My first post. Just installed OpenSUSE (I have historically been a CentOS and Slackware guy); I really like what I see so far.
I noticed that compiz is installed by default as I see its settings manager application under Utilites>Desktop. Quite a few of the effects are checked as enabled (i.e. cube), but none of them seem to be functioning via the assigned key commands. I am wondering if compiz functions in KDE 4.1, or if it needs to run as the sole window manager instead of Kwin or something of the sort? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. My set up is below. Thanks!
OpenSUSE 11.1
KDE 4.1.3
NVidia Quadro NVS 160M, Driver ver. 185.18.36
Dell Latitude E6500
I see you have an Nvidia graphics card, and I see you have the driver listed. The next thing we’ll need is your xorg.conf located at /etc/X11
And finally Kwin has its own implementation of compiz. You do not need compiz-fusion as Kwin’s implementation has a lot of the functionality. If you do want compiz-fusion then I would suggest reading this post on installing compiz-fusion for any KDE 4.x other than 4.2 (which is you because you’re using KDE 4.1)here:
Well, everything seems to be in working order there.
I see dual monitor in your xorg.conf a couple of times. Are you using Dual monitors?
Also I just saw you said the shortcut keys aren’t working. If you haven’t installed compiz-fusion and are only using Kwin then they have different shortcut keys for rotation and such. Kwin’s key shortcuts are located at Configure Desktop (Personal Settings)>Keyboard and Mouse>Global Keyboard shortcuts. Next to KDE Component use the drop down menu and select Kwin. Here you can check and set the different key combinations for desktop switching and application switching and such.
I did think I read of some people having issues using compositing with Dual Monitors in KDE4. But I use to get it working in KDE 4.1 back when 4.1 was in the factory repositories, so I’m really not sure at all :\
Those are some of the basic ones, as I said check with the global keyboard shortcuts for more and to set being able to switch one desktop over or down and other keyboard shortcuts.
You can try and type in “sim” into the search function of the start “kickoff” menu and select Desktop Effects. There will be a tickbox. Tick it and fire away at compiz.
It was as simple as using the correct key commands to get the effects working via KWin’s implementation of Compiz. Thanks for the tip there. I a little disappointed that I can’t use the middle mouse button as a shortcut. I worked on a Mac in my last job and used the middle button for my grid, which was really handy. A quick googling of said gripe reveals that others have complained about the same thing. Do you happen to know if KDE > 4.1 supports this?
I toyed around with upgrading KDE to 4.2 and/or Compiz to Compiz-Fusion via one-click. YaST spat out a ton of scary red for dependencies in both cases, so I decided to let sleeping dogs lie for now. The basic effects provided by Kwin-Compiz will do for me I think anyway; I was mainly after that grid effect. Many of the others seem somewhat novelty from the screenshots I have seen. I just wish that the middle mouse button would work as a shortcut.:\
It begs the question of why they include the Compiz control panel in 4.1, which appears to support using the mouse for Compiz shortcuts, but this panel seems to be useless. It would seem as though the Compiz settings are configured solely via the Kwin panel in settings?
Oh, and I can confirm that dual heads throw a bit of a wrench into some of the effects. Grid works, but the cube effect is completely hosed by duals.
Hey no problem. I’m a vista convert and loved all the eye candy it brought such as the aero flip. Once I saw linux with compiz-fusion I was blown away. So I’ve spent a lot of time reading and experimenting with compiz and have participated in forum discussions regarding Kwin’s compiz functionality and am still learning. The global shortcuts to kwin keyboard shortcuts is something I learned in the forum as I was unaware of it and thought only the desktop effects in configure desktop controlled kwin’s desktop effects.
If you want compiz fusion, just go to add it via the one-click installer (if you’re using KDE 4.2) and then give us the dependency errors and conflicts. We’ll help you sort through them. Or try it using those links to the forum posts I have on upgrading to compiz-fusion using any KDE other than 4.2 to get it working for 4.1.3. If it gives conflicts just post them here and we’ll help you sort through them.
Or just keep the current implementation. That’s the beauty of linux. CHOICE.
Also I currently use a laptop as I’m back in college so I don’t really have a middle mouse button, just the left and right clicks with the touchpad so I can’t really help with that.
I forgot to address this. With the newer KDE’s (4.2.x, 4.3.x) the names have changed. So things like Kde4-Amarok are now just Amarok. So red dependency changes like that are expected when upgrading. We have a how-to section here and there are some really nice ones in the unreviewed how-to section. Caf has a tutorial for upgrading to 4.2 and 4.3 (the package name changes is explained there), but first I’ll give you some beginner stuff (just to make sure you have all the repository handling down as repository priority and handling can either make or break a system, things like setting the upgrade repository to priority 99 instead of 20):
There’s also one for upgrading to the current 4.3.x, which is what I’m using, but as you’re just dipping your toes into openSUSE, it’d be better for you to get comfortable with what you’re doing first. If and when you get to that point, just go to the unreviewed how-to’s and find the one labeled KDE4.3. *Upgrade - Howto
Yeah I’m on KDE 4.1.3 right now as that was included in the OpenSUSE .iso I used. The install is fully patched; strange that the 1-click for 4.2 threw all those dependency errors, but alas the penguin can be a finicky beast.
As you say it may make the most sense to stay put for now, at least until 4.3 is stable. Is there any substantial benefit to upgrading to 4.2?
Well, depending on your hardware you may have different results, but I’ve been using 4.3 since it came out and it’s been nothing but stable. As I said though, you have to be comfortable with what you’re doing or follow caf’s guides or else you’ll find yourself in an unwanted situation such as a nonworking system. It would be better just to stick to 4.1.3 for now and get to know the system a bit more. Then I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND upgrading to either 4.2.x or 4.3.x as both of these have a lot of stability and feature improvements over 4.1.x.
This is just my opinion based on my experience. I’m sure you can google and find lots of posts to the contrary, but if you know what you’re doing or utilize help (which is what these forums are for) then you shouldn’t have any problems.
That being said, there are some things that can’t be accounted for until they’re fixed by the KDE Devs, such as a separate activity for each workspace adds an extra activity when you use it.
