xfce4-session(1)

📦
version 4.20.4 · 2 versions
  • 4.20.4 · alpine 3.24, arch rolling, debian trixie, epel 9, fedora 43, fedora 44, nixos 26.05, nixpkgs unstable, opensuse-leap 16.0, ubuntu noble, ubuntu questing, ubuntu resolute, ubuntu stonking (latest)
  • 4.18.1 · debian bookworm, ubuntu jammy
, in alpine 3.24, arch rolling, debian trixie, epel 9, fedora 43, fedora 44, nixos 26.05, nixpkgs unstable, opensuse-leap 16.0, ubuntu noble, ubuntu questing, ubuntu resolute, ubuntu stonking

💖 xfce4-session — the girlies' guide to starting Xfce 💖

okay so bestie, this is the manual page for xfce4-session, from the General Commands Manual, and I'm gonna walk you through it like we're texting at 2am. buckle up 🎀

✨ NAME ✨

xfce4-session — literally just starts up the Xfce Desktop Environment. that's it. that's the job. 👑

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

xfce4-session

no args, no drama, no flags required. she just goes. 💅

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

okay so this manual page documents briefly the xfce4-session command. briefly!! like, we're not writing a novel here. 📖✨

the xfce4-session program starts up the Xfce Desktop Environment, and it's typically executed by your login manager (think xdm, gdm, kdm, wdm, or straight up from your X startup scripts). so like, you're not usually the one running her — your login manager is doing it for you, no cap. she'll load your last session, or a default session that includes the standard Xfce programs if no saved session is available. so either she remembers your vibe or she gives you the factory-fresh vibe. either way you're covered 🫶

and here's the iconic part: xfce4-session is a standard X11R6 session manager that can manage any X11R6 SM compliant program, including GNOME and KDE programs. yeah bestie, she plays nice with everybody. multilingual, cross-desktop, unbothered. 🌈

also, xfce4-session uses the contents of the ~/.cache/sessions/ directory for starting previously saved sessions. that's where the memories live 💾💜

🔥 OPTIONS 🔥

xfce4-session takes the following command line options:

  • --disable-tcp — disables binding to TCP ports in the ICE layer. lowkey important caveat: this is not possible on every platform. if you use this option on a platform that does not support it, xfce4-session will print a warning message and ignore the setting. so she'll tell you she's ignoring you, politely. 💀
  • --help — print a help screen and exit. the classic "wait what do I do" button, we love her 🙈
  • --version — output version information and exit. for when you need to know exactly which era of her you're dealing with ✨

🌟 ENVIRONMENT 🌟

xfce4-session's behaviour is affected by the following environment variables. yes, she's sensitive, she's an empath, respect it:

  • XDG_CONFIG_HOME — specifies the root for all user-specific configuration files. if this environment variable is unset, it defaults to ~/.config/ 📁
  • XDG_CONFIG_DIRS — a set of preference ordered base directories relative to which configuration files should be searched in addition to the $XDG_CONFIG_HOME base directory. the directories should be separated with a colon. yes, a colon, like a lil : divider between them 🎀
  • XDG_CACHE_HOME — specifies the root for all user-specific cache data. if this environment variable is unset, it defaults to ~/.cache/ 🗂️
  • XFSM_VERBOSE — when defined, this environment variable enables debugging messages to be saved to ~/.xfce4-session.verbose-log. and get this — the log file from the last session run with this environment variable set is retained at ~/.xfce4-session.verbose-log.last. these debugging messages are useful for troubleshooting and development. so if something's acting up, set this and she'll spill everything into a diary for you 📓👀

🎀 FILES 🎀

  • xfce4-session reads its configuration from Xfconf. (Xfconf!! her config bestie 💅)
  • xfce4-session stores its session data into $XDG_CACHE_HOME/sessions/.

💜 AUTHOR 💜

xfce4-session was written by Benedikt Meurer <benny@xfce.org> as part of the Xfce project. and this manual page was written by Oliver M. Bolzer <oliver@debian.org> and Benedikt Meurer <benny@xfce.org>. legends, honestly. 👑✨

😭 REPORTING BUGS 😭

found a bug? report bugs to https://gitlab.xfce.org/xfce/xfce4-session/. be nice, be specific, and include the deets — the devs are doing their best fr fr 🫶

Copyright © 2003-2014 Benedikt Meurer.

bestie reminder: everything above is the real deal, I just gave it a glow-up. don't come for me if you --disable-tcp on a platform that doesn't support it — she warned you, she ignored the setting, and she moved on 💖

and that's the whole page, periodt. 💅 this was xfce4-session(1) from Sep 28, 2014 — yes, the date is giving vintage, but she still runs your desktop like a queen. mwah 🎀💖✨

📦 where this page comes from