# GNOME Flashback

Related articles

- GNOME
- Desktop environment
- Window manager

GNOME Flashback (previously called GNOME fallback mode) is a shell for GNOME 3. The desktop layout and the underlying technology is similar to GNOME 2. It doesn't use 3D acceleration at all, so it's generally faster and less CPU intensive than GNOME Shell with llvmpipe.

Warning: GNOME Flashback is not compatible with GNOME 3.10 or later. See: [1]

## Installation

GNOME Flashback can be installed with either the gnome-panel package or the gnome-panel-git package, both of which are available in the AUR. In order to login, you have to install the following packages as well:

- gnome-screensaver
- gnome-session
- gnome-settings-daemon-compat
- gnome-themes-standard
- metacity
- nautilus
- notification-daemon
- polkit-gnome

You can also install the following packages which provide some additional applets for the GNOME Panel:

- gnome-applets
- byzanz
- netspeed-applet
- sensors-applet
- window-picker-applet

To get a complete desktop environment, it's recommended to install the gnome group which contains applications required for the standard GNOME experience.

## Starting

### Graphical log-in

Simply choose GNOME Flashback (Metacity) from the session menu of your favourite display manager.

### Manually

If you prefer to start GNOME Flashback manually from the console, add the following line to your `~/.xinitrc` file:

    ~/.xinitrc

     exec gnome-session --session=gnome-flashback

After the `exec` command is placed, GNOME Flashback can be launched by typing `startx`. See xinitrc for details.

## Configuration

GNOME Flashback shares most of its settings with GNOME. See Customizing GNOME appearance for more details.

### Customizing GNOME Panel

- To configure the panel, hold down the `Alt` key, and right-click on it in an empty area.
- To move an applet on the panel, hold down the `Alt` key, and grab it with middle-button.

Note: If you are using GNOME Panel with a standalone window manager, the Alt+right-click combination will not work. You must use Super+Alt+right-click instead.

### Alternative window manager

You can use an alternative window manager with GNOME by creating two files:

Note: Xmonad is used as an example, but this works for other window managers.

    /usr/share/gnome-session/sessions/gnome-xmonad.session

    [GNOME Session]
    Name=GNOME xmonad
    RequiredComponents=gnome-panel;gnome-settings-daemon;gnome-screensaver;xmonad;notification-daemon;polkit-gnome-authentication-agent-1;gnome-fallback-background-helper;gnome-fallback-media-keys-helper;gnome-fallback-mount-helper;

    /usr/share/xsessions/gnome-xmonad.desktop

    [Desktop Entry]
    Name=GNOME xmonad
    Comment=This session logs you into GNOME with the traditional panel
    Exec=gnome-session --session=gnome-xmonad
    TryExec=gnome-session
    Icon=
    Type=Application

The next time you log in, you should have the ability to choose GNOME xmonad as your session.

If there isn't a .desktop file for the window manager, you'll need to create one. Example for wmii:

    /usr/share/applications/wmii.desktop

    [Desktop Entry]
    Version=1.0
    Type=Application
    Name=wmii
    TryExec=wmii
    Exec=wmii

For more information, see this article on running awesome as the window manager in GNOME.

## Using GNOME Panel with a standalone window manager

The GNOME Flashback experience is primarily provided by GNOME Panel. The other components are only required for the Flashback session itself. If you would like to use GNOME Panel without the Flashback session you can just install the gnome-panel package and autostart the panel with a standalone window manager such as Openbox.

For example: if you want to use GNOME Panel with Openbox add `gnome-panel &` to the `~/.config/openbox/autostart` file.

See your window manager's wiki page as well as the Autostarting page for further instruction.

## Known issues

- The Logout and Shutdown dialogues do nothing.

## See also

- GnomeFlashback - GNOME Wiki

Category:

- GNOME