I have a feeling I am missing something obvious, but I am testing Plasma 5 on openSUSE 13.2 and don't see a way to switch users from the Application Launcher or Application Menu. All I have in the Power/Session menu item is;
Lock
Logout
Suspend
Hibernate
Restart
Shutdown

I realize that I can use ctrl-alt F7, etc to move around. For a family computer, this is not practical. Have I missed a package to install?

Plasma 5.2.2-31.1
Frameworks 5.8
openSUSE 13.2

Thanks,
Mike

Use kdm as display manager, and you should have it.
sddm doesn't seem to support this yet.

I'm also using SDDM but have an entry "Start a parallel session as a different user (switch user)", so KDM is not necessary. But I don't know why it's not avaible to you..

davidk wrote:I'm also using SDDM but have an entry "Start a parallel session as a different user (switch user)", so KDM is not necessary. But I don't know why it's not avaible to you..

davidk - could you post your distribution and version of sddm

wolfi - question: using KDM I have the switch user option but when attempting to switch to my KDE 4 session from Plasma 5 it brings me back to my Plasma 5 session, starting a new session does work correctly - does it work correctly for you?

davidk wrote:I'm also using SDDM but have an entry "Start a parallel session as a different user (switch user)", so KDM is not necessary.

Right, my memory played tricks on me... Or maybe it didn't work in some older version.
Sorry.

I tried now, and the entry shows up regardless whether I use kdm, sddm, or gdm.
But it doesn't with xdm.

So, @meresda, which display manager are you using?
Try to install/set one of the above. (I have no idea about lightdm)

You can configure the display manager to use in /etc/sysconfig/displaymanager (variable DISPLAYMANAGER).
Either modify that file with a text editor, or use YaST->System->/etc/sysconfig Editor.

google01103 wrote:wolfi - question: using KDM I have the switch user option but when attempting to switch to my KDE 4 session from Plasma 5 it brings me back to my Plasma 5 session, starting a new session does work correctly - does it work correctly for you?

I think so, but I have to reboot first to test it. (I'm using xdm at the moment... )

But "Switch User" does actually start a new session.
Maybe the second session crashes for some reason? (some graphics drivers, nvidia in particular, might have problems with switching between VTs, and some do not even support two separate X sessions at the same time AFAIK)

Have a look to /var/log/kdm.log or /var/log/Xorg.1.log for more hints I'd say.

wolfi323 wrote:

google01103 wrote:wolfi - question: using KDM I have the switch user option but when attempting to switch to my KDE 4 session from Plasma 5 it brings me back to my Plasma 5 session, starting a new session does work correctly - does it work correctly for you?

I think so, but I have to reboot first to test it. (I'm using xdm at the moment... )

Ok, I can indeed reproduce what you describe.

If I log into Plasma5, select "Switch User" and try to login to KDE4 as the _same_ user, the KDE4 session crashes during startup.
I can login fine to KDE4 with a different user though.

So apparently KDE4 fails to start if Plasma5 is already running for the same user.
I doubt that this is specific to kdm though.

AFAIK it is not even supported really to run two KDE4 sessions for one user at the same time...

I had been using SDM. Switching to KDM now gives me a "New Session" option, but still no switch user option.

meresda wrote:I had been using SDM. Switching to KDM now gives me a "New Session" option, but still no switch user option.

Right, there is no "Switch User", only "New Session" in Plasma5, whereas in KDE4 there's only "Switch User" which actually creates a new session but also allows to switch to a different already running one.

In Plasma5 you have to lock your screen, and you should have a "Switch User" button on the lock screen.

PS: there is a "Switch User" option exactly like in KDE4, if you use the "Kickoff" application launcher.
On openSUSE kicker is the default, which has a "New Session" instead.
To switch, right-click on the icon and choose "Alternatives".

wolfi323 wrote:

wolfi323 wrote:

google01103 wrote:wolfi - question: using KDM I have the switch user option but when attempting to switch to my KDE 4 session from Plasma 5 it brings me back to my Plasma 5 session, starting a new session does work correctly - does it work correctly for you?

I think so, but I have to reboot first to test it. (I'm using xdm at the moment... ;) )

Ok, I can indeed reproduce what you describe.

If I log into Plasma5, select "Switch User" and try to login to KDE4 as the _same_ user, the KDE4 session crashes during startup.
I can login fine to KDE4 with a different user though.

So apparently KDE4 fails to start if Plasma5 is already running for the same user.
I doubt that this is specific to kdm though.

AFAIK it is not even supported really to run two KDE4 sessions for one user at the same time...

in my case the Plasma 5 and KDE 4 sessions are different users

Ok, so I'm good now. Using KDM and the Kickoff launcher I have the switch user option back. Thanks!

google01103 wrote:in my case the Plasma 5 and KDE 4 sessions are different users

This works fine here.

But logging in to an additional KDE4 _or_ Plasma5 session as the same user does not work while a KDE4 or Plasma5 session is already running for that user (other WMs/DEs do work for the same user). Basically KDE is crashing on startup in that case.
And I tried now with SDDM, it's the same there as expected.

meresda wrote:Ok, so I'm good now. Using KDM and the Kickoff launcher I have the switch user option back. Thanks!

You're welcome.

You should have the "Switch User" option with SDDM too though, I just tried.