Pantheon - ArchWiki

# Pantheon

From ArchWiki

Pantheon is the desktop environment originally created for the elementary OS distribution. It is written from scratch in Vala, using GTK3 and Granite. With regards to usability and appearance, the desktop has some similarities with GNOME Shell and macOS.

## Project Status

Although the elementary OS release schedule and toolchain are bound to Ubuntu's LTS release cycle, development moves quickly and has recently moved to github.

## Installation

### Packages

#### Unofficial repository

Alucryd's unofficial repository contains more and more up-to-date packages than the few available in the community repository. To use it add the following lines at the top of your sources in `/etc/pacman.conf`:

    [extra-alucryd]
    Server = https://pkgbuild.com/~alucryd/$repo/$arch

#### AUR

Alternatively, the PKGBUILDs for the pantheon packages are also available in the AUR.

### Desktop Environment

For the minimal Pantheon shell, install pantheon-session-gitAUR, which pulls--among other dependencies--the core components:

- cerbere-gitAUR: Watchdog service; restarts core components if they crash.
- gala-gitAUR: Window and composting manager
- wingpanel-gitAUR: Top panel (holds the launcher, clock, and indicators)
- pantheon-applications-menu-gitAUR: Application launcher formerly known as "Slingshot"
- plank: macOS-style Dock

### Services and Configuration

These optional packages provide background services and default settings for Pantheon and elementary OS applications:

- pantheon-default-settings-gitAUR: Default appearance, behavior, and configuration; pulls in theme packages elementary-icon-theme, gtk-theme-elementary-gitAUR, and elementary-wallpapers-gitAUR
- gnome-settings-daemon-elementaryAUR: A patched gnome-settings-daemon-ubuntuAUR required by pantheon-dpms-helper-gitAUR and wingpanel-indicator-power-gitAUR
- pantheon-print-gitAUR: Print settings dialog
- pantheon-polkit-agent-gitAUR: Polkit authentication agent

### Theme

These optional packages contribute to the look and feel of the desktop:

- elementary-icon-theme or elementary-icon-theme-gitAUR: Icon theme designed to be smooth, sexy, clear, and efficient
- lightdm-pantheon-greeterAUR or lightdm-pantheon-greeter-gitAUR: LightDM greeter

It is also recommended to install the following fonts:

- ttf-opensansAUR: Open Sans Fonts
- ttf-ralewayAUR: Raleway Font
- ttf-dejavu: Font family based on the Bitstream Vera Fonts
- ttf-droid: General-purpose fonts released by Google as part of Android
- ttf-freefont: Set of free outline fonts covering the Unicode character set
- ttf-liberation: Red Hats Liberation fonts

### Applications

These are some of the original, patched, and selected packages that comprise the optional elementary OS software suite:

- pantheon-files or pantheon-files-gitAUR: File explorer developed from Marlin
- pantheon-terminal or pantheon-terminal-gitAUR: Terminal emulator
- pantheon-code or pantheon-code-gitAUR: Text editor formerly known as "Scratch"
- pantheon-calculatorAUR or pantheon-calculator-gitAUR: Calculator
- pantheon-music or pantheon-music-gitAUR: Audio player formerly known as "Noise"
- pantheon-videos or pantheon-videos-gitAUR: Video player formerly known as "Audience"
- pantheon-calendar-gitAUR: Calendar application formerly known as "Maya", integrates with wingpanel-indicator-datetime-gitAUR
- epiphany-pantheonAUR: Web browser replacing midori-graniteAUR
- pantheon-mail-gitAUR: Email client developed from geary
- pantheon-screenshotAUR or pantheon-screenshot-gitAUR: Screenshot tool
- eidete-bzrAUR: Simple screencaster
- pantheon-photos or pantheon-photos-gitAUR: Photo manager developed from shotwell
- pantheon-camera-gitAUR: Webcam app developed from snap-photoboothAUR
- elementary-scan-bzrAUR: Simple scan utility (does not build)
- switchboardAUR or switchboard-gitAUR: Pluggable settings manager similar to gnome-control-center

## Launching Pantheon

### Via Display manager

pantheon-session-gitAUR provides a gnome-session entry for display managers such as gdm or lightdm.

#### Autostart applications with a display manager

As a gnome-session, Pantheon implements XDG Autostart.

### Via xinit

Alternatively, you can use `~/.xinitrc` to launch the Pantheon shell, by adding `exec cerbere` to the end of the file.

#### Autostart applications with xinit

For applications which do not provide a systemd unit, consider these options:

- Run once when X starts:

  Add it to your `~/.xinitrc` Shell script, before the `exec cerbere` line.

- Keep running in the background:

  Add it to the dconf key `org.pantheon.desktop.cerbere.monitored-processes`.
  Should the process stop, cerbereAUR will respawn it.

- Launch from a .desktop file:

  Use a program like dapperAUR, dex-gitAUR, or fbautostartAUR to implement XDG Autostart.

## Configuration

Configure Pantheon via switchboardAUR or switchboard-gitAUR and its plugs (switchboard-plug-*), which must be installed separately. Not all of gnome-control-center's settings panels have been ported. In addition, except plank, all the Pantheon components store their configuration in the `org.pantheon` or `io.elementary` gsettings keys, which can be edited with dconf-editor.

Note: switchboard-plug-elementary-tweaks-gitAUR provides easy access to customizations for various aspects of the Pantheon desktop and applications, similar to gnome-tweaks.

### Wingpanel

Wingpanel does not come with any indicators; they must be installed separately.

At the minimum, you'll probably want to install:

- slingshot-launcherAUR or pantheon-applications-menu-gitAUR: Applications menu and "Run" dialog
- wingpanel-indicator-datetimeAUR or wingpanel-indicator-datetime-gitAUR: Clock and calendar widget
- wingpanel-indicator-sessionAUR or wingpanel-indicator-session-gitAUR: User and session menu (Switch user, Logout, Shutdown, etc.)

Note: wingpanelAUR supports Ayatana indicators, while wingpanel-gitAUR has native indicators (wingpanel-indicator-*-git).

#### Third-party indicators

- If launched by a display manager, append `Pantheon;` to `OnlyShowIn=` in third-party indicators' *.desktop files

- If launched by ~/.xinitrc, add third-party indicators to one of the start-up methods described above.

- Ayatana Indicators require wingpanel-indicator-ayatanaAUR or wingpanel-indicator-ayatana-gitAUR to appear in wingpanel-gitAUR.

#### Indicator-session menus unresponsive

- indicator-sessionAUR relies on dbus methods provided by Unity for most of its functions and fails to fallback to gnome or systemd methods in its absence.

- wingpanel-indicator-session-gitAUR needs light-locker or xscreensaver-dbus-screenlockAUR installed for the `Lock` menu item.

### Plank

#### Adding new application icons

Either drag and drop a desktop file on to the dock, or right click on a running application and select "Keep in dock". You can then reorder icons by drag and drop.

Note: Plank stores .dockitem launchers in `~/.config/plank/` and configuration in the gsettings key `net.launchpad.plank`

### Pantheon Files

#### Enable context menu entries

If you want to enable context menu entries such as for file-roller to extract/compress archives, then you have to additionally install contractor or contractor-gitAUR.

### Terminal

#### Opacity

To make pantheon-terminal (semi-)transparent, set the dconf key `org.pantheon.terminal.settings.opacity` to your desired opacity; for pantheon-terminal-gitAUR, the background color and transparency are set by `io.elementary.terminal.settings.background`.

## Known Issues

### Appearance

#### Pantheon-terminal transparency

Transparency in pantheon-terminal is not yet fully functional with GTK themes other than the elmentary OS theme. Either use gtk-theme-elementaryAUR, gtk-theme-elementary-gitAUR or add the following code to your theme's css or the override file in `~/.config/gtk-3.0/gtk.css`:

    /************
     * Terminal *
     ***********/

    PantheonTerminalPantheonTerminalWindow.background {
       background-color: transparent;
    }

#### Wingpanel transparency

Wingpanel is transparent by design when using gtk-theme-elementaryAUR or gtk-theme-elementary-gitAUR, and becomes opaque when a maximized window occupies your screen. However, using other GTK themes will produce a solid panel most of the time.

To achieve the former behavior within another theme, add the following code to its css or the override file in `~/.config/gtk-3.0/gtk.css`:

    /*********************
     * wingpanel support *
     ********************/

    .panel {
        background-color: transparent;
        transition: all 1s ease-in-out;
    }

    .panel.maximized {
        background-color: #000;
    }

Category:

- Desktop environments