[systemd-devel] [206] Using `systemd --user` to manage user's session -- is it still possible?

[Ivan Shapovalov]

Hello!

With systemd v204 and earlier, I used `systemd --user` to manage my complete 
session, including X server (via xorg-launch-helper) and all related things.

I used a slightly modified user-session at .service unit to start the
`systemd --user` instance in its own session to get PolicyKit working:

[Service]
PAMName=login
TTYPath=/dev/tty7 # Xorg has been configured to start on vt7

That is pretty hackish (especially the hardcoded tty) but it worked: I was 
getting an active tty session in an autologin style; the session leader was 
systemd.

With v206, that stopped working. It seems that `systemd --user` now must be 
launched
1) with PAMName=systemd-shared
2) by logind on a per-user basis
   (IOW, `systemctl start user at 1000.service` does not work)

...to have it started (otherwise, `systemd --user` does not start), and

3) with /etc/pam.d/systemd-shared symlinked to system-login or whatever
   (see https://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=68164)

...to have XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/run/user/%U instead of /run.

With that done, systemd starts successfully, but does not get linked to any 
session (so PolicyKit does not work, audio does not work, etc).

Is it somehow possible with v206 to continue using `systemd --user` as a 
session manager?

Thanks,
- Ivan