Can confirm that having ~/.xsession with just exec dwm and ~/.xsessionrc sourcing ~/.profile is the solution.

I prefer startx but even that i believe needs root rights as i have to install xserver-xorg-legacy and the modify  /etc/X11/Xwrapper.config
to have..
needs_root_rights=yes

I was just interested to use xdm as it seems like the only display manager that does not need dbus as a dependency.

Anyhow thanks.

EDIT: correction looks like lxdm doesnt need dbus either.

yes i did source before exec dwm.

if    [ -r ~/.profile ]; then
        . ~/.profile; 
fi

exec dwm

dwm is from suckless.org so, built from source.

There is definetly something im missing here, if i go back to startx and remove xdm .profile is sourced again.

ok Hoas, on your advice i have removed .xinitrc and .xsession (not your advice on removing those files but if just using .xsessionrc they should not be needed right?)

I only have .xsessionrc and in that file is

exec dwm

.profile is still not sourced so lets add in what it says in regards to Xsession

https://wiki.debian.org/Xsession

nope .profile is still not being sourced.

Thanks fanderal, ive installed xdm display manager and tried that command of fsmithred but only get xdm (i have dwm as wm), must only work for lxdm, lightdm, gdm etc, what display manager are you using?

Nice, thanks Hoas. I was thinking that cat was not needed.

Thanks Marjorie, ill see if i can get rid of that dependency on wmctrl.

also trying to work on incorporating the devuan logo in ascii somehow and also display manager and de for those who use them.

thanks yohno and aitor, will give it another spin.

yeah that might be the solution.

dpkg: libsystemd0:amd64: dependency problems, but removing anyway as you requested:
 xserver-xorg-core depends on libsystemd0; however:
  Package libsystemd0:amd64 is to be removed.
 samba-libs:amd64 depends on libsystemd0.
 rsyslog depends on libsystemd0.
 lvm2 depends on libsystemd0 (>= 222).
 libpulse0:amd64 depends on libsystemd0.
 liblvm2cmd2.03:amd64 depends on libsystemd0 (>= 222).
 libapt-pkg5.0:amd64 depends on libsystemd0 (>= 221).

 > ~$ ls -al /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libsystemd.so.0
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 Jan  2 01:03 /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libsystemd.so.0 -> libelogind.so.0

sudo dpkg -l | grep systemd > is blank.

Thanks for picking this up, i suppose having no install recommends in etc/apt/preferences.d probably left out libelogind somewhere.  Much needed package that one!

Nice scrots there miyo, ogis.

my simple dwm setup with latest stable devuan. terminus fonts everywhere

file manager is NNN.

no dbus sort of well just some libraries, firefox seems to work fine.

Just some off hand info here.

Devuan system im currently using was installed to a usb stick  first using devuan installer then i proceeded to reinstall system from usb stick to ssd laptop using the usb stick via refractainstaller.

So if i just change GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=`lsb_release -i -s 2> /dev/null || echo Debian`

to

GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=`lsb_release -d -s`

i get below for a grub boot menu

Devuan GNU/Linux 3 (beowulf)

This might be worthwhile.

http://www.penguintutor.com/linux/