server: add wlr_backend_autocreate() trouble-shooting message

diff --git a/src/server.c b/src/server.c
index 8d7280a93993b90d94ce216fb13de34284910e43..24aa1cb3182c57df559ab4856a65d25671f44858 100644 (file)
--- a/src/server.c
+++ b/src/server.c
@@ -183,6 +183,27 @@ server_global_filter(const struct wl_client *client, const struct wl_global *glo
        return true;
 }
 
+/*
+ * This message is intended to help users who are trying labwc on
+ * clean/minimalist systems without existing Desktop Environments (possibly
+ * through Virtual Managers) where polkit is missing or GPU drivers do not
+ * exist, in the hope that it will reduce the time required to get labwc running
+ * and prevent some troubleshooting steps.
+ */
+static const char helpful_seat_error_message[] =
+"\n"
+"Some friendly trouble-shooting help\n"
+"===================================\n"
+"\n"
+"If a seat could not be created, this may be caused by lack of permission to the\n"
+"seat, input and video groups. If you are using a systemd setup, try installing\n"
+"polkit (sometimes called policykit-1). For other setups, search your OS/Distro's\n"
+"documentation on how to use seatd, elogind or similar. This is likely to involve\n"
+"manually adding users to groups.\n"
+"\n"
+"If the above does not work, try running with `WLR_RENDERER=pixman labwc` in\n"
+"order to use the software rendering fallback\n";
+
 void
 server_init(struct server *server)
 {
@@ -214,6 +235,7 @@ server_init(struct server *server)
        server->backend = wlr_backend_autocreate(server->wl_display);
        if (!server->backend) {
                wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "unable to create backend");
+               fprintf(stderr, helpful_seat_error_message);
                exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
        }