Date:    Mon, 21 Jan 2008 06:29:09 -0300
From:    Oliver Schuetz <oschuetz@eso.org>
To:      ls-sciops@eso.org
Subject: Patching the KDE bug


Dear All,

This is  an information how to solve  the "KDE bug" on  w2p2off, if it
should appear. Essentially, it is  just necessary to copy a directory,
but I give all details below.

Best regards,

OS


-----

Background (for those who want to know details):

There  is a  kind of  incompatibility  between the  most recent  Linux
version running on  the RITZ w***off machines and KDE.  It can and did
already happen that  the KDE session looses its  multiple desktops and
the window title bars disappear,  while all windows got stuck on their
position and cannot be moved.

This problem  was already reported  in LPRS-009112. While  w3p6off and
wg5off were  already or will  be moved to another  desktop environment
(DE), this was not easily  possible on w2p2off, where a complex system
of  automatic window pointers  had grown  during earlier  years, which
would  need to  be modified  if  another desktop  environment will  be
used. I tried to modify the  pointers, but it was not possible to port
them  identically to another  DE in  only 1  day without  risking side
effects (and during visitor mode this transition should not be done).

So  we keep  going  as is,  with patching  the  KDE bug.  This bug  is
randomly.  It can  happen tomorrow  or in  half a  year.  Typically it
affects only one screen, most likely the 0:1.


-----

IMPORTANT:  WHAT TO DO  (valid especially for w2p2off):

Essentially,  you just  need to  copy a  directory, but  for  this you
should be logged out from KDE.

If the  "KDE bug"  happens during the  night, preferably wait  for the
next day in order not to interrupt the FEROS pipeline.

On the next day, preferably before start of the calibrations:

- Exit nicely (by clicking quit) from the dataSubscriber and the FEROS 
  pipeline panel. Avoid closing these windows in a hard way (otherwise 
  zombie processes may survive).

- Log out from KDE (important !!).

- Type Ctrl+Alt+F1 to get a text only interface. Login as astro.

- Type  cp -r .kde.ok/* .kde/  Do not use mv.

- Type Ctrl+Alt+F7. Login to KDE with account astro.

- Re-start the dataSubscriber. When prompted for username and password, 
  enter 'service' in both cases.  Go to 'Config', click on  'Rename to 
  Keyword' and select  'Name On INS WS'.  Click on 'Accept'.  Click on 
  'Start Raw', and wait until the button changes into green.

- Start the  FEROS DRS pipeline main panel  with the left mouse button.
  Select a date and  press the 3 'start' buttons.  Should there be any 
  eventual problem  that some processes would not come up, then please 
  see here:

    http://www.ls.eso.org/lasilla/sciops/2p2/E2p2M/FEROS/Internal/
    orphaned-jobs.html

- If you did all this procedure during a night with FEROS observations 
  (you should not have done so), you need to re-initialise the pipeline 
  by typing in the blue Midas window:

    init/feros ThAr9021  (in the standard case)
    (if required see also the FEROS manual pages 40 & 41)


-----

In case the "good" backup directory /home/astro/.kde.ok should get lost, 
you can find a copy in the lasilla@kila account under:

    /home1/lasilla/220/w2p2off/kde-w2p2off.tar.gz