[SOLVED] Display issues until KDE update from jan. 09

[cluster]

Yesterday I got several KDE component updates since then I have problems with the display.
In Compositor I can only use Xrender, because with OpenGL the desktop icons and folders are no longer clickable, even with Mouse Over the hover effect is no longer visible w/ OpenGL.
The distance between the desktop icons has also changed, the horizontal distance is almost twice as the vertical icon (folder) distance.

Technical details:
KDE Neon 5.14 (Plasma 5.14.5, Frameworks 5.53.0, QT 5.11.2)
GT 630 (nvidia-415 driver)
Multiscreen Setup (2x 22", 1x 15")
Display resolution: 1440x900 on two 22" and 1360x768 on one 15"
AMD FX-8350, 16GB RAM
Kernel: 4.19.0-13.1-liquorix-amd64 #1 ZEN SMP PREEMPT liquorix 4.19-8ubuntu1~bionic (2018-12-29) x86_64 x86_64 x86_64

This setup has worked fine for the last 2 years until yesterday after the update.

[claydoh]

Have you logged off or rebooted after the updates? It was a pretty big update, have you checked to see if you didn't get the full set, if they were being uploaded as you updated?

[cluster]

Have you logged off or rebooted after the updates? It was a pretty big update, have you checked to see if you didn't get the full set, if they were being uploaded as you updated?

yes, I have restarted several times and also emptied the cache once completely ...
I am using a dual boot system as a replacement (backup) system (where the home folder is synced, so same KDE configs in place),
the problem occurs only with the system where the upgrade was installed yesterday, the backup system does not show any problems because no upgrade has been installed here ...
should I re-install anything ... maybe the nvidia drivers?

### edit ###
checked all the log files, but there is only one error message

[FONT=monospace]spice-vdagent[1480]: [COLOR=#FF5454][B]Cannot access vdagent virtio channel /dev/virtio-ports/com.redhat.spice.0[/B][/COLOR]
[/FONT]

[cluster]

it seems to be a problem with the layout (distance) of the desktop icons & folder grid ...
if there is enough space everywhere I can also activate & use OpenGL instead of Xrender
it has changed like this (see screenshot) horizontal distance is twice as much as the vertical distance of the icons/ folders grid
is there a way to fix that somehow?

[claydoh]

I am not clear how the desktop icon spacing is affecting the ability to change the compositor settings in System Settings.

[claydoh]

checked all the log files, but there is only one error message

[FONT=monospace]spice-vdagent[1480]: [COLOR=#FF5454][B]Cannot access vdagent virtio channel /dev/virtio-ports/com.redhat.spice.0[/B][/COLOR]
[/FONT]

This seems ro be something that can be ignored, as far as I can tell. so far.

[chimak111]

 Kernel: 4.19.0-13.1-liquorix-amd64 #1 ZEN SMP PREEMPT liquorix 4.19-8ubuntu1~bionic (2018-12-29) x86_64 x86_64 x86_64

That's a very recent kernel. 18.04 is still on 4.15.

[cluster]

 Kernel: 4.19.0-13.1-liquorix-amd64 #1 ZEN SMP PREEMPT liquorix 4.19-8ubuntu1~bionic (2018-12-29) x86_64 x86_64 x86_64

That's a very recent kernel. 18.04 is still on 4.15.

as stated above, I have running a backup system (prior the same config and system til I have started w/ the upgrade) the backup copy is still working well without any issues ... I dont think this is a problem w/ the liquorix kernel, also there are NO error messages.
When there are no icons & folders on the desktop it seems to work, but as soon there are icons placed or like before w/ the working smaler grid I can not click any icons or folders from desktop anymore - it's like an overlay ... also I can only set composer to QT when there is space enough on the desktop or nor icon & folders. I can see the grid problem in any resolution.

[cluster]

some more details ...
in the settings window for the desktop (also background settings) the dropdown menu for the desktop "Layout" is deactivated (not clickable) as a readonly function in css ...
so it shows folder view, only

[cluster]

after the latest upgrade same problem occurs with Kubuntu 18.10 too, something is broken in desktop settings for folderview ... kscreen?

[kubicle]

some more details ...
in the settings window for the desktop (also background settings) the dropdown menu for the desktop "Layout" is deactivated (not clickable) as a readonly function in css ...
so it shows folder view, only

Have you unlocked your widgets? The layout change is enabled only when widgets are unlocked.

[cluster]

Have you unlocked your widgets? The layout change is enabled only when widgets are unlocked.

thanks, I have tried both reboot w/ widgets locked & unlocked (also, there are no active widgets in use) the vertical grid space keeps the same (double distance) and the desktop settings is locked to folder view ... ok it is my default desktop view (folder) but the dropdown is locked ... the reason for that is not anything w/ the graphics driver, because the kubuntu 18.10 is running on my girl friends computer I use KDE Neon, now both desktops look the same with Plasma v 5.14.5 a few minutes ago I did a test w/ a manjaro live dvd (KDE Version 5.14.4) and here everything is in grid and desktop settings are not locked ... seems something is broken w/ v 5.14.5

[cluster]

this screenshot was taken from the upgraded Kubuntu 18.10 I have selected the icons before the snapshot, as you can see the marking around the icons are no longer displayed square ...

[kubicle]

I didn't mean you need to reboot with widgets unlocked, you just need to unlock widgets to switch the layout from Folder View to Desktop View (otherwise the layout selection is disabled), so Unlock widgets>Open Desktop Settings>Layout dropdown should be enabled? .

I seem to recall Plasma changed it's default view from Desktop view to Folder a while back, and perhaps that's the difference you're seeing. It's also possible that the layout/spacing for the folder view has been changed, but I've not used it for a good while so I wouldn't know.

I'm on 5.14.5 (although I'm using Neon, not kubuntu), and the and the layout change works as expected (when widgets are unlocked).

EDIT: The Icon spacing width has indeed been changed in 5.14.5:

[Folder View] implement a minimum width for icon view to ensure that labels are never rendered useless. Commit. Fixes bug #379432. Phabricator Code review D16901

[cluster]

I didn't mean you need to reboot with widgets unlocked, you just need to unlock widgets to switch the layout from Folder View to Desktop View (otherwise the layout selection is disabled), so Unlock widgets>Open Desktop Settings>Layout dropdown should be enabled? .

I seem to recall Plasma changed it's default view from Desktop view to Folder a while back, and perhaps that's the difference you're seeing. It's also possible that the layout/spacing for the folder view has been changed, but I've not used it for a good while so I wouldn't know.

ouh ... my mistake!!!
yep seems the desktop layout grid has been changed ... but it could make desktop icons or folders inaccessable sometimes, if this happen I have to create an empty folder oder file and it's refreshed or reloaded something (locked) and the existing folder & files could be used after that