How to logout / save session?

[M. Glenn Lewis]

On Friday 09 July 2004 07:51 pm, Wolf Lichtenberger wrote:
> |Hi,
<snip>
> |
> |A Logout (and Screen lock) button and a Xfce session applet can be added
> | to the Xfce panel, having normal Sarge sources in your
> | /etc/apt/sources.list . Try
> |
> |apt-get install xfce-session
> |
> |As for the state of Debian Xfce packages, look at
> | http://wiki.earth.li/XfceDebian .

Thanks for the reply,

I already have 'xfce4-session-0.1.3+20031213'  installed and I have verified 
that it was already installed when I posted my original message.

I removed the two files referenced in my previous post from 
$HOME/.xfce4/sessions, since one of them (the binary file I believe) was 
causing errors and slow startup (although it /was/ restoring a session that 
got saved somehow that is a mystery to me).

I then recreated the '$HOME/.xfce4/sessions/xfce4-localhost' file that Xfce4 
complains is missing using 'touch'. This would be the binary file that 
Xfce4 would use to save my session in if I could figure out how to tell it 
to save one.

This procedure restored Xfce4 to the way it was originally installed, with 
the exception of the file that I created to eliminate the error message.

Now, when starting Xfce4, I get the following error message in a graphical 
dialog box just before the Xfce4 splash screen appears:

<quote>

The session manager was unable to restore your
previous session. It'll therefore start a default
session.

</quote>

which apparently means that it sees and can read from the file I created and 
recognizes it as the (empty) session file.

It then proceeds to start a clean Xfce4 session (i.e. no terminal or other 
programs running).

However, the problem still remains - no 'logout' button or option anywhere.

I had already added the system buttons 'lock' and 'exit' to the panel prior 
to my first post but can find no option to add a 'logout' system button, or 
(as you suggest) a session applet, /anywhere/ in the 'Add new item' panel 
menu.

The 'lock' button obviously locks the screen. The 'exit' button just 
abruptly exits without saving the session (which seems logical given its 
name). The elusive 'logout' button does not seem to exist.

Although I am obviously no expert on Xfce4, I am beginning to think that the 
version of 'xfce4-session' that I have installed has not yet implemented 
the 'logout' function. I can think of no other explanation.

If anyone can correct me I would certainly welcome it though, as I use this 
function frequently when I have many programs and browser tabs open and 
want to exit the desktop.

Thanks again,

MGL
-- 
^^^^^^^Parts of original message omitted when not needed. *See thread.^^^^^^
M. Glenn Lewis