#### Beyond Linux® From Scratch (System V Edition) - Version r12.4-737

### Chapter 32. KDE Plasma

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# Building Plasma

KDE Plasma is a collection of packages based on top of KDE Frameworks and QML. They implement the KDE Display Environment (Plasma).

### Note

Development versions of BLFS may not build or run some packages properly if LFS or dependencies have been updated since the most recent stable versions of the books.

The instructions below build all of the Plasma packages in one step by using a bash script.

### Package Information

- Download (HTTP): https://download.kde.org/stable/plasma/6.5.2

- Download MD5 sum: See Below

- Download size: 304 MB

- Estimated disk space required: 2.9 GB (690 MB installed)

- Estimated build time: 18 SBU (using parallelism=8)

### Plasma Dependencies

#### Required

Boost-1.89.0, FFmpeg-8.0.1, GTK-3.24.51, KDE Frameworks-6.20.0, kirigami-addons-1.10.0, libdisplay-info-0.3.0, libpwquality-1.4.5, libqalculate-5.8.2, libnl-3.11.0, libxcvt-0.1.3, libxkbcommon-1.13.1, Mesa-25.2.2 built with Wayland-1.24.0, opencv-4.12.0, phonon-4.12.0, pipewire-1.4.9, pulseaudio-qt-1.7.0, qca-2.3.10, qcoro-0.12.0, sassc-3.6.2, taglib-2.1.1, xdotool-4.20251130.1, and Xorg Evdev Driver-2.11.0

#### Recommended

gsettings-desktop-schemas-49.1, libcanberra-0.30, libinput-1.30.0, libpcap-1.10.5, libwacom-2.17.0 and Xorg Wacom Driver-1.2.4 (for wacomtablet), Linux-PAM-1.7.1, lm-sensors-3-6-2, oxygen-icons-6.0.0, pciutils-3.14.0, power-profiles-daemon-0.30, and the following Python modules: psutil-7.1.3, pygdbmi-0.11.0.0, sentry-sdk-2.35.0, urllib3-2.5.0 (if they are not installed, they will be downloaded and installed by the drkonqi build procedure)

#### Recommended (runtime)

AccountsService-23.13.9, breeze-icons-6.20.0, kio-extras-25.08.3, smartmontools-7.5, xdg-desktop-portal-1.20.3, and Xwayland-24.1.9

#### Optional

AppStream-1.1.1 (build with -qt=true), GLU-9.0.3, ibus-1.5.33, qtwebengine-6.10.1, KDevPlatform, libgps, libhybris, packagekit-qt, Qapt, SCIM, and socat (for pam_kwallet)

## Downloading KDE Plasma

The easiest way to get the KDE Plasma packages is to use a single wget to fetch them all at once:

    url=https://download.kde.org/stable/plasma/6.5.2/
    wget -r -nH -nd -A '*.xz' -np $url

    The options used here are:
      -r            recurse through child directories
      -nH           disable generation of host-prefixed directories
      -nd           do not create a hierarchy of directories
      -A '*.xz'     just get the *.xz files
      -np           don't get parent directories

## Setting Package Order

The order of building files is important due to internal dependencies. Create the list of files in the proper order as follows:

    cat > plasma-6.5.2.md5 << "EOF"
    58f04117211e972efd92f922c96055cd  kdecoration-6.5.2.tar.xz
    1f4450689ccc7a9aa20198ac8dc0a6cc  libkscreen-6.5.2.tar.xz
    e1be5d31ee907ac0ff175e545b0e0a30  libksysguard-6.5.2.tar.xz
    9dbd57f1b956736dd5a9b7a8ea4c3bd1  breeze-6.5.2.tar.xz
    59398dd08e6f618172a79090e25f387f  breeze-gtk-6.5.2.tar.xz
    7b8cbb35f521ea0fb460c301fc8a9d81  layer-shell-qt-6.5.2.tar.xz
    2ae4496598a51f6eaf2a9f5b3c302c77  plasma-activities-6.5.2.tar.xz
    27f817a83adcc01813240921a76ab33f  libplasma-6.5.2.tar.xz
    38d9e490d8d8208bee2b00c26f88cfef  kscreenlocker-6.5.2.tar.xz
    e098b5e2d4c5a7616dbd6240240e5cab  kinfocenter-6.5.2.tar.xz
    9af88b31a1c8342ea9e891e628c03626  kglobalacceld-6.5.2.tar.xz
    5e1524efe19ca0a22e7c34d3c0042fb0  kwayland-6.5.2.tar.xz
    69a421eb481108d2def1f0ccf4137199  aurorae-6.5.2.tar.xz
    8777d0ef81794ff04571eae1c2d9dba3  knighttime-6.5.2.tar.xz
    68fb57c18349cae5dc411ee8b7e9f654  kwin-x11-6.5.2.tar.xz
    1ed01b28a32782eaa10b28bda811c784  kwin-6.5.2.tar.xz
    aa362ec117c9a7dfff82ee871aafb75c  plasma5support-6.5.2.tar.xz
    cbbda0dbafbd784916e9471c5fc8f6c0  plasma-activities-stats-6.5.2.tar.xz
    7b30f4bd2c71d0f54ea1c3b873181323  kpipewire-6.5.2.tar.xz
    a488661f1feaf83e86dbdcb964d1b827  plasma-workspace-6.5.2.tar.xz
    86ae79614c7be2bcd4529cf86c94b4fc  plasma-disks-6.5.2.tar.xz
    49bb09528e33905794b705deff553478  bluedevil-6.5.2.tar.xz
    83ecf077f949a86ac8c6e1fd1134f3ea  kde-gtk-config-6.5.2.tar.xz
    a852ab4c89356b47e428b8d7fe5711de  kmenuedit-6.5.2.tar.xz
    efea3c5c9289680b3bc0028d7b857654  kscreen-6.5.2.tar.xz
    3d07bbe0e668bcb30aa377f7b74d2474  kwallet-pam-6.5.2.tar.xz
    2e6842536d8a8ff7f069a6dda61d65f6  kwrited-6.5.2.tar.xz
    d304d603402df595a00171ec542c51de  milou-6.5.2.tar.xz
    633148a8dd396c9afddcc5c8bcea117e  plasma-nm-6.5.2.tar.xz
    90e562569589a7ccc9b9da6d8e18801b  plasma-pa-6.5.2.tar.xz
    d9d3df0a1c397a9b291e185f676dcbe9  plasma-workspace-wallpapers-6.5.2.tar.xz
    cc88a0ecc8daba609245136cb5359f06  polkit-kde-agent-1-6.5.2.tar.xz
    147c57031bc1220465d4a6603a535b1c  powerdevil-6.5.2.tar.xz
    29bb939ab84528a498b006ca2142a829  plasma-desktop-6.5.2.tar.xz
    0ed8da3923d8c044d739f318ecabf05a  kgamma-6.5.2.tar.xz
    3d2a784250aa4c782c5126275c5a6b58  ksshaskpass-6.5.2.tar.xz
    #3cd4ebe01da73b50f772c2e4e5c518b4  plasma-sdk-6.5.2.tar.xz
    767a80aa25321096693eb33a89449132  sddm-kcm-6.5.2.tar.xz
    #4e403f30537fb87d942bc6292fa72513  discover-6.5.2.tar.xz
    #7ea4c37754e831f2133d778cc3ba024b  breeze-grub-6.5.2.tar.xz
    #75b0138b771d2776cf38c15ece7337c2  breeze-plymouth-6.5.2.tar.xz
    748b8f9764bd61f0bc89e9bca057f2bc  kactivitymanagerd-6.5.2.tar.xz
    0a411ba2ea20803316863915f7a1702d  plasma-integration-6.5.2.tar.xz
    #18131058a667fda5bee9d45626fee6d2  plymouth-kcm-6.5.2.tar.xz
    aac4e8bbd9d5cdf195488f9c6e13d7e0  xdg-desktop-portal-kde-6.5.2.tar.xz
    56c7d0c55024bd43b5c14ff77e374631  drkonqi-6.5.2.tar.xz
    5f318f2a7e7284c385ab30940002858d  plasma-vault-6.5.2.tar.xz
    #72099f019b5f6835355ed05a15d0040d  plasma-browser-integration-6.5.2.tar.xz
    89969215ac1123b112ac9ff325e7bb8a  kde-cli-tools-6.5.2.tar.xz
    e1911d223164f6374bc5f24492b02832  systemsettings-6.5.2.tar.xz
    f8e8ad0c0c5654abedd734c03b47cd2e  plasma-thunderbolt-6.5.2.tar.xz
    #05af2d5b9b5a884698a59a2a6fbdde66  plasma-mobile-6.5.2.tar.xz
    #1c265e16027a5fcbe44be6fb2fa63605  plasma-nano-6.5.2.tar.xz
    5833d6717d40ef290959e013753cbae2  plasma-firewall-6.5.2.tar.xz
    638f11e73f908e0220d4fabee932c9fc  plasma-systemmonitor-6.5.2.tar.xz
    2848dcc8f8c7cf188919da3c55e373c9  qqc2-breeze-style-6.5.2.tar.xz
    8f1d8564eb8134ecf203a47898a25190  ksystemstats-6.5.2.tar.xz
    b4ce7000f5f96ad2d2439a97e632293a  oxygen-sounds-6.5.2.tar.xz
    a00742176687fd7eae75084984ef754b  kdeplasma-addons-6.5.2.tar.xz
    #76abe3c9f6abf7f68e96b8ee93f5b8b4  flatpak-kcm-6.5.2.tar.xz
    1e094cc3ff5b8a056a20bda0fc10dace  plasma-welcome-6.5.2.tar.xz
    86b168a0c06a0ba86c94e08bc09e42af  ocean-sound-theme-6.5.2.tar.xz
    07df94e19e97f52775d31a35a0ecc60d  print-manager-6.5.2.tar.xz
    d95d9304abd61952db9a29a2d8bfbbba  wacomtablet-6.5.2.tar.xz
    #47f0fb5bf97ae5662f59ef0340edcc8c  kwayland-integration-6.5.2.tar.xz
    #d0711337e89dfd43aec1d30970d2add8  krdp-6.5.2.tar.xz
    ab37b5180696761079325fab2c9e269d  oxygen-6.5.2.tar.xz
    #78074c45dc269f5593b310c385ca87af  plasma-dialer-6.5.2.tar.xz
    #b83bf556dcf693215097d2c3b151aa88  spacebar-6.5.2.tar.xz
    1b3e818d9662e3fd65923dc7af4ec273  spectacle-6.5.2.tar.xz
    EOF

### About Commented Out Packages

In the above list, several files are commented out with a hash (#) character.

- The plasma-sdk package is optional and used for software development.

- The discover package requires AppStream-1.1.1 to be built with the -D qt=true switch.

- The breeze-grub, breeze-plymouth, and plymouth-kcm packages above are all for customized support of Plymouth which is designed to be run within an initial ram disk during boot (see the section called “About initramfs”).

- The plasma-browser-integration package is designed to implement browser integration for Plasma into Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome. The package does build, but is only useful if you want these browsers to be integrated into the shell in a way that lets you see (and control) downloads from Plasma's notifications area, as well as allowing you to search browser history in the KDE Runner. Note that you must also install a browser extension for this to work. For more details, see the KDE Plasma wiki page about browser integration.

- The krdp package is used to allow an RDP server to be run while using Plasma. This feature requires the 2.x version of FreeRDP, which is not in BLFS.

- The plasma-nano package is used for embedded systems.

- The plasma-mobile, plasma-dialer, and spacebar packages provide phone functionality for Plasma.

- The flatpak-kcm package is for managing support of flatpak applications.

- The kwayland-integration application requires plasma5 support.

## Installation of Plasma

### Note

When installing multiple packages in a script, the installation needs to be done as the root user. There are three general options that can be used to do this:

1. Run the entire script as the root user (not recommended).

2. Use the sudo command from the Sudo-1.9.17p2 package.

3. Use su -c "command arguments" (quotes required) which will ask for the root password for every iteration of the loop.

One way to handle this situation is to create a short bash function that automatically selects the appropriate method. Once the command is set in the environment, it does not need to be set again.

    as_root()
    {
      if   [ $EUID = 0 ];        then $*
      elif [ -x /usr/bin/sudo ]; then sudo $*
      else                            su -c \\"$*\\"
      fi
    }

    export -f as_root

First, start a subshell that will exit on error:

    bash -e

Install all of the packages by running the following commands:

    while read -r line; do

        # Get the file name, ignoring comments and blank lines
        if $(echo $line | grep -E -q '^ *$|^#' ); then continue; fi
        file=$(echo $line | cut -d" " -f2)

        pkg=$(       echo $file|sed 's|^.*/||')    # Remove directory
        name=$(      echo $pkg |sed 's|-6.*$||')   # Isolate package name
        packagedir=$(echo $pkg |sed 's|\.tar.*||') # Source directory

        tar -xf $file
        pushd $packagedir

           mkdir build
           cd    build

           cmake -D CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX=$KF6_PREFIX \
                 -D CMAKE_INSTALL_LIBEXECDIR=libexec \
                 -D CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release         \
                 -D BUILD_QT5=OFF                    \
                 -D BUILD_TESTING=OFF                \
                 -W no-dev ..  &&

            make
            as_root make install
        popd

        as_root rm -rf $packagedir
        as_root /sbin/ldconfig

    done < plasma-6.5.2.md5

    exit

If you did not set `$KF6_PREFIX` to `/usr`, create symlinks to allow display managers to find Plasma, and to allow the XDG Desktop Portal to be detected. As the `root` user:

    # Setup xsessions (X11 sessions)
    install -dvm 755 /usr/share/xsessions
    cd /usr/share/xsessions

    [ -e plasma.desktop ] ||
    ln -sfv $KF6_PREFIX/share/xsessions/plasmax11.desktop

    # Setup wayland-sessions
    install -dvm 755 /usr/share/wayland-sessions
    cd /usr/share/wayland-sessions

    [ -e plasmawayland.desktop ] ||
    ln -sfv $KF6_PREFIX/share/wayland-sessions/plasma.desktop

    # Setup xdg-desktop-portal
    install -dvm 755 /usr/share/xdg-desktop-portal
    cd /usr/share/xdg-desktop-portal

    [ -e kde-portals.conf ] ||
    ln -sfv $KF6_PREFIX/share/xdg-desktop-portal/kde-portals.conf

    # Setup kde portal
    install -dvm 755 /usr/share/xdg-desktop-portal/portals
    cd /usr/share/xdg-desktop-portal/portals

    [ -e kde.portal ] ||
    ln -sfv $KF6_PREFIX/share/xdg-desktop-portal/portals/kde.portal

Useless systemd units have been installed in `$KF6_PREFIX/lib`. Remove them now (as `root`):

    rm -rf $KF6_PREFIX/lib/systemd

## Configuring Plasma

### Linux PAM Configuration

If you built Plasma with the recommended Linux PAM support, create necessary configuration files by running the following commands as the `root` user:

    cat > /etc/pam.d/kde << "EOF"
    # Begin /etc/pam.d/kde

    auth     requisite      pam_nologin.so
    auth     required       pam_env.so

    auth     required       pam_succeed_if.so uid >= 1000 quiet
    auth     include        system-auth

    account  include        system-account
    password include        system-password
    session  include        system-session

    # End /etc/pam.d/kde
    EOF

    cat > /etc/pam.d/kde-np << "EOF"
    # Begin /etc/pam.d/kde-np

    auth     requisite      pam_nologin.so
    auth     required       pam_env.so

    auth     required       pam_succeed_if.so uid >= 1000 quiet
    auth     required       pam_permit.so

    account  include        system-account
    password include        system-password
    session  include        system-session

    # End /etc/pam.d/kde-np
    EOF

    cat > /etc/pam.d/kscreensaver << "EOF"
    # Begin /etc/pam.d/kscreensaver

    auth    include system-auth
    account include system-account

    # End /etc/pam.d/kscreensaver
    EOF

## Starting Plasma

You can start Plasma from runlevel 3, using xinit-1.4.4, or from runlevel 5, using a Display Manager, such as lightdm-1.32.0.

To start Plasma using xinit-1.4.4, run the following commands:

    cat > ~/.xinitrc << "EOF"
    dbus-launch --exit-with-x11 $KF6_PREFIX/bin/startplasma-x11
    EOF

    startx

The X session starts on the first unused virtual terminal, normally vt7. You can switch to another vtn simultaneously pressing the keys Ctrl-Alt-Fn (n=1, 2, ...). To switch back to the X session, normally started at vt7, use Ctrl-Alt-F7. The vt where the command startx was executed will display many messages, including X starting messages, applications automatically started with the session, and eventually, some warning and error messages. You may prefer to redirect those messages to a log file, which not only will keep the initial vt uncluttered, but can also be used for debugging purposes. This can be done starting X with:

    startx &> ~/x-session-errors

When shutting down or rebooting, the shutdown messages appear on the vt where X was running. If you wish to see those messages, simultaneously press keys Alt-F7 (assuming that X was running on vt7).

## Contents

Installed Programs: There are too many plasma programs (over 50 in /opt/kf6/bin) to list separately here.
Installed Libraries: There are too many plasma libraries (over 250 in /opt/kf6/lib) to list separately here.
Installed Directories: There are too many plasma directories (over 2700 in /opt/kf6) to list separately here.

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