I know that kwin has it’s own composite manager but I prefer Compiz because I find it to be faster on my nvidia machine and more mature. I read some threads on the forum indicating that Compiz works out of the openSUSE repositories for 4.2, and it even seems to come pre-installed in 11.1. However, I can’t get Compiz to run on my 11.1 install newly updated to KDE 4.2 (I had not tried it on KDE 4.1).
When I try to switch to Compiz in the Default Applications section of ‘Personal Settings’ it complains that “the new Window Manager has failed to start”; when I run compiz --replace in the terminal it just sits there doing nothing, giving no error message or anything at all until I close Konsole.
This doesn’t seem to be the same problem I am having as other people are making threads about, being mostly that when they start Compiz after a little why they lose window decorations. In my case Compiz just utterly fails to start. Anyone have any idea what might cause this?
Incidentally, kwin’s graphic effects -do- work and I do have compositing enabled in my xorg.
I have compiz with emerald working in 4.2 by using only the version available from the X11 XGL repo.
In Yast Software Management > search “compiz” > select the “version” tab in the lower right pane > select XGL repo version for all compiz components.
but in office’s computer after changing from kwin to compiz window decorations are missing. The only difference is i have done KDE update this morning.
X11 XGL was already selected for all compiz packages.
As I said in my original post, I am aware of KWin and its effects, I just prefer Compiz. It’s far more customizable than KWin, has better more customizable window management plugins (as opposed to simple effects), and it runs faster on my nvidia graphics card (although there was a significant improvement in KWin over 4.1.x and 4.2 – but it is still not nearly as smooth as Compiz).
It’s installed – in fact, it came installed with the 11.1 KDE live CD, which I find surprising since KDE has KWin, and openSUSE doesn’t really need two compositing window managers on its live CD, does it?
I tried installing from compiz-fusion-KDE4.ymp, and then compiz-fusion-all.ymp, and with both Compiz still utterly fails to start or give an error message. Both .ymp files give me the error that they could not install the fusion-icons package, though. Interestingly, now when trying to change window managers to Compiz in the Default Applications section of settings, it doesn’t even tell me that Compiz fails to start – it just sits there for 20 seconds doing absolutely nothing.
There seems to be some confusion. You do NOT need to install compiz as an add on (oneclick or anything else)
Compiz packages are included natively with kde4, that is all you need. Adding anything else is likely to cause issues.
Your window manager should be kwin and compiz effects are enable by checking desktop effects in the Config Desktop utility.
All effects option enables you to adjust settings in detail.
Try to install the compiz-fusion icon then use it when you see it in the system tray look for the choices for the window manager switch. You will have selections like kwin, compiz, icewm or xfwm4. You can run kwin or compiz and others selecting those. Just right click the mouse in the compiz-fusion icon in the system tray and you will see those options.
I’m running Compiz Fusion on two KDE 4.2 machines <see my sig> a desktop box, and my lappy, but it wasn’t easy figuring out the right combo.
I totally boned my desktop machine by deleting Compiz Fusion and trying to reinstall it (manually) via the repos! LoL! I wanted to see what would happen if I did this, and I found out (the hard way)…
I finally got it working again, after two days of frustration. The trick was to install Compiz Fusion via 1-click:
The second thing I learned was to NOT use CompizConfig Setting Manager, nor Simple-CCSM to manipulate the settings. Every time I saved the settings using those apps, it screwed the pooch. Instead, I use the native Personal Settings -> Desktop -> Look & Feel -> Desktop Effects method exclusively, and it’s NEVER caused a problem. The settings work as desired, and they ‘stick’ around, e.g. features don’t magically turn themselves off after a few minutes, or the next reboot, et cetera.
Using this combination, I get stunning 3D desktop effects - the spinning desktop cube and the whole nine yards - on my desktop box, and even my lowly laptop!
When I use this I get about 55 conflicts in Yast, all of them to do with downgrading KDE to 4.1.3.
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[LEFT]http://thumbnails.imagebam.com/2637/1ca7bf26365861.gif](ImageBam) <— See this screen shot
So, if you got it working using the 1-click I wonder do you still have kde 4.2.
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Well, compiling Compiz from source is a failure too. Compiz simply will not compile on 4.2 without some kind of patches made because of KDE 4.2’s new plasma libraries. I guess it is just borked on 4.2. I have no idea how you folks who claim to run 4.2 and compiz got it to work – are you sure you’re running 4.2…?
You do NOT need to install Compiz as a separate component - It is already integrated in kde4.
'?’ Am I sure I’m using kde4.2?
Durr…
kde4 default window manager kwin works just perfectly with the compiz packages combined in the kde4 desktop repo. Management of all desktop effects is via the Configure Desktop.
Okay, I am fairly sure that Kwin effects and Compiz effects are completely different things. Kwin’s desktop cube is /not/ a Compiz effect, it is a Kwin effect. They are completely independent. Kwin has never had any support for Compiz plugins as far as I know, and probably never will. Try uninstalling Compiz completely from your system and I’m fairly sure you will still be able to have desktop cube, along with all of your other Kwin effects and plugins. And I don’t want Kwin effects and plugins, because I do not think they are as good as Compiz, especially when it comes to customizability, and not to mention speed on an nvidia machines like mine.
So… apparently the reason why compiz will not compile on a KDE 4.2 machine (with KDE4 support) is because plasma/panelsvg.h in KDE 4.2 is named plasma/framesvg.h. If you go through the code and replace panelsvg.h with framesvg.h then it will apparently work… but I really don’t wanna go through hacking through Compiz’s source code.
Yes, I can get Kwin’s desktop effects perfectly fine.
I got it working. I did what Caf said… but slightly different.
I used the one-click install for Compiz-Fusion for KDE 4.1.x but I pressed customise and deselected all the repo’s it was going to get the packets from. Also unclicked the stay subscribed to repo button. Now it installed Compiz without hassel because it took them from the KDE 4 Factory repo. It was only missing the fusion icon but that can be got from the X11 repo if you want it. I don’t need it.
Then just enable compiz as the window manager under Configure Desktop - Default Aplications.
Compiz goodness with KDE 4.2 rocks!
Thanks everyone for your help and I didn’t even start this tread
