.wurmus <at> mdc-berlin.de> writes:
>
>> The fix may have resulted in unintended side-effects.  On a fresh
>> installation of the System Distribution v0.8.1 WindowMaker is installed
>> by default, but it is not completely functional.
>>
>> For example, the attempt to change the style via the menu results in
>> this error to be displayed:
>>
>>     Could not execute command:
>>         setstyle /gnu/store/...windowmaker.../share/WindowMaker/Styles/Black.style
>>
>> Likewise, selecting "Configure Window Maker" from the right-click menu
>> results in this error:
>>
>>     Could not execute command: exec WPrefs
>>
>> The "setstyle" executable is located in
>> /gnu/store/...windowmaker.../bin/, but is not in the PATH.
> Yes, the $out/bin of windowmaker is not in $PATH, and same for sawfish.
>
> Instead of wrapping every executable of session-type, we can:
>
> #1: Add the package to system profile ('packages').
>   It's not clear to me how to do it now, until we have something
>   like the NixOS's module system.

What I have in mind is to add a ‘packages’ field in ‘service’.  That
would allow service implementations to contribute packages to the global
profile.  Thoughts?

> #2: Make SLiM use '/run/current-system/profile/share/xsessions' as
>     session_dir.
>   So simply add a package providing xsession file to 'packages' should
>   make it available to SLiM.  And all DE and many window-managers provide
>   xsession files already (eg: openbox, sawfish, xfce), we can patch
>   the rest (eg: WindowMaker) to install one.

IIUC the bug initially reported here would remain: the user’s $PATH
would be polluted with the window manager’s stuff, no?

Thanks,
Ludo’.

Message #28 received at 18698 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: 宋文武 <iyzsong <at> gmail.com>
To: Ludovic Courtès <ludo <at> gnu.org>
Cc: 18698 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#18698: Our WindowMaker wrapper pollutes PATH in the entire
 X	session
Date: Sat, 14 Feb 2015 13:22:30 +0800

Ludovic Courtès <ludo <at> gnu.org> writes:

> 宋文武 <iyzsong <at> gmail.com> skribis:
>
>> Ricardo Wurmus <ricardo.wurmus <at> mdc-berlin.de> writes:
>>
>>> The fix may have resulted in unintended side-effects.  On a fresh
>>> installation of the System Distribution v0.8.1 WindowMaker is installed
>>> by default, but it is not completely functional.
>>>
>>> For example, the attempt to change the style via the menu results in
>>> this error to be displayed:
>>>
>>>     Could not execute command:
>>>         setstyle /gnu/store/...windowmaker.../share/WindowMaker/Styles/Black.style
>>>
>>> Likewise, selecting "Configure Window Maker" from the right-click menu
>>> results in this error:
>>>
>>>     Could not execute command: exec WPrefs
>>>
>>> The "setstyle" executable is located in
>>> /gnu/store/...windowmaker.../bin/, but is not in the PATH.
>> Yes, the $out/bin of windowmaker is not in $PATH, and same for sawfish.
>>
>> Instead of wrapping every executable of session-type, we can:
>>
>> #1: Add the package to system profile ('packages').
>>   It's not clear to me how to do it now, until we have something
>>   like the NixOS's module system.
>
> What I have in mind is to add a ‘packages’ field in ‘service’.  That
> would allow service implementations to contribute packages to the global
> profile.  Thoughts?
It's fine, but we may also need a 'dbus-service' field (for wicd).
>
>> #2: Make SLiM use '/run/current-system/profile/share/xsessions' as
>>     session_dir.
>>   So simply add a package providing xsession file to 'packages' should
>>   make it available to SLiM.  And all DE and many window-managers provide
>>   xsession files already (eg: openbox, sawfish, xfce), we can patch
>>   the rest (eg: WindowMaker) to install one.
>
> IIUC the bug initially reported here would remain: the user’s $PATH
> would be polluted with the window manager’s stuff, no?
I think the 'polluted' means we have a $PATH contains:
  /gnu/store/xxx-windowmaker/bin
install it to profile doesn't have this issue.
>
> Thanks,
> Ludo’.

Message #31 received at 18698 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: ludo <at> gnu.org (Ludovic Courtès)
To: 宋文武 <iyzsong <at> gmail.com>
Cc: 18698 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#18698: Our WindowMaker wrapper pollutes PATH in the entire
 X	session
Date: Sun, 01 Mar 2015 15:39:39 +0100

宋文武 <iyzsong <at> gmail.com> skribis:

> Ludovic Courtès <ludo <at> gnu.org> writes:
>
>> 宋文武 <iyzsong <at> gmail.com> skribis:
>>
>>> Ricardo Wurmus <ricardo.wurmus <at> mdc-berlin.de> writes:
>>>
>>>> The fix may have resulted in unintended side-effects.  On a fresh
>>>> installation of the System Distribution v0.8.1 WindowMaker is installed
>>>> by default, but it is not completely functional.
>>>>
>>>> For example, the attempt to change the style via the menu results in
>>>> this error to be displayed:
>>>>
>>>>     Could not execute command:
>>>>         setstyle /gnu/store/...windowmaker.../share/WindowMaker/Styles/Black.style
>>>>
>>>> Likewise, selecting "Configure Window Maker" from the right-click menu
>>>> results in this error:
>>>>
>>>>     Could not execute command: exec WPrefs
>>>>
>>>> The "setstyle" executable is located in
>>>> /gnu/store/...windowmaker.../bin/, but is not in the PATH.
>>> Yes, the $out/bin of windowmaker is not in $PATH, and same for sawfish.
>>>
>>> Instead of wrapping every executable of session-type, we can:
>>>
>>> #1: Add the package to system profile ('packages').
>>>   It's not clear to me how to do it now, until we have something
>>>   like the NixOS's module system.
>>
>> What I have in mind is to add a ‘packages’ field in ‘service’.  That
>> would allow service implementations to contribute packages to the global
>> profile.  Thoughts?
> It's fine, but we may also need a 'dbus-service' field (for wicd).

Hmm right.  And dbus policy, and policykit something, and...

Clearly the NixOS way where each service can change anything in the
global config makes it easy; we need to find a middle ground where we
don’t end up allowing services to do anything.  Food for thought...

>>> #2: Make SLiM use '/run/current-system/profile/share/xsessions' as
>>>     session_dir.
>>>   So simply add a package providing xsession file to 'packages' should
>>>   make it available to SLiM.  And all DE and many window-managers provide
>>>   xsession files already (eg: openbox, sawfish, xfce), we can patch
>>>   the rest (eg: WindowMaker) to install one.
>>
>> IIUC the bug initially reported here would remain: the user’s $PATH
>> would be polluted with the window manager’s stuff, no?
> I think the 'polluted' means we have a $PATH contains:
>   /gnu/store/xxx-windowmaker/bin
> install it to profile doesn't have this issue.

Right, but WindowMaker is not necessarily in the user’s profile.

Still, maybe the initial solution, which added WindowMaker to $PATH, is
the least undesirable solution.

Thoughts?

Ludo’.

Message #36 received at 18698-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Maxim Cournoyer <maxim.cournoyer <at> gmail.com>
To: Mark H Weaver <mhw <at> netris.org>
Cc: 18698-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#18698: Our WindowMaker wrapper pollutes PATH in the entire
 X session
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2020 10:43:27 -0400

Hello,

Mark H Weaver <mhw <at> netris.org> writes:

> We install a wrapper script around WindowMaker that prepends
> /gnu/store/XXX-windowmaker-XXX/bin to $PATH.  This setting is propagated
> to all subprocesses in the entire X session, which is suboptimal.  It
> would be nice to find another solution, preferably by using absolute
> pathnames when launching subprocesses run by WindowMaker.
>
>       Mark

I tested with the following modifications to our lightweight-desktop
template:

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
modified   gnu/system/examples/lightweight-desktop.tmpl
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 ;; for a "desktop" setup without full-blown desktop
 ;; environments.

+(use-modules (gnu packages gnustep))
 (use-modules (gnu) (gnu system nss))
 (use-service-modules desktop)
 (use-package-modules bootloaders certs ratpoison suckless wm xorg)
@@ -42,7 +43,7 @@
   ;; the log-in screen with F1.
   (packages (append (list
                      ;; window managers
-                     ratpoison i3-wm i3status dmenu
+                     windowmaker
                      ;; terminal emulator
                      xterm
                      ;; for HTTPS access
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

And I cannot reproduce this.  I believe the fix Ludo did 6 years ago in
be05e643ae4d62dc25aa88b7fbdb0eae9cf10eb0 combined with the use of a
xsession file added in commit 537fe4568f4 by Kei resolved this issue for
good.

Closing.

Thanks,

Maxim

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