NAME

       gnome-session - Start the GNOME desktop environment

SYNOPSIS

       gnome-session [-a|--autostart=DIR] [--session=SESSION] [--failsafe|-f] [--debug] [--whale]

DESCRIPTION

       The  gnome-session  program  starts  up  the  GNOME  desktop  environment. This command is
       typically executed by your login  manager  (either  gdm,  xdm,  or  from  your  X  startup
       scripts). It will load either your saved session, or it will provide a default session for
       the user as defined by the system administrator (or the default GNOME installation on your
       system).

       The  default  session is defined in gnome.session, a .desktop-like file that is looked for
       in  $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/gnome-session/sessions,  $XDG_CONFIG_DIRS/gnome-session/sessions  and
       $XDG_DATA_DIRS/gnome-session/sessions.

       When  saving  a  session,  gnome-session  saves  the currently running applications in the
       $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/gnome-session/saved-session directory.

       gnome-session is an X11R6 session manager. It can manage GNOME applications as well as any
       X11R6 SM compliant application.

OPTIONS

       The following options are supported:

       --autostart=DIR
              Start all applications defined in DIR, instead of starting the applications defined
              in gnome.session, or via the --session option. Multiple --autostart options can  be
              passed.

       --session=SESSION
              Use  the  applications  defined in SESSION.session. If not specified, gnome.session
              will be used.

       --failsafe
              Run in fail-safe mode. User-specified applications will not be started.

       --debug
              Enable debugging code.

       --whale
              Show the fail whale in a dialog for debugging it.

SESSION DEFINITION

       Sessions are defined in .session files, that are using a .desktop-like  format,  with  the
       following keys in the GNOME Session group:

       Name   Name of the session. This can be localized.

       RequiredComponents
              List of component identifiers (desktop files) that are required by the session. The
              required components will always run in the session.

       Here is an example of a session definition:

           [GNOME Session]
           Name=GNOME
           RequiredComponents=gnome-shell;gnome-settings-daemon;

       The  .session   files   are   looked   for   in   $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/gnome-session/sessions,
       $XDG_CONFIG_DIRS/gnome-session/sessions and $XDG_DATA_DIRS/gnome-session/sessions.

ENVIRONMENT

       gnome-session sets several environment variables for the use of its child processes:

       SESSION_MANAGER

              This variable is used by session-manager aware clients to contact gnome-session.

       DISPLAY

              This variable is set to the X display being used by gnome-session. Note that if the
              --display option  is  used  this  might  be  different  from  the  setting  of  the
              environment variable when gnome-session is invoked.

FILES

       $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/config/autostart                        $XDG_CONFIG_DIRS/config/autostart
       /usr/share/gnome/autostart

              The applications defined in those directories will be  started  on  login.   gnome-
              session-properties(1) can be used to easily configure them.

       $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/gnome-session/sessions            $XDG_CONFIG_DIRS/gnome-session/sessions
       $XDG_DATA_DIRS/gnome-session/sessions

              These directories contain the .session files that can be used  with  the  --session
              option.

       $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/gnome-session/saved-session

              This directory contains the list of applications of the saved session.

BUGS

       If   you   find   bugs   in   the   gnome-session   program,   please   report   these  on
       https://bugzilla.gnome.org.

SEE ALSO

       gnome-session-properties(1) gnome-session-quit(1)

                                              GNOME                              GNOME-SESSION(1)