Howdy on Fedora 43 fails to install

[B0ndo2]

sudo dnf copr enable principis/howdy-beta
sudo dnf --refresh install howdy


Failed to resolve the transaction:
Problem: conflicting requests
  - nothing provides python3dist(dlib) needed by howdy-3.0.0-7.20250714gitd3ab993.fc43.x86_64 from copr:copr.fedorainfracloud.org:principis:howdy-beta
You can try to add to command line:
  --skip-broken to skip uninstallable packages

[keithvassallomt]

This is a known issue, and the problem lies more with Fedora than with Howdy. Here's the workaround I used to get it working on my system:

Howdy on Fedora (GDM + SELinux Enforcing)

With face unlock for login.

---

✅ 1. Install Howdy Manually

git clone https://github.com/boltgolt/howdy ~/src/howdy
cd ~/src/howdy

sudo dnf install -y python3-devel cmake gcc-c++ pam-devel inih-devel opencv opencv-devel

meson setup build
meson compile -C build
sudo meson install -C build

If pam_howdy.so ends up in /usr/local/lib64/security, link it:

sudo ln -sf /usr/local/lib64/security/pam_howdy.so /usr/lib64/security/pam_howdy.so

---

✅ 2. Enable Howdy for Login

Edit the GDM PAM file:

sudo nano /etc/pam.d/gdm-password

Insert this line directly after the pam_selinux_permit.so line:

auth      sufficient    pam_howdy.so

The top of the file should look like this:

auth     [success=done ignore=ignore default=bad] pam_selinux_permit.so
auth     sufficient      pam_howdy.so
auth     substack        password-auth
auth     optional        pam_gnome_keyring.so
auth     include         postlogin

---

✅ 3. Fix SELinux (Required for Camera Access Under GDM)

Ensure SELinux is enforcing:

sudo setenforce 1

Trigger a denial once:

• Lock the screen (Super+L)
• Let Howdy silently fail (no LED)

Generate and install an SELinux module:

sudo ausearch -m avc -ts recent | audit2allow -M howdy_camera
sudo semodule -i howdy_camera.pp

This allows the GDM SELinux domain (xdm_t) to access /dev/video*.

After this, face unlock works with SELinux enforcing.

---

🔄 How to Undo Everything

1. Remove SELinux Policy

sudo semodule -r howdy_camera

2. Remove Howdy From GDM

sudo nano /etc/pam.d/gdm-password

Delete the line:

auth      sufficient    pam_howdy.so

3. Remove Howdy Files

sudo rm /usr/lib64/security/pam_howdy.so
sudo rm -r /usr/local/lib64/howdy

(Or delete your build directory.)

4. Restore Original authselect Profile (Optional)

sudo authselect select minimal --force
sudo authselect apply-changes

[mbeps]

I am assuming Python 2 is no longer required, correct?

[RonnyPfannschmidt]

i freshly mashed up https://copr.fedorainfracloud.org/coprs/ronnypfannschmidt/howdy-beta/ with claude from the initial copr @principis made

i'd love to get some feedback on the hacks as its by no means clean - claude cooked up quite some hacks that may be misplaced

however it works on my fedora silverblue a a rpm-ostree overlay

[RonnyPfannschmidt]

principis/copr-specs#11 - adding here in the hope that someone with a better understanding of the fedora authselect system and/or rpm packaging can rip it apart