GNOME on Qubes

instructions.md

Hi!

You should be able to install GNOME DE on Qubes OS dom0 with.

sudo qubes-dom0-update gnome-shell

Install extensions according to instructions here.

Enable window borders

Install [email protected] and run this:

sudo cp ~/.local/share/gnome-shell/extensions/[email protected]/schemas/org.gnome.shell.extensions.pop-shell.gschema.xml /usr/share/glib-2.0/schemas/org.gnome.shell.extensions.pop-shell.gschema.xml && sudo glib-compile-schemas /usr/share/glib-2.0/schemas

Reload the shell with Alt + F2 and type r. Use the tiling widget in the panel to enable active window hint.

Then run label.sh to enable colored window borders. Thanks to the kind people in the Qubes forum who helped me with the script.

label.sh

#!/bin/bash

while true
do

  ID=`xdotool getwindowfocus`
  QUBE=`xprop _QUBES_VMNAME -id $ID|cut -f2 -d\" `
  if [[ "$QUBE" == "_QUBES_VMNAME:  not found." ]]; then
    gsettings set org.gnome.shell.extensions.pop-shell hint-color-rgba 'white'
  else
    LABEL=`qvm-prefs "$QUBE" label`
    #echo $LABEL
    gsettings set org.gnome.shell.extensions.pop-shell hint-color-rgba $LABEL
    sleep 0.05
  fi
done

See screenshots above. Feel free to ask for help in the comments.

Hey this is great, really glad people got gnome working on qubes.

I've been wondering, is the link to the extensions installation guide broken or its really meant to point to the current url?
Also, could you please go in a little more depth to how you got popos-shell installed in dom0 please?

Sorry, I did this quickly and forgot to add the link, it is there now. Pop shell is here and can be installed according to instructions for installing an extension from ZIP:
https://github.com/pop-os/shell/releases/tag/1.2.0

You’ll need to download the file in an AppVM and move it to dom0, see qubes docs.

@code3z what theme/icon set are you using?

he is using the zorin-os icon/theme set as shown in one of his pictures

Yup I think it was zorin

Hello,
Thanks very much for the instructions for Gnome DE. The first step worked perfectly; able to sign-in to Gnome - version 3.36.9.

Gnome Tweaks and gnome Extensions install, and launch, perfectly - in Fedora 34 and Debian 11.
But in neither of the templates are these gnome tools effective. Any changes made in Tweaks are not operative. Actual gnome extensions - manually installed per link above with corrections for UUID - into home/user/.local/share/gnome-shell/extensions are not picked up by Tweaks or the Extensions App.

I am new to Qubes OS, and it's working great otherwise - not working great, yet, in the Gnome DE though!

Would greatly appreciate any help or/and feedback.

@Newrad-G I don’t use Qubes anymore.

sounds like you are installing GNOME extensions and tweaks in templates or app VM, it must be in dom0

sounds like you are installing GNOME extensions and tweaks in templates or app VM, it must be in dom0

Thanks for the reply.
I guess I will need to find out more about dom0: its functions and when and why to use it when needed!

I realize this is a bit old, but how does one manage tray services (sys-net, sys-whonix, etc.)?

@kennethrrosen there are some Gnome Extensions for enabling showing legacy tray icons for quick access to the services you mentioned.

For example, here's the one that I use, called "AppIndicator and KStatusNotifierItem Support": https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/615/appindicator-support/