Missing window controls w/ Gnome

JMCraig · 03-23-2005, 12:04 PM

Hi Folks,

I donno what I've messed up, but it's a pain. I've lost my windows controls (minimize, maximize, close, window title bar) when I'm in Gnome. If I switch to KDE (using switchdesk), the window controls are there. Can someone tell me where the critical parameter/setting is located?

Sheesh! (I wish I could even remember/figure out how I got it into this state....)

John

Engmar · 03-24-2005, 01:25 AM

One thing you could check: Go to the Gnome Configuration Editor (usually under System Tools).
apps -> metacity -> general -> make sure button_layout says something like

Code:

menu:minimize,maximize,close

This would give you the default configuration. If this value is already there I'm not sure what the problem could be.

edit: Ah I see you are missing the whole title bar. In that same area in the Configuration Editor, do you have "application_based" checked off?

edit2: Oh, did you try changing window border themes?

JMCraig · 03-24-2005, 08:55 AM

Engmar, thanks for the suggestions!

The Config. Editor settings are apparently as they should be.

Changing themes changes the colors, but doesn't give me the window controls....

One more clue: If I click on the "Click here to hide all windows and show the desktop" icon, I get this:

"Your window manager does not support the show desktop button, or you are not running a window manager."

So, maybe I don't have a window manager at all.... Where do I find that setting and what should it be?

Thanks!

John

Engmar · 03-26-2005, 08:18 AM

Wow, strange. Do you have Metacity installed?

JMCraig · 03-26-2005, 12:36 PM

Engmar,

It certainly looks like it's installed. What I presume has happened is that I've inadvertently changed something so that Gnome has no window manager associated with it.

Code:

# rpm -qa | grep metacity
metacity-2.8.6-2

Is there someplace you know of that I should check?

John

JMCraig · 03-26-2005, 02:31 PM

OK; now I have a workaround, but there's got to be someplace to tell it to do this some other way. If I enter:

Code:

#/usr/bin/metacity &

My windows grow title bars and expected icons....

So where is this supposed to be that it isn't?

Thanks,

John

Engmar · 03-26-2005, 05:04 PM

Have you installed any other window managers ie.Sawfish?

You could try having Gnome save the session settings (after you have restarted Metacity) while logging out, then log back in and see if Metacity comes up.

Of course, unless another window manager is killing off Metacity, none of this answers the question why Metacity crashed in the first place.

JMCraig · 03-28-2005, 09:06 AM

Thanks for sticking with this! No, I didn't install any other window managers.

For now, with metacity having been started, Gnome is using it (whether I "Save Settings" or not). I'm not sure what'll happen when I reboot.

What script would be the spot that would typically start metacity?

John

futhark · 03-28-2005, 09:26 AM

Happens to me in KDE from time to time, and I restart kwin& manually when it does. It's because the window manager crashes.

If your window borders never appear when you login into gnome, then maybe it's because the win manager crashes on startup or it's not starting at all. Up to you to investigate.