Can't get Compiz Effects to work in OpenSUSE 11.2

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#1

Hi all,

I’m currently trying to get Compiz effects (Such as the desktop cube ;)) to work in OpenSUSE 11.2.

I have an ATI Radeon HD4850 graphics card, using the open source xorg-x11-driver-video-radeonhd using version 1.3.0_20091106_619706-2.2

I have all the effects I want enables, but when I press their commands (Control + Alt + Left to rotate the cube for example) nothing happens.

I tried installing fusion-icon and putting it in the .kde4/Autostart folder to start Compiz on startup, but this only resulted in a White Screen of Death, so I went into a tty and removed the file and uninstalled fusion icon.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance :slight_smile:

#2

Are you using GNOME or KDE?
If you are using KDE use Kwin.

Personal Settings (Configure Desktop) >Desktop >Desktop Effects

Enable Desktop Effects

#3

I’m guessing the .kde4 means the KDE 4 desktop is being used.

First uninstall any compiz packages, and remove any compiz repositories if you added any.

Make sure your graphics drivers are correctly installed. Then make sure Kwin works, as this can be an early indicator of trouble if it doesn’t. If Kwin works then install compiz via my how-to here:

Installing and Configuring Compiz - openSUSE Forums

Post back with any problems.

Take Care,

Ian

#4

> I’m guessing the .kde4 means the KDE 4 desktop is being used.

LOL…oops I missed that.

#5

Haha, that’s okay, it wasn’t well worded on my behalf. The devil’s in the details on that one I suppose :stuck_out_tongue:

In any case, I uninstalled everything compiz, and reverted to the standard OpenSUSE Repo version of the radeonhd driver.

I start up KWin, and if I set the mode to XRender I’m able to use it fine, but it’s not the most responsive / smooth effects I’m sure my card is capable of. But if I switch to OpenGL, as soon as I hit Apply my computer locks up completely. I’m unable to enter any TTY or anything, and I have to reset using Alt+PrntScrn+RSEINUB then boot into Failsafe Mode to revert my changes.

Thoughts? :stuck_out_tongue:
Also, thanks for the quick replies :slight_smile:

#6

Well this is driver related then. Have you tried following the steps here for installing the graphics drivers for your card?

ATI - openSUSE

It might be worth looking at. As I said before, you should make sure Kwin works first so we know if there will be a problem before trying compiz. So try following the steps from that wiki an then report back here with any problems.

Take Care,

Ian

#7

Hi again Ian,

I seem to be having an altogether different problem now, pertaining to installing the ATI Drivers.

I forsure wnat to install the drive either by the Command Line, generating an RPM File, or by a repository, as whenever I install it via the X Method, it never seems to work well.

However, when I try to add the repository :

http://www2.ati.com/suse/11.2/

to YaST2, I get the error that it can’t find the .repo file, and this is a repo that isn’t browse-able, so I can’t specify any changes to the URL/Folder myself. :frowning: I’m hoping this one will “fix itself” if I wait a day or two, could just be an oversight.

(I also tried “sudo zypper ar http://www2.ati.com/suse/11.2/ ATI” and then started up YaST2, but get an error again.)

Now, if I do it the commandline way, running,

kdesu ~/Desktop/ati-driver-installer-9-11-x86.x86_64.run

It goes through it’s steps, even saying that it successfully generated the .rpm file, but when I look for the file, I can’t find it, so I checked out the log and it tells me:

“/tmp/ati.WIj417
Package build failed!
[Error] Generate Package - error generating package : SuSE/SUSE112-AMD64”

I’m pretty sure I have every dependency that would be needed for generating an RPM file, I googled around for what I might need, but still nothing.

#8

As I don’t have an ATI card, I will not be able to help with your driver issue as well as someone who does and knows the procedure. Perhaps you should try asking in the hardware section. Include your openSUSE version, the Desktop Environment you’re using, if you’re using 64 or 32 bit, and your graphics card.

Otherwise I found this about generating an rpm with 11.2 and the 9.11 driver for 64 bit:

Generating catalyst 9.11 rpm’s on openSUSE 11.2 - openSUSE Forums

Take Care,

Ian

#9

Ah, guess I wasn’t the only one with the RPM issue.

In any case, KWin (With OpenGL) is woking fantastic now, and I think I like it enough at the moment to wait a while on Compiz. The only reason I wanted compiz was because I wasn’t getting any effects at all, of course due to compositing being off.

Thanks so much for all the tips, pointers, and taking your time to help me out (and do some digging on my behalf. :)) I really appreciate it, and I’m glad to be a part of the OpenSUSE Community (Coming from Ubuntu ;))

Thanks again,
Matt

#10

> In any case, KWin (With OpenGL) is woking fantastic now, and I think I
> like it enough at the moment to wait a while on Compiz. The only reason
> I wanted compiz was because I wasn’t getting any effects at all, of
> course due to compositing being off.

IMHO the only reason you would need Compiz these days is if you are running
GNOME desktop.

#11

I can’t enable compositing? How do I do that?

#12

> I can’t enable compositing? How do I do that?

GNOME Or KDE?

If KDE, make sure you have the appropriate driver installed and go into
“Personal Settings (Configure Desktop)”

Under “Desktop” look for Enable Desktop effects.

Check the box and Apply.

#13

In KDE. I tried what you describe.

The button “activates” and by the green check mark it says “Compositing is active”. But a pop up informs me another application shuts off compositing and the top info in this “General” tab is by a blue “i” saying “Compositing is not supported on your system. Required X extensions (XComposite and XDamage) are not available.”

Btw… could it be related to this mouse issue?

#14

> In KDE. I tried what you describe.
>
> The button “activates” and by the green check mark it says “Compositing
> is active”. But a pop up informs me another application shuts off
> compositing and the top info in this “General” tab is by a blue “i”
> saying -“Compositing is not supported on your system. Required X
> extensions (XComposite and XDamage) are not available.”-
>
> Btw… could it be related to ‘this mouse issue’
> (http://tinyurl.com/ydpdvqf)?

Do you have the proprietary video driver installed for your card?

#15

Yes.

Changed some settings in the Catalyst Control Center - deactivated Xinerama and chose graphicsadapter for scaling both screens. Just noticed I can switch to Compiz when root, but if I try as a user I still get the same message or a lot of color errors (flickering colors all over the screens).

I guess it’s just a crazy maze of mutually exclusive settings? Gee what fun we have! :sarcastic: Here’s my xorg.conf… guess I better read a manual on those too…

:/etc/X11 # cat xorg.conf                                        
Section "ServerLayout"                                                     
        Identifier     "aticonfig Layout"                                  
        Screen      0  "aticonfig-Screen[0]-0" 0 0                         
EndSection                                                                 

Section "Files"
EndSection     

Section "Module"
EndSection      

Section "ServerFlags"
        Option      "Xinerama" "off"
EndSection                          

Section "Monitor"
        Identifier   "aticonfig-Monitor[0]-0"
        Option      "VendorName" "ATI Proprietary Driver"
        Option      "ModelName" "Generic Autodetecting Monitor"
        Option      "DPMS" "true"                              
EndSection                                                     

Section "Monitor"
        Identifier   "0-DFP1"
        Option      "VendorName" "ATI Proprietary Driver"
        Option      "ModelName" "Generic Autodetecting Monitor"
        Option      "DPMS" "true"                              
        Option      "PreferredMode" "1680x1050"                
        Option      "TargetRefresh" "60"                       
        Option      "Position" "0 0"                           
        Option      "Rotate" "normal"                          
        Option      "Disable" "false"                          
EndSection                                                     

Section "Monitor"
        Identifier   "0-DFP3"
        Option      "VendorName" "ATI Proprietary Driver"
        Option      "ModelName" "Generic Autodetecting Monitor"
        Option      "DPMS" "true"                              
        Option      "PreferredMode" "1360x768"                 
        Option      "TargetRefresh" "60"                       
        Option      "Position" "1680 0"                        
        Option      "Rotate" "normal"                          
        Option      "Disable" "false"                          
EndSection                                                     

Section "Device"
        Identifier  "aticonfig-Device[0]-0"
        Driver      "fglrx"                
        Option      "Monitor-DFP1" "0-DFP1"
        Option      "Monitor-DFP3" "0-DFP3"
        BusID       "PCI:1:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Device"
        Identifier  "amdcccle-Device[1]-1"
        Driver      "fglrx"
        Option      "Monitor-DFP3" "0-DFP3"
        BusID       "PCI:1:0:0"
        Screen      1
EndSection

Section "Screen"
        Identifier "aticonfig-Screen[0]-0"
        Device     "aticonfig-Device[0]-0"
        Monitor    "aticonfig-Monitor[0]-0"
        DefaultDepth     24
        SubSection "Display"
                Viewport   0 0
                Virtual   3600 3600
                Depth     24
        EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
        Identifier "amdcccle-Screen[1]-1"
        Device     "amdcccle-Device[1]-1"
        DefaultDepth     24
        SubSection "Display"
                Viewport   0 0
                Depth     24
        EndSubSection
EndSection
#16

Hmmm… could I perhaps just copy some system files from root folder to user folder? Change permissions? If so, which files?

#17

> Hmmm… could I perhaps just copy some system files from root folder to
> user folder? Change permissions? If so, which files?

Unfortunately I have zero experience with ATI cards. I won’t buy them.
Maybe someone else can assist you from this point.