Announcement

**jdunn** · Aug 31, 2006, 06:51 AM

Re: are there any kubuntu specific guides to installing compiz?

http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=75527

The server or thread seems to be down or slow at the moment...It was up yesterday. Anyway, you don't need compiz with KDE. KDE already comes with a composite manager. Just change your xorg.conf file as instructed in the thread. Then goto System Settings>Desktop>Window Behavior>Translucency(Tab) and check "Use Translucency/shadows". Then restart X for gorgeous drop shadows and transparency and if you are lucky, your system will be stable.

I tried this for about two days but when I played full-screen opengl games like ut2004 and enemy-territory, it somehow screwed up my x settings. I've since disabled the composite manager but the problems I'm having with X still remain and I haven't figured out how to fix it yet.

Use Composite mode at your own risk.

**Volvo_Guy** · Aug 31, 2006, 07:54 AM

Re: are there any kubuntu specific guides to installing compiz?

You'll know if you have Xgl setup correctly. Your desktop will be 100% OpenGL. I wouldn't use KDE's compisite manager because it doesn't do 1/16th of what compiz can manage.

http://www.compiz.net/topic-205-kubu...l-compiz-howto <--- ATI video card, but I believe they also describe for nVidia cards too

http://www.compiz.net/topic-3761-kubuntu-kde-compiz-xgl

Start with the top one. If you wanna see a screenie of my Xgl, it's here:
http://kubuntuforums.net/index.php?i...to_show&ida=81

Hope this helps,

Will

**someguyouknow** · Aug 31, 2006, 09:26 AM

Re: are there any kubuntu specific guides to installing compiz?

Thanks for the guide!!! It worked

one question though, is there a script to make a regular KDE session? the guide uses the KDE for XGL/Compiz while other guides have it as a seperate session. if not, is there an easy command to shut it off?

**someguyouknow** · Aug 31, 2006, 09:54 AM

Re: are there any kubuntu specific guides to installing compiz?

Alright, it works but i just cant change the keys from the default it seems. Its really cool. Thanks again.

**someguyouknow** · Aug 31, 2006, 08:16 PM

Re: are there any kubuntu specific guides to installing compiz?

I did some weak script altercations to start KDE regular and use the XGL session i already had from previous attempts of installing XGL.
Is there a better way of doing this?

Here is what is my XGL session. The Exec is pointing at the script that was made to start XGL/Compiz on startup.

Code:

[Desktop Entry]
Encoding=UTF-8
Name=Xgl
Comment=Start an Xgl Session
Exec=/home/username/Programs/eyecandy
Icon=
Type=Application

This is the script for eyecandy.

Code:

#!/bin/sh
# Start cgwd and log results
cgwd & > ~/cgdw-window.log 2>&1 &
#start compiz and log results
compiz --replace gconf & > ~/compiz.log 2>&1 &
#Map Keyboard
xmodmap /usr/share/xmodmap/xmodmap.us
#Fix Shift+BackSpace
xmodmap -e "keycode 22 = BackSpace BackSpace Terminate_Server"

on a side note, not sure if its related in anyway but now it seems to be logging me out after a couple of minutes when i have Amarok on.

**Prospero424** · Aug 31, 2006, 10:11 PM

Re: are there any kubuntu specific guides to installing compiz?

If you have an nvidia video card, you can just use Automatix Bleeder to install and configure XGL and Compiz for you. This is by far the easiest way I've found to do this, and it sets it up so you have the option of logging in to either a KDE or an XGL session, so you can just log out of XGL and into KDE if, say, you want to play some 3D games.

Instructions here:

http://getautomatix.com/wiki/index.p...e=Installation

**someguyouknow** · Aug 31, 2006, 10:29 PM

Re: are there any kubuntu specific guides to installing compiz?

Thanks!!!!
I think i will get rid of what i had and do this. My way seems buggy.

**someguyouknow** · Sep 01, 2006, 08:33 AM

Re: are there any kubuntu specific guides to installing compiz?

well, that did it. It messed up big time. It did something to my nvidia drivers. Now no matter what i do, i cannot log back into Kubuntu except by root. Otherwise, i just get the Kubuntu logo.
I tried reconfiguring X using the nvidia drivers, vesa drivers and a couple more. It would start using the vesa drivers on root but not booting regular. I managed to copy my home folder to another drive so i will just re-install. I wont be trying that again lol

**Prospero424** · Sep 01, 2006, 05:55 PM

Re: are there any kubuntu specific guides to installing compiz?

Damn. That sucks.

Still, I have a feeling that it didn't work because you had previously installed XGL/Compiz and your nvidia drivers manually or in some odd way.

I would suggest using automatix after your fresh install of Kubuntu to install both your nvidia drivers and XGL/Compiz (dirvers first, then reboot, then compiz).

Anyway, that's what worked flawlessly for me. Then I added Quinn's repository (info available at www.compiz.net) and updated the pertinent packages one at a time, just to get up to date.

**someguyouknow** · Sep 01, 2006, 08:16 PM

Re: are there any kubuntu specific guides to installing compiz?

its all good. I wanted to do a fresh install anyway. just not like that lol.
i probably messed up the driver in one of the many attempts to get XGL/Compiz running.

**someguyouknow** · Sep 02, 2006, 01:21 AM

Re: are there any kubuntu specific guides to installing compiz?

nope, there is something wrong with bleeder. at least on my computer. i installed it on a fresh install and it still configures it wrong. It installed the nvidia drivers but still used vesa for the driver (kinda odd). Even with me changing it to nvidia, it still would not load from the login screen but would just hang.

i think i am going to merge the two guides i have instead.

**kreliz** · Jan 18, 2007, 08:06 AM

Re: are there any kubuntu specific guides to installing compiz?

I think im going to need some advice:

After 2 days of struggling to get my ATI card working (with success) i am now faced with the following problem.
I did a fresh install of edgy. Installed beryl/xgl, finally had it working correctly. "fglrxinfo" made me very happy cause it no showed my proper ATI card and my graphics had never been that good under Linux. So you would say all good right? No no no! Step 2 was getting all the updates so i run apt-get only to receive the following message whenever i try to install something:

(to give an example, i tried installing 3ddesktop)

The following NEW packages will be installed:
3ddesktop
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
3 not fully installed or removed.
Need to get 76.2kB of archives.
After unpacking 459kB of additional disk space will be used.
Get:1 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com dapper/universe 3ddesktop 0.2.9-5.1ubuntu1 [76.2kB]
Fetched 76.2kB in 1s (60.5kB/s)
Selecting previously deselected package 3ddesktop.
(Reading database ... 83155 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking 3ddesktop (from .../3ddesktop_0.2.9-5.1ubuntu1_i386.deb) ...
Setting up compiz-core (0.3.3-0ubuntu2~git2006112~edgy1) ...
/var/lib/dpkg/info/compiz-core.postinst: 9: gconf-schemas: not found
dpkg: error processing compiz-core (--configure):
subprocess post-installation script returned error exit status 127
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of compiz-plugins:
compiz-plugins depends on compiz-core (= 1:0.3.3-0ubuntu2~git2006112~edgy1); however:
Package compiz-core is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing compiz-plugins (--configure):
dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of compiz:
compiz depends on compiz-core; however:
Package compiz-core is not configured yet.
compiz depends on compiz-plugins (>= 0.2); however:
Package compiz-plugins is not configured yet.
dpkg: error processing compiz (--configure):
dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Setting up 3ddesktop (0.2.9-5.1ubuntu1) ...
Errors were encountered while processing:
compiz-core
compiz-plugins
compiz
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
kreliz@desktop:~$

Oh no was the first thing that came to me after reading that! To be honest i don't give a rats arse about compiz. I just want to able to use my adept manager and get my updates. Now i know there are quite few topics on this, however they all involve some sort of method which will eventually lead me back to a full stop because compiz isn't installed. Do i really (want and) need to install compiz or is there a workaround? Let me know your thoughts/sollutions.

Thanks in advance.