Booting with only the dCore-*.gz (base file system) and vmlinuz-* (Linux kernel) files initially provides a CLI environment only until additional graphic extensions are imported. Although the smaller dCore-*.iso provides a boot loader it also initially only boots into CLI.
The larger dCorePlus ISO contains a boot loader plus Xvesa or X.org, the flwm_topside Window Manager, wbar application launcher, built-in terminal, FLTK-Editor ahnd graphic dCore System Tools.
As dCore is modular and extensible, installing or switching Window Managers and Desktop Environments is simple. Depending on the Window Manager, additional system monitors, launchers and panels (task bar) may be added. Users who desire a built-in panel can switch to Window Managers like Fluxbox, IceWM or JWM, alternatively install a Desktop Environment.
For users not yet running a graphic system, the following links explain how to import an X Window System and Window Manager or Desktop Environment:
Numerous window managers are supported by dCore. These have integrated dCore OnDemand and System Tools menus as well as official READMEs:
Several desktop environments also work with dCore. Although lacking dCore OnDemand menu integration, they provide auto-populated menus based on a loaded application's desktop file. They also typically provide customizable menus, panels and application launchers. The following Desktop Environments have official READMEs. Visit the Official dCore Screenshots page to see them in action.
LXDE can be modified to use Openbox's OnDemand menu (see below), providing an equivalent to an officially supported window manager.
As numerous alternatives are available in Debian/Ubuntu repositories, dCore users can import other graphic environments. Most work without much effort aside from any custom configurations. Feel free to post results and/or link a User Contributed Screenshot.
Unofficial Window Managers:
sce-import -b wmaker, boot code wmaker. Search using sce-import -b wm for additional Window Maker packages.Unofficial Desktop Environments:
sce-import -b fvwm-crystal, boot code fvwm-crystal.Visit the User Contributed Screenshots section to see some of them in action.
Although unofficial graphic environments may lack pre-configured dCore OnDemand and System Tools menus, this has little relevance to experienced dCore users. Importing a dynamic menu, like dmenu, provides quick access to all system applications without configuration. It is also known to work in various graphic environments. To install and use dmenu:
sce-import -b suckless-tools to install.dmenu_run.dmenu_run to access all applications in the system's $PATH (run echo $PATH to confirm), including all OnDemand SCEs and dCore System Tools, these applications display across the top of the screen.For unofficial graphic environment users manually setting up custom menus:
Note to keen dCore and Tiny Core users. Although both provide a similar list of official Window Managers, subject to change, only dCore supports Enlightenment and only Tiny Core supports Hackedbox. Regarding Desktop Environments, both have been known to run Gnome and only dCore supports LXDE and Xfce. Due to direct access to Debian and Ubuntu repositories, dCore also runs numerous additional Window Managers and Desktop Environments, some noted above.
Migrate from default FLWM to a full function LXDE desktop by exploiting its Openbox roots:
Essential READMEs for importing extensions and setting up a system with graphics. These and additional READMEs can also be accessed directly from an internet connected dCore system using the readme.sh command.
Explore /etc/X11/fonts, /usr/share/fonts and /usr/local/share/fonts to determine fonts currently available. Another method is to open a full featured text editor, such as LibreOffice Writer, and explore the fonts dropdown selection list. Fonts may be installed seperately or as a dependency of a Debian package.
A primitive search method to trace which loaded SCEs provide fonts would be to run find /tmp/tcloop/ -name “fonts”. Installed fonts only become available when the applicable SCE is loaded, hence /tmp/tcloop contains loop mounted extensions. To find additional repository fonts with the sce-import command it is useful to use the -c (contains) option (eg. sce-import -bc fonts).
Most imported applications include the necessary icons to run properly. If not, try installing additional icon sets, search old forum posts, run readme.sh for any applicable applications (eg. LibreOffice or Thunar) or post a query requesting assistance. In some cases, specific icon packages may be added by the developer as an extra dependency for a particular package. To find additional repository icons with the sce-import command it is useful to use the -c (contains) option (eg. sce-import -bc icons or sce-import -bc icon-theme).
Importing a GUI application, such as lxappearance, can make it easier to configure a graphic system, including fonts and sizes, icon sets, cursors, etc for supported applications (eg. sce-import lxappearance).
Fonts and icons should preferably be imported to load at boot (eg. sce-import -b).