Compiz
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Introduction
Compiz is a compositing window manager. Because it provides its own window manager, it cannot be used simultaneously with other window managers such as Openbox, Fluxbox, Enlightenment - users who want to keep their current window managers and add some effects to it may wish to try Xcompmgr instead.
Compiz is the core of the project Compiz-Fusion, which worked on adding many functions/plugins to the WM and now is being merged again. Both projects are active and undergoing constant development. For more information, refer to the article, Compiz Fusion vs. Compiz.
Installation
Basic installation can be done using community as repo (see below).
The second way is using nesl's git packages. See Compiz_Fusion_Git for more information.
Install from Community
Make sure the Community repository is enabled and run this command as root to install everything:
# pacman -S compiz-fusion
Run this if you only want gtk-based packages installed:
# pacman -S compiz-fusion-gtk
or this if you only want kde-based packages installed:
# pacman -S compiz-fusion-kde
Users who wish to select the packages individually may consult the following list:
List of packages by group
- Entire compiz-fusion group
- ccsm, compiz-core, compiz-fusion-plugins-extra, compiz-fusion-plugins-main, compizconfig-backend-gconf, compizconfig-backend-kconfig, emerald, emerald-themes, fusion-icon
- KDE compiz-fusion group
- ccsm, compiz-fusion-plugins-extra, compiz-fusion-plugins-main, compizconfig-backend-kconfig, emerald, emerald-themes, fusion-icon
- GTK compiz-fusion group
- ccsm, compiz-fusion-plugins-extra, compiz-fusion-plugins-main, compizconfig-backend-gconf, emerald, emerald-themes, fusion-icon
- groupless / legacy (?)
- compiz-decorator-gtk, compiz-decorator-kde, compiz-manager
- ccsm is a good first choice frontend to configure compiz.
- Emerald is compiz's own window decorator.
- fusion-icon offers a tray icon and a nice way to start compiz, start ccsm and change the WM / Window Decorator.
- compiz-manager is said to bring better session managing capabilities (needs confirmation!).
- compiz-decorator-gtk and compiz-decorator-kde are alternatives to emerald, if you prefer using your DE's configuration backends and looks (needs confirmation too).
Check Settings
- Compatibility
- The compiz-check script runs several compiz-related tests and can help discovering setup and hardware issues. It is available from the aur.
- Backend
- Depending on the packages you installed, you can use different backends to manage your compiz settings. While gconf / kconf should be fine for Gnome / KDE, the basic Flat-file Configuration Backed should be your choice if want to try out compiz in different Environments without losing the settings in between or you simply use a different Desktop Environment. You can change the used Backend with ccsm ("Settings=>").
- Activate important plugins!
- Before you do anything else, you might want to check if the plugins that provide basic window manager behaviour are activated or you will have no possibility to drag, scale or close windows as soon as compiz is activated. Among those plugins are "Window Decoration" under Effects and "Move Window" & "Resize Window" under Window Management. (ccsm may be used to achieve this.)
Starting Compiz Fusion
Manual (with "fusion-icon")
Launch the Compiz Fusion tray icon:
$ fusion-icon
Note: If it fails, you may try it with dbus-launch:
$ dbus-launch "fusion-icon"
Right click on the icon in the panel and go to 'select window manager'. Choose "Compiz" if it isn't selected already, and you should be set.
If this fails you can start compiz-fusion by using the following commands
$ fusion-icon $ emerald --replace $ compiz-manager
If you want to use compiz window decorations make sure you have the "Window Decoration" plugin marked in the compiz settings.
KDE
Manual (without "fusion-icon")
Launch Compiz with the following command once installation is done :
$ compiz --replace ccp &
Start new settings manager:
$ ccsm &
Select all the plugins you like including “decoration” plugin, Add
$ kde-window-decorator --replace
as command string under ‘decoration’ plugin.
Autostart (with "fusion-icon")
Add a symbolic link to the fusion-icon executable in your KDE Autostart directory (generally located on ~/.kde/Autostart):
$ ln -s /usr/bin/fusion-icon ~/.kde/Autostart/fusion-icon
Next time KDE is started, it will load fusion-icon automatically.
Autostart (without "fusion-icon")
Method 1 - Autostart Link
- You can ensure that Compiz Fusion will always start at login by appending a desktop entry to the KDE autostart directory. Create the file ~/.kde/Autostart/compiz.desktop with the following contents:
[Desktop Entry] Encoding=UTF-8 Exec=compiz --replace ccp StartupNotify=false Terminal=false Type=Application X-KDE-autostart-after=kdesktop
- If you want to use the optional fusion-icon application, launch fusion-icon. If you log out normally with fusion-icon running, KDE should restore your session and launch fusion-icon the next time you log in if this setting is enabled. If it doesn't appear to be working, ensure you have the following line in ~/.kde/share/config/ksmserverrc:
loginMode=restorePreviousLogout
Method 2 - export KDEWM (avoid KWIN)
Using this method will load Compiz-Fusion as the default window manager instead of KWin from the start. This method is faster then loading Compiz-Fusion in the ~/.kde4/Autostart/ (method 1) because it avoids loading KDE's default WM (KWin) first. This way also stops that annoying black screen flicker you might see using other methods (when kwin switches to Compiz on KDE's desktop loading screens).
As root you must create a short script by doing the following in your terminal. This will allow you to load compiz with the switches because doing it directly via export KDEWM="compiz --replace ccp --sm-disable"
doesn't seem to work.
$ echo "compiz --replace ccp --sm-disable &" > /usr/bin/compiz-fusion
If this doesn't work, install the "fusion-icon" package and then use this line instead:
$ echo "fusion-icon &" > /usr/bin/compiz-fusion
Ensure that "/usr/bin/compiz-fusion" has executable (+x) permissions.
$ chmod a+x /usr/bin/compiz-fusion
Edit your ~/.bashrc and add the following so KDE will load compiz (via the script you just created) instead of loading KWin.
$ export KDEWM="compiz-fusion"
Note: If you use /usr/local/bin directory it may not work. In that case you should export the script with the path, i.e. export KDEWM="/usr/local/bin/compiz-fusion"
.
Note: The elegant way for above mentioned method is to include:
KDEWM="compiz-fusion"
line in the ~/.kde4/env/compiz.sh or /usr/env/compiz.sh (system wide).
Method 3 - Use KDE 4.2 System Settings
Go to System Settings --> Default Applications --> Window Manager --> Use a different window manager
If you need to run compiz with custom options select "Compiz custom" (when you run fusion-icon from a terminal you can see the command line with which compiz was started). Create a file called "compiz-kde-launcher" in your /usr/bin directory. Then make the file executable: "chmod +x /usr/bin/compiz-kde-launcher". Here is an example for compiz-kde-launcher:
#!/bin/bash LIBGL_ALWAYS_INDIRECT=1 compiz --replace --sm-disable --ignore-desktop-hints ccp --indirect-rendering & wait
Make sure you have the plugin "Window Decorations" enabled. Depending on what packages you have have downloaded you can choose between serveral window decorators. The recommended ones for KDE are emerald and kde4-window-decorator. The emerald decorator has the advantage that it fits better to compiz's screen handling. Use "CompizConfig Settings Manager" to change the default decorator: Window Decorator -> Command: emerald --replace or kde4-window-decorator --replace.
If you have no window decorations try to add the following line to your "compiz-kde-launcher"-file:
sleep 1 kde4-window-decorator --replace& # or if you want to use emerald # emerald --replace&
GNOME
Autostart (without "fusion-icon")
1) Create /usr/share/applications/compiz.desktop containing the following:
[Desktop Entry] Type=Application Encoding=UTF-8 Name=Compiz Exec=compiz ccp NoDisplay=true # name of loadable control center module X-GNOME-WMSettingsModule=compiz # autostart phase X-GNOME-Autostart-Phase=WindowManager X-GNOME-Provides=windowmanager # name we put on the WM spec check window X-GNOME-WMName=Compiz # back compat only X-GnomeWMSettingsLibrary=compiz
Exec=compiz ccp --indirect-rendering
or
Exec=compiz --replace --sm-disable --ignore-desktop-hints ccp --indirect-rendering
Instead of:
Exec=compiz ccp
2) Set some GConf parameters using the gconftool-2 command in a terminal window:
gconftool-2 --set -t string /desktop/gnome/session/required_components/windowmanager compiz gconftool-2 --set -t string /desktop/gnome/applications/window_manager/current /usr/bin/compiz gconftool-2 --set -t string /desktop/gnome/applications/window_manager/default /usr/bin/compiz
Autostart (without "fusion-icon", Gnome prior to 2.24)
This is a way that works if you use GDM (and I'd assume KDM too).
Make a file called /usr/local/bin/compiz-start-boot with the contents:
#!/bin/bash export WINDOW_MANAGER="compiz ccp" exec gnome-session
and make executable (chmod +x
). Next create the file /etc/X11/sessions/Compiz.desktop containing the following:
[Desktop Entry] Version=1.0 Encoding=UTF-8 Name=Compiz on GNOME Exec=/usr/local/bin/compiz-start-boot Icon= Type=Application
Select Compiz on Gnome as your session and you're good to go.
Autostart (with "fusion-icon")
To start Compiz fusion automatically when starting a session go to System > Preferences > Startup Applications. In the Startup Programs tab, click the Add button.
You will now see the Add Startup Program dialogue. Fill it in as follows.
Name:
Compiz Fusion
Command:
fusion-icon
Comment: (Put anything you like or leave blank.)
When you're done hit the Add button. You should now see your startup program in the list in the Startup Programs tab. It must be checked to be enabled. You can uncheck it to disable Compiz on startup and switch back to Metacity.
You may also need to use the gconftool-2 command in a terminal window to set the following parameter, otherwise fusion-icon might not load the windows decorator.
gconftool-2 --type bool --set /apps/metacity/general/compositing_manager false
Xfce
Xfce autostart (without "fusion-icon")
Starting Compiz with the XFCE session manager. This will start Compiz directly without loading Xfwm.
Please note the change to xml config files in XFCE newer than 4.2
To install the session manager, run this command as root:
# pacman -S xfce4-session
Now we have to configure the default/failsafe session of XFCE.
Edit the following file
# nano ~/.config/xfce4/xfconf/xfce-perchannel-xml/xfce4-session.xml
Or to make the change for all XFCE users (root access required)
# nano /etc/xdg/xfce4/xfconf/xfce-perchannel-xml/xfce4-session.xml
Replace the xfwm startup command,
<property name="Client0_Command" type="array"> <value type="string" value="xfwm4"/> </property>
with the following:
<property name="Client0_Command" type="array"> <value type="string" value="compiz"/> <value type="string" value="ccp"/> </property>
To prevent the default session from being overwritten you may also add this:
<property name="general" type="empty"> ... ... <property name="SaveOnExit" type="bool" value="false"/> </property>
To remove the existing sessions, run:
rm -r ~/.cache/sessions
Xfce autostart (with "fusion-icon")
Method 1:
This will load Xfwm first then replace it with Compiz.
Open the XFCE Settings Manager & then Sessions & Startup. Click the Application Autostart tab.
Add
(Name:) Compiz Fusion
(Command:) fusion-icon
Method 2:
Edit the following file (settings in this file is used in preference)
nano ~/.config/xfce4-session/xfce4-session.rc
Or to make the change for all XFCE users (root access required)
# nano /etc/xdg/xfce4-session/xfce4-session.rc
Add the following
[Failsafe Session] Client0_Command=fusion-icon
Comment out Client0_Command=xfwm4 if it exists.
This will cause xfce to load Compiz instead of Xfwm when the user has no existing sessions.
To prevent the default session from being overwritten you may also add
[General] AutoSave=false SaveOnExit=false
To remove the existing sessions
rm -r ~/.cache/sessions
As a standalone WM
A simple method, utilizing a simple script entitled start-fusion.sh:
#!/bin/sh # add more apps here if necessary or start another panel, tray like pypanel, bmpanel, stalonetray xfce4-panel& fusion-icon
Make it executable and add it to ~/.xinitrc, like this:
exec start-fusion.sh
Feel free to use a different panel, tray, or start a whole bunch on applications with your session. See forum thread for more info.
Add a root menu
To add a root menu similar to that in Openbox, Fluxbox, Blackbox etc. you must install the package compiz-deskmenu from the AUR. Upon a restart of Compiz-Fusion, you should be able to middle click on your desktop to launch the menu.
If it does not automatically work, enter the CompizConfig Settings Manager, and in Commands tab, within the General Settings menu, ensure that there is a command to launch Compiz-Deskmenu, and the appropriate key binding is set to Control+Space.
If it still does not work, enter the Viewport Switcher menu, and change "Plugin for initiate action" to core (NOTE: for versions 0.8.2+ it's 'commands' instead of 'core'), and "Action name for initiate" to run_command0_key.
Misc
Using compiz-manager
In order to use compiz-manager, you need to install it from community:
pacman -Sy compiz-manager
Compiz-manager, that now is installed in /usr/bin/compiz-manager, is a simple wrapper for compiz and ALL its options. For example, you can run
compiz-manager
and see that console returns. You can use it in all the scripts that start compiz. Very simple!
using gtk-window-decorator
In order to use gtk-window-decorator, install the package compiz-decorator-gtk and select "GTK Window Decorator" instead of "Emerald" as your window decorator in fusion-icon or whatever other program you are using to configure compiz.
gconf: Additional Compiz Configurations
To achieve more satisfying results from Compiz, you can tweak its config with gconf-editor:
gconf-editor &
Note that now compiz-core isn't built with gconf support; It is now on compiz-decorator-gtk. So, you need to install it if you want to use gconf-editor to edit compiz configuration. Compiz config is in apps > compiz > general > allscreens > options
Active plugins is where you specify the plugins you would like to use, simply edit the key and add in value(refer to apps > compiz > plugins). Plugins I’ve found useful are screenshot, png, fade, minimize. Please do not remove those enabled by default.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Default plugin keyboard shortcuts (plugins have to be activated!)
- Switch windows = Alt + Tab
- Switch desktops on cube = Ctrl + Alt + Left/Right Arrow
- Move window = Alt + left-click
- Resize window = Alt + right-click
A more detailed list can be found under CommonKeyboardShortcuts in the Compiz wiki or you can always just look at your plugin's configuration (ccsm).
Additional Resources
- Compiz_Troubleshooting -- sub article
- Compiz_Configuration -- sub article
- Compiz Website -- including wiki and forum
- AIGLX -- article
- Xgl -- article
- Composite -- A Xorg extension required by composite managers
- Xcompmgr -- A simple composite manager capable of drop shadows and primitive transparency
- Wikipedia: Compositing Window Managers