Adding fingerprint to KDE

[sturdy blade]

I've attached a ss to this thread explaining what I should do, but I'm new, and I don't understand how to do this.

I inspected the file via the path via vim, but that's all I have. I'm not sure if I just paste what they want or if there's more.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/SDDM#Using_a_fingerprint_reader For more context

[tiny isle]

.s litany

[gloomy basin]

Please follow the Standard Litany when asking a question:
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• What did you do? What did you run or test? Where?
• What actually happened? What were the exact results, complete log contents, exact error messages?
• What did you expect? What were you aiming to achieve? What result were you looking for?

Vague or superficial questions will yield vague or superficial answers. False information leads to false solutions.

Also see this similar guide on how to ask smart questions.

[tiny isle]

.s q

[gloomy basin]

When requesting support, please include specific, detailed, and relevant information about your system and issue.

We need such information because we don't know what it's like inside your system, and it's unlikely that we know much about the issue you're facing. The more information you can provide, the better we can help you with your specific issue.

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Vague or superficial questions lead to vague or superficial answers. False information leads to false solutions.

[sturdy blade]

Hi again, sorry about that, will type something up

[tiny isle]

Thanks

[sturdy blade]

I think this is enough to know my OS and DE.

As for my issue, I'm mostly just confused on the instructions. Executing vim /etc... let me to this screen:

I'm just not sure where to proceed from here, following the guide.

SDDM works with a fingerprint reader when using fprint. After installing fprint and adding fingerprint signatures, add the following to the top of /etc/pam.d/sddm:

auth sufficient pam_fprintd.so

Does this mean to just add auth sufficient pam_fprintd.so to the top of the sddm file?

[tiny isle]

Yes, but you also need to register your fingerprint with fprint first

Also, read below that where it explains how to use either a fingerprint or password

.aw fprint

[gloomy basin]

Arch Wiki: Fprint

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Fprint

[sturdy blade]

I thought I needed to do more stuff before I just add my finger

[tiny isle]

The prerequisites and other parts of fprint

[sturdy blade]

Right, which isn't that the first pic I showed on the thread?

[tiny isle]

No, that’s for SDDM.

[sturdy blade]

I thought that's what I was using.

[tiny isle]

You are

You use fprint with SDDM

[tiny isle]

Sorry, I worded this poorly

[sturdy blade]

Ok, so I need to do this then?

Sorry if it's obvious, I'm just making sure I don't mess it up since I'm not experienced enough to undo certain problems

So like this

[tiny isle]

That’s for the KDE lock screen, which appears to be separate from SDDM.

[sturdy blade]

[tiny isle]

So yes, do that too if you want to it work on the lock screen

[sturdy blade]

Oh, is the fprint supposed to work for the lock screen, AND whenever I need to provide a password (i.e.: sudo...)?

[tiny isle]

SDDM is still your login manager, fprint just handles the fingerprints

[sturdy blade]

Hmm, I'm not sure if I fully understand. I get fprint is a general function, but SDDM and the lock screen still confuse me. I thought SDDM was the lock screen stuff

[tiny isle]

It is, KDE might have its own Lock Screen for when device is woken from sleep or something

My stupid phone keeps capitalizing Lock Screen for some reason, sorry

[sturdy blade]

Ok, so once I write these changes I've made I continue the guide from here?

[tiny isle]

I’ve never used KDE for an extended period, so idk.

[sturdy blade]

I think this is more of a "how do I read the arch wiki" question rather than a technical question

[tiny isle]

That’s not for SDDM

[tiny isle]

I’m just reading the Arch Wiki rn…

[sturdy blade]

Right, this is for SDDM right?

Which I've done

[tiny isle]

Yes, and do the SDDM specific one too

[tiny isle]

This one

[sturdy blade]

I see, there's another line below that. I assume that's redundant since I'll add the prints later in the guide?

[tiny isle]

I don’t understand what you mean

Wdym by the line below

[sturdy blade]

Second

[tiny isle]

Do the one in the second code block so you can continue to use a password too

They are separate choices

[sturdy blade]

Ok

I began editing it, and exited the terminal because I didnt want to safe my changes (I figured it was an alternative to :q. Now I get this when I try to execute it again

[tiny isle]

Just vim being vim

R

[sturdy blade]

oh, so what do I do so I don't mess anything up (i.e.: save my shitty changes)

ok

[tiny isle]

Use :q to avoid that

[sturdy blade]

Ok

Just sending this to be sure I did no dumb mistakes

Also, is there a way I can auto align this text?

[tiny isle]

Besides maybe some extra spaces (which likely don’t matter) it looks fine

[tiny isle]

Delete the extra spaces

[sturdy blade]

Oh, there's no shortcut?

[tiny isle]

Nvim does it automatically when creating new lines. Not sure about vanilla vim. You could probably write a script to do it or something, or I’m just not familiar with that functionality if it does exist.

I don’t know much about vim beyond vimtutor (I don’t need to for what I need to do)

[sturdy blade]

Ok

Also sorry if this is a dumb question, but is the text that refers to each code block in the wiki above or below it?

[tiny isle]

Above or below what

[sturdy blade]

Ah nvm, I just read your message and made it connect

[tiny isle]

“This” seems to be referring to the above block, “You can also modify other files” seems to just be general information, and the last paragraph explains how to also use a password in the second code block.

[sturdy blade]

It refers to the one above it right?

Ok

Again, the one below is it a choice between the two blocks shown in the image correct?

Seems that way, but I just want to tread lightly

[tiny isle]

Yes, that is another choice that lets you also use a password

[sturdy blade]

Ok

[tiny isle]

I’d personally go for that one, just in case the fingerprint ever fails, reader breaks, etc.

[sturdy blade]

I did the one above since it allows me to use a password if it fails (like in windows)

[tiny isle]

Oh, didn’t see that part. Sounds good.

[sturdy blade]

How do I get out of this?

iirc there's a command to go back to the prompt

[tiny isle]

What are you in?

[sturdy blade]

alacrity

[tiny isle]

I mean what program in the terminal

[sturdy blade]

I don't understand i'm sorry

Examples?

[tiny isle]

How did you get where you are

[sturdy blade]

ctrl alt t, opened up alacrity, and fprintd-enroll

[tiny isle]

So you’re stuck in fprint?

[sturdy blade]

Yes

Well I exited out of the terminal

But for future reference, if I wanted to stay in it, is there not a generic shortcut to get out?

[tiny isle]

Ctrl-C

[sturdy blade]

I registered my index finger (I think), and I assume it will work when I reboot

[tiny isle]

Try it!

[sturdy blade]

I am a little confused as to how I add restrictions to this, given it's more complex than just a simple "text file"

[tiny isle]

You’re in a directory

[sturdy blade]

Ok

I restarted my system and I'm locked out now :(

my password doesn't work as it used to 🤔

[tiny isle]

Chroot and undo changes. Do the option that lets you use a password this time.

[tiny isle]

It’s disabled until the fingerprint fails

[sturdy blade]

I forgot how to choose. Do I need go pull out that USB?

[sturdy blade]

fingerprint doesn't show either

[tiny isle]

do you mean chroot?

[sturdy blade]

yes stupid ass autocorrect

[tiny isle]

Yes, you need the install USB

mount your root partition, chroot, edit the file, reboot.

[sturdy blade]

Idk which file is locking me out

[tiny isle]

You configured it to not use a password until the fingerprint fails, so undo your changes.

Remove what you added earlier

[sturdy blade]

Ah ok

But my fingerprint didn't work in the first place

[tiny isle]

Also did you check if your fingerprint reader is supported?

[sturdy blade]

yes

it is

the indicator for my laptop showed up

[tiny isle]

Wdym by indicator?

[sturdy blade]

on windows my fingerprint scanner has a green led around it when it's ready to detect prints

the same happened when I added my print to linux

[tiny isle]

Check the actual list of supported readers

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Fprint#Prerequisites

[sturdy blade]

Ok

I skimmed it and it seemed that it had it

ill double check when I'm done here

[tiny isle]

Ok

[sturdy blade]

I forgot how to mount:(

it's the 600Gb partition

[tiny isle]

Weird. That seems correct.

ls /dev/

[sturdy blade]

did that n

no?

[tiny isle]

Also I gtg soon. You can also try switching to a tty in your actual install and editing from there

[tiny isle]

You did lsblk, not ls /dev/

[sturdy blade]

o

idk what to do with that info

lol I'm sorry

[tiny isle]

Send it

[tiny isle]

You can also try this

[sturdy blade]

what does tty do?

[tiny isle]

It’s what you’re in rn

No login screens or anything, just a cli login

[sturdy blade]

ah

is the only difference just not the need to mount?

[tiny isle]

You missed an “n”. Use tab complete.

[tiny isle]

And that you’d be in the real system with all its programs

[sturdy blade]

ah good catch

idk

[tiny isle]

Prefix with /dev/

So /dev/whateverblockdevice

[sturdy blade]

damn I'm dumb

yea

[tiny isle]

Also use a mountpoint

/mnt

[sturdy blade]

ok I got it

so this is my instal with my root?

[tiny isle]

Yes

[sturdy blade]

so now I just need to find that config file?

[tiny isle]

I gtg now.

[sturdy blade]

alr wish me luck :)

[tiny isle]

Yes, and undo your changes

[sturdy blade]

ok cool

ty for ur help

[tiny isle]

Np. I hope we can fig this out properly when I get back.

[sturdy blade]

yea I'm looking at the file and apparently I didn't save my crap

I've confirmed that my fingerprint is compatable with it

[sturdy blade]

yea idk vim is acting really stupid with that overwriting thing

[sturdy blade]

Just an update, idk wtf is wrong with my system

I think I'm following the guide down to a tee, and it's not working

KDE

This is what I have

Pretty much c + v

[sturdy blade]

@tiny isle

[tiny isle]

I don’t know anything beyond what the Wiki says, sorry.

[sturdy blade]

Should I make a new thread for visibility, or as soon as I send a new message here, it updates?