techWebsite/content/posts/autologinNextcloudClientOnArch.adoc

+++
title = "Getting the Nextcloud client to save login info on arch linux (or any barebones linux distro)"
date = 2021-12-12T14:59:31-05:00
draft = false
+++
:caution-caption: pass:[<span style="font-size: 2em">☠</span>]
:important-caption: pass:[<span style="font-size: 2em">❗</span>]
:note-caption: pass:[<span style="font-size: 2em">✏️</span>]
:tip-caption: pass:[<span style="font-size: 2em">💡</span>]
:warning-caption: pass:[<span style="font-size: 2em">⚠</span>]
:toc:
:toclevels: 6

During the 5 or so years Ive had nextcloud, Ive always been quite happy with the webclient, but the device clients... need some work.
I recently figured out how to resolve one of my biggest pain points on the Linux desktop client, and am recording it here, mostly so I dont forget next time I setup a new computer,
and to save others with the same problem from endless forum post and GitHub issue crawling.

== The cause
Nextcloud expects the environment it is running in to have a 'keychain manager' installed and accessible by libsecret.
However, currently, the Arch Linx nextcloud package does not list libsecret nor any keychain manager as a dependency.
This does not cause a problem if you are using a desktop environment, as they will come with one in their own dependency cloud, but if you are just using a window manager, you may very well not have one installed.

(as a side note, this also seems to cause a significant delay in the client starting up, probably some sort of timeout waiting to access the keyring

== The solution

The solution is... surprisingly simple. You just need to install the `+gnome-keyring+` and `+libsecret+` packages, and set them up to autostart. In order to autostart them properly, adding these 2 lines to your `+.xinitrc+` is enough.

{{<highlight bash "linenos=false">}}
#get gnome-keyring running
dbus-update-activation-environment --all
gnome-keyring-daemon --start --components=secrets
{{</highlight>}}

(yes, you do need `+dbus-update-activiation-environment+`, as `+gnome-keyring+` seemingly relies on certain environment variables to start properly.)
added article on making nextcloud client remember logins. 2023-07-12 23:53:54 +02:00			`+++`
			`title = "Getting the Nextcloud client to save login info on arch linux (or any barebones linux distro)"`
			`date = 2021-12-12T14:59:31-05:00`
			`draft = false`
			`+++`
			`:caution-caption: pass:[<span style="font-size: 2em">☠</span>]`
			`:important-caption: pass:[<span style="font-size: 2em">❗</span>]`
			`:note-caption: pass:[<span style="font-size: 2em">✏️</span>]`
			`:tip-caption: pass:[<span style="font-size: 2em">💡</span>]`
			`:warning-caption: pass:[<span style="font-size: 2em">⚠</span>]`
			`:toc:`
			`:toclevels: 6`

adressed typos found in most recent laptop install. 2023-07-16 08:02:24 +02:00			`During the 5 or so years Ive had nextcloud, Ive always been quite happy with the webclient, but the device clients... need some work.`
			`I recently figured out how to resolve one of my biggest pain points on the Linux desktop client, and am recording it here, mostly so I dont forget next time I setup a new computer,`
			`and to save others with the same problem from endless forum post and GitHub issue crawling.`
added article on making nextcloud client remember logins. 2023-07-12 23:53:54 +02:00
			`== The cause`
adressed typos found in most recent laptop install. 2023-07-16 08:02:24 +02:00			`Nextcloud expects the environment it is running in to have a 'keychain manager' installed and accessible by libsecret.`
			`However, currently, the Arch Linx nextcloud package does not list libsecret nor any keychain manager as a dependency.`
			`This does not cause a problem if you are using a desktop environment, as they will come with one in their own dependency cloud, but if you are just using a window manager, you may very well not have one installed.`
added article on making nextcloud client remember logins. 2023-07-12 23:53:54 +02:00
adressed typos found in most recent laptop install. 2023-07-16 08:02:24 +02:00			`(as a side note, this also seems to cause a significant delay in the client starting up, probably some sort of timeout waiting to access the keyring`
added article on making nextcloud client remember logins. 2023-07-12 23:53:54 +02:00
			`== The solution`

adressed typos found in most recent laptop install. 2023-07-16 08:02:24 +02:00			The solution is... surprisingly simple. You just need to install the `+gnome-keyring+` and `+libsecret+` packages, and set them up to autostart. In order to autostart them properly, adding these 2 lines to your `+.xinitrc+` is enough.
added article on making nextcloud client remember logins. 2023-07-12 23:53:54 +02:00
			`{{<highlight bash "linenos=false">}}`
			`#get gnome-keyring running`
			`dbus-update-activation-environment --all`
			`gnome-keyring-daemon --start --components=secrets`
			`{{</highlight>}}`

adressed typos found in most recent laptop install. 2023-07-16 08:02:24 +02:00			(yes, you do need `+dbus-update-activiation-environment+`, as `+gnome-keyring+` seemingly relies on certain environment variables to start properly.)