WARNING: update on kde4-config

[T6]

this distro is so boring, we need this "what the..."  situations more often 

[Bald Brick]

this distro is so boring, we need this "what the..."  situations more often  

And if you don't feel you need them, if you don't want your settings to evaporate every time kde4-config is updated, there is a simple solution: don't keep the package installed. Uninstall it. Then you don't have to update it to remain "fully updated".

By all means, reinstall it when you need to restore what we might call 'the factory defaults'. Sooner or later you will. Or you may just want to see how they have changed.

It's a wonderful thing that there is a package like kde4-config, but you know what it does, and you may not want it routinely reinstalled every time somebody decides to change some defaults that are very different from your own settings. So why let it happen?

That it's childishly easy to restore your old settings is a good thing. Not having to is better. And in most cases you don't have to.

[T6]

but, what you say is only logic if you knew you had that file installed and also assumes that you read every information when updating

pclinux is a very active distro, read every package that is updated would mean that you have to dedicate hours per week on just reading package descriptions

this particular situation has more angles than what you mentioned, more to consider

[johnmart]

And if you don't feel you need them, if you don't want your settings to evaporate every time kde4-config is updated, there is a simple solution: don't keep the package installed. Uninstall it. Then you don't have to update it to remain "fully updated".

Slaps forehead. Now there is a good tip.  
edit; Hey wait a minute. Isn't kde-config created automatically? Otherwise, how is here a .bak or .old version to restore your desktop. You serious or funnin? 

[Bald Brick]

but, what you say is only logic if you knew you had that file installed and also assumes that you read every information when updating

No, it does not. For the last two years there have been tens of posts telling you that installing or reinstalling kde4-config restores the KDE defaults.

pclinux is a very active distro, read every package that is updated would mean that you have to dedicate hours per week on just reading package descriptions

this particular situation has more angles than what you mentioned, more to consider

[T6]

"No, it does not. For the last two years there have been tens of posts telling you that installing or reinstalling kde4-config restores the KDE defaults"

i have been here for 5+ years and i can't remember that i had the package or what it did, if i can't remember, i can't expect others to remember that this little package can create such controversy

[Bald Brick]

And if you don't feel you need them, if you don't want your settings to evaporate every time kde4-config is updated, there is a simple solution: don't keep the package installed. Uninstall it. Then you don't have to update it to remain "fully updated".

Slaps forehead. Now there is a good tip.  
edit; Hey wait a minute. Isn't kde-config created automatically?

No it's not. It's a package that will restore your default KDE settings when you install it.

Otherwise, how is here a .bak or .old version to restore your desktop.

I don't know. I suspect that installing kde4-config creates it. I haven't looked at the source of the package. I have just a) used it when needed by installing the package, b) refused to use it when not needed -- by not letting it be updated.

You serious or funnin? 

I could be both, you know. But this time I'm mainly serious. When this current never-ending cycle of updates to kde4-config started I continued to update everything else in all my installs but I did not update kde4-config. I knew what installing a new version of kde4-config would do, and I wouldn't let it happen. And all was well.

Then I had to run lomanager. And lomanager won't work unless your system is fully updated. Which means that kde4-config also had to be updated?

No it didn't. I could remove the bloody thing instead, and after that my system would be fully updated. I'll reinstall it when I need it. And sooner or later I will need it, but then reinstalling it won't take many seconds.

[Just17]

BB, I never, to my recollection, installed kde4-config, so it must have been there all this time doing nothing and not being updated (apparently).

So, yes I would have been surprised by its actions if I had not read the forum posts about its behaviour.

In fact I thought it was installed as a dependency during one of the updates, as I do not recall ever seeing the thing prior to that. Seems I was wrong and it was there all the time? .... dormant ...  just waiting to pounce 

It appears that the prudent thing for most users who do not want to have their set up changed is to uninstall it immediately and be aware of its presence in the repo should they require it.

[Bald Brick]

"No, it does not. For the last two years there have been tens of posts telling you that installing or reinstalling kde4-config restores the KDE defaults"

i have been here for 5+ years and i can't remember that i had the package or what it did, if i can't remember, i can't expect others to remember that this little package can create such controversy

You're so right. The package should have a flag attached to it. Yellow for  pestilence or red for extreme danger. But it's often useful .

[Bald Brick]

It appears that the prudent thing for most users who do not want to have their set up changed is to uninstall it immediately and be aware of its presence in the repo should they require it.

I couldn't express it better. 

[aguila]

be aware of its presence in the repo should they require it.

Now, that's the hard part....

The question won't be "why was my desktop set to default?" but "how can I set my desktop to default?"

Couldn't find it now, but is it right that kde4-config only replaces the KDE default desktop with the PCLinuxOS default? When I tweak my desktop settings, are they stored in kde4-config, as they seem to be in kde4-config.bak after an update?

What if kde4-config is removed? Where will my settings be stored? And - if I then install kde4-config, log out and back in, uninstall kde4-config, log out and back in, will I have my settings back or the default KDE desktop??? 

[T6]

"What if kde4-config is removed? Where will my settings be stored? And - if I then install kde4-config, log out and back in, uninstall kde4-config, log out and back in, will I have my settings back or the default KDE desktop???"

afik, this package just recreates the original set of wallpaper, icons, taskbar and configurations offered by the original installation

the removal of the package won't touch the desktop

the action didn't deleted a file, it created a new folder with new settings and renamed the old one, this is why you had to rename a whole folder to restore the old settings, not just one text file

[jimwilk]

I too was affected by the kde4-config. Another fault caused me to lose my data files off the hard disk. Then the first partition in the drive packed a sulk. Result was that I had to start again. This time, however, I installed PCLinuxOS 2012.01 LXDE. On our other two machines, we still run KDE. Each time I update via Synaptic, I rename the relevant kde4.config file to keep everything happy.
It also pays me to have LXDE on one machine as two of our grandchildren have LXDE on an HP DC 7100 machine that I bought for them for $NZ 42 in January. Any problems and I can help the 9 year old grand daughter to solve the problem over the telephone.

Jim

[Just17]

It appears that the prudent thing for most users who do not want to have their set up changed is to uninstall it immediately and be aware of its presence in the repo should they require it.

I couldn't express it better. 

 

KDE 4.6.5
Attempt to remove  kde4-config results in the following marked for removal ...

kdebase4
audiokonverter

Removal of kdebase4  does not seems like a good idea .......

[Tony]

I'm a bit confused about all this kde4-config stuff. There seems so many simple ways to stop updating this package. Plus a bit of confusion as to what it controls. I actually lost my screensavers, as well as the generally reported default changes. Easily fixed.

Anyway, what if I backed up .kde4, or .kde4.bak while my settings were at a point that I was happy with, then if there was a 'sneaky update' of kde4-config (it got past me eagle eyes as checking updates in Synaptic), would I be able to just pop my backup of .kde4, or .kde4.bak, I wonder ?

Instantly I think that .kde4, and .kde4.bak  are dynamically changing as other System changes are applied.

Just a thought, that went nowhere, ...