How to set Desktop Mode off and make it stick?

[dtarrant]

My tablet always starts with Desktop Mode on. For normal use, I need it off. I can set it off and all is fine for using the tablet.
However, after a power off and re-start, my setting has been lost.
I believe @Luksus is aware and has tried to fix, but without success.
What can we do to help?

[MrT10001]

@dtarrant Unless you can code and work on the kernel, not a lot. I wouldn't know where to start!

[Luksus]

@dtarrant There is a config file, which should controll this: /etc/ubuntu/devices.conf.

Usually the config for the [halium_arm64] device in this file should be enough.
I tried to add another config, with different versions of the X605 codename, but nothing worked.

One could make the rootfs writable and experiment with editing this config file. But already did that a lot and nothing works.

What would make more sense is, to investigate how and when that file gets read, to understand how it should work and why it does not work in our case.
I did not have the time to do this yet.

[kugiigi]

As mentioned you can experiment with device config. Make sure the codename is correct. My S10's codename is beyond1lte but for the device config, it's beyond1 only.
Normally, setting your device as tablet should be enough. There's another config located at /etc/ubuntu-touch-session.d but not sure how that affects things.
Last I can think of that's a possibility is that the port detects a physical keyboard/mouse even though there's none. Lomiri has a logic to switch to desktop mode when those are detected.

[Luksus]

@kugiigi said in How to set Desktop Mode off and make it stick?:

Last I can think of that's a possibility is that the port detects a physical keyboard/mouse even though there's none.

That is a good point also, which we should investigate.

[dtarrant]

@kugiigi @Fuseteam
I have a lateral thought:
How about a work-around?
Would it be possible write a script which could be run after start-up which would alter the system settings?
At present, after booting the tablet, I turn desktop mode off and tweak a couple of other settings to arrange the display to the conventional UT layout.
If I could run a script to do this automatically, it would be a great help. My wife would find this more acceptable.
I would like to try to do this if someone can explain which commands to use.
For example:
Step 1 - turn desktop mode off;
Step 2 - etc
In short, is this feasible?

[dtarrant]

@dtarrant @kugiigi @danfro
I have concluded that my idea isn't feasible.
I looked at the UT-Tweak-Tool pages on gitlab and it was all above my head. There is no chance of me finding a simple linux command which could be executed from the UT Terminal app to switch desktop mode off.

[kugiigi]

@dtarrant I don't exactly know how or if it's actually feasible but you can try putting the command as an upstart script (~/.config/upstart). The command would involve gsettings and sorry I can't remember the exact command

[danfro]

@dtarrant I had a look, yes, the app is not using a terminal command (as I thought). It is changing a gsetting.

gsetting values can be changed via terminal too as described here.

The schema is "com.canonical.Unity8". The actual setting value is "usageMode". (taken from UT Tweak Tool's code, not checked)

So in theory something like this run in terminal should work:

gsettings set com.canonical.Unity8 usage-mode Staged
gsettings set com.canonical.Unity8 usage-mode Windowed
gsettings set com.canonical.Unity8 usage-mode Automatic

Havn't tried it though.

Edit:
If you wish to do this without terminal but from inside an app, have a look at my ThemeSwitch branch where I implemented a working way of changing a gsetting.

Edit 2:
I edited the mispelled commands here too as pointed out by @Pulsar33.Thanks for that.
Although if it is usage-mode, then I don't know why or how UT Tweak Tool can work, because that is using usageMode. But maybe I overlook something.

[dtarrant]

@danfro
Interesting, I looked up gsettings and it seemed to be about keyboard mappings. However, in view of what you've told me, I'll take another look.
Thanks for the information.

[dtarrant]

@danfro
I tried one of the commands you suggested and it failed with the message "no such key as rusageMode" (or similar).
I would value your suggestion as to how to trouble-shoot.
Thank you in anticipation.

[kugiigi]

@dtarrant it should be usageMode. It's a mistype

[dtarrant]

@kugiigi
Wow! Thanks Kugi, I'll try again.

[dtarrant]

@kugiigi @danfro
Tried again - still no joy. Got msg:
No such key 'usageMode'
I feel we are on the brink of success.
Also tried 'useageMode' but also no joy.
Any other ideas?

[Pulsar33]

@dtarrant mispellings ...

Use

gsettings set com.canonical.Unity8 usage-mode Windowed
gsettings set com.canonical.Unity8 launcher-width 6
gsettings set com.canonical.Unity8 autohide-launcher true

The opposite of Windowed is Staged

BR
Pulsar33

[dtarrant]

@pulsar33
Many thanks. I will try and let you know how it goes.

[dtarrant]

@pulsar33 @kugiigi @danfro @Luksus @Fuseteam
Brilliant! That worked!
You've made me very happy.
"If you know stuff, you can do stuff!"

[dtarrant]

@kugiigi
This looks interesting:
I now know the correct gsettings command.
I can access .config/upstart with file manager and currently this location is empty (no files).
Please can you explain the format of the script I need to put here so the gsettings command is executed when I boot the tablet.
Not sure if this is relevant, but I just noticed that file manager has an "open terminal here" option at .config/upstart/....

[Keneda]

@dtarrant said in How to set Desktop Mode off and make it stick?:

Not sure if this is relevant, but I just noticed that file manager has an "open terminal here" option at .config/upstart/....

It has this option in any folder.

@dtarrant said in How to set Desktop Mode off and make it stick?:

Please can you explain the format of the script I need to put here so the gsettings command is executed when I boot the tablet.

See there .

For instance, i assume you can call your file rotate-screen-fix.conf, put the right code to start script in it, and then create a rotate-screen-fix file in home folder and put the @Pulsar33 code above in it.

[dtarrant]

@pulsar33 @Keneda @kugiigi
Now I have confirmed the correct gsettings command to switch to staged mode, I need to arrange for it to be executed automatically when I boot the tablet.
I like Kugi's suggestion to use config/upstart/...
I have experimented with file manager which provides an easy way to created folders and files and also the facility to start a terminal wbich makes it possible to delete files and folders.
The problem I have is how best to add text (commands) to the empty file I created.
I have searched for a solution and some approaches seem over-complicated.
I would appreciate your suggestion please.