Can't get desktop effects to work outside of root user

mothergoose729 · 11-22-2009, 11:53 PM

I created a new user outside of root and am using it. I have the latest Nvidia drivers installed and working, only problem is I am not able to use fancy desktop effets, like shadowing and transparency. The options are simply not available under desktop settings, saying instead:

"Compositing is not supported on your system.
Required X extensions (XComposite and XDamage) are not available."

These are all enabled and working just fine under root. How do I enable this for all users?

~sHyLoCk~ · 11-23-2009, 02:54 AM

Can you post you xorg.conf?

mothergoose729 · 11-23-2009, 02:57 AM

Code:

# nvidia-xconfig: X configuration file generated by nvidia-xconfig
# nvidia-xconfig:  version 1.0  (buildmeister@builder58)  Tue Oct 20 21:25:04 PDT 2009

# nvidia-settings: X configuration file generated by nvidia-settings
# nvidia-settings:  version 1.0  (buildmeister@builder58)  Tue Oct 20 21:26:01 PDT 2009

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier     "Layout0"
    Screen      0  "Screen0" 0 0
    Screen      1  "Screen1" Below "Screen0"
    InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
    InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
    Option         "Xinerama" "1"
EndSection

Section "Files"
    FontPath        "/usr/lib64/X11/fonts/misc/:unscaled"
    FontPath        "/usr/lib64/X11/fonts/100dpi/:unscaled"
    FontPath        "/usr/lib64/X11/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled"
    FontPath        "/usr/lib64/X11/fonts/misc/"
    FontPath        "/usr/lib64/X11/fonts/Type1/"
    FontPath        "/usr/lib64/X11/fonts/Speedo/"
    FontPath        "/usr/lib64/X11/fonts/100dpi/"
    FontPath        "/usr/lib64/X11/fonts/75dpi/"
    FontPath        "/usr/lib64/X11/fonts/cyrillic/"
    FontPath        "/usr/lib64/X11/fonts/TTF/"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

    # generated from default
    Identifier     "Mouse0"
    Driver         "mouse"
    Option         "Protocol" "auto"
    Option         "Device" "/dev/psaux"
    Option         "Emulate3Buttons" "no"
    Option         "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

    # generated from default
    Identifier     "Keyboard0"
    Driver         "kbd"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Monitor0"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "Arnos Instruments F-415"
    HorizSync       24.0 - 61.0
    VertRefresh     49.0 - 75.0
    Option         "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Monitor1"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "Proview"
    HorizSync       0.0 - 0.0
    VertRefresh     0.0
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device0"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "GeForce 8800 GT"
    BusID          "PCI:5:0:0"
    Screen          0
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device1"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "GeForce 8800 GT"
    BusID          "PCI:5:0:0"
    Screen          1
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen0"
    Device         "Device0"
    Monitor        "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "TwinView" "0"
    Option         "TwinViewXineramaInfoOrder" "CRT-0"
    Option         "metamodes" "CRT-0: nvidia-auto-select +0+0"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen1"
    Device         "Device1"
    Monitor        "Monitor1"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "TwinView" "0"
    Option         "metamodes" "CRT-1: 1280x1024 +0+0"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
    EndSubSection
EndSection

~sHyLoCk~ · 11-23-2009, 03:20 AM

Dunno if this will help but put this at the end:

Code:

Section "Extensions"
  Option "Composite" "Enable"
EndSection

mothergoose729 · 11-23-2009, 03:32 AM

Nope

. I have googled it a few times and I can't figure out what I need to do either.

~sHyLoCk~ · 11-23-2009, 04:18 AM

Did you add your newly created user to the extra groups? [users,video,audio,etc...]

adamk75 · 11-23-2009, 06:16 AM

There is no way to get desktop effects working with that xorg.conf, either as root or any other user. Xinerama disables Composite. This is true for all video cards. If you had desktop effects working as root, then it was using a different xorg.conf file.

Since both monitors are attached to one video card, you should use twinview to combine them into one large screen, instead of xinerama.

Adam

allend · 11-23-2009, 07:02 AM

Just to add what adamk75 wrote, change this section of your xorg.conf

Code:

    Option         "Xinerama" "1"
EndSection

to

Code:

EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
    Option         "Xinerama" "0"
EndSection

Also, it would be worthwhile adding what ~sHyLoCk~ suggested.

I also have these lines in the "Screen" sections for each of my monitors with my nVidia 7300.

Code:

    Option         "DisableGLXRootClipping" "true"
    Option         "RenderAccel" "true"
    Option         "AllowGLXWithComposite" "true"
    Option         "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "true"

PS:- The "Files" section is probably redundant.

BrZ · 11-23-2009, 09:04 AM

Try adding:

Quote:

Section "Module"
# ...
Load "glx"
Load "dri"
# ...
EndSection

And:

Quote:

Section "DRI"
Mode 0666
EndSection

Or, to restrict to video group:

Quote:

Section "DRI"
Group "video"
Mode 0660
EndSection

adamk75 · 11-23-2009, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrZ

Try adding:

Or, to restrict to video group:

That does not apply with the nvidia driver.

Adam

BrZ · 11-23-2009, 09:17 AM

Sorry pal...

mothergoose729 · 11-23-2009, 01:54 PM

I have my monitors set up so that the 17 inch proview is on a KVM switch, and my F-415 is mounted on the wall above it. Separate desktops works better for me because they are not directly adjacent to one another. I don't think I am using a different Xorg.conf because it is located within a directory of my root. I only have one partition, all files are located in some directory of root.

When I boot up I am presented with an text login. If I choose root, then startx, I can get semi transparent backgrounds on my widgets, as well as some eye candy effects like shadowing, and desktop switching (sliding, or whatever).

I do however get the same message on top regardless of the user, as far as Xcomp not supported or whatever.. The difference is the options below are not greyed out under root. Under a regular user the options are shown as "checked" but I don't see them in effect, and they are all grey and cannot be changed. I assume I can only change them under root, I don't know why my desktop looks different though with the two user groups.

adamk75 · 11-23-2009, 01:59 PM

Based on that xorg.conf file, you are not using separate desktops. You have xinerama enabled, which combines separate screens into one screen.

Please pastebin your /var/log/Xorg.0.log file that is generated when you run 'startx' as root and one that is generated when you run 'startx' as your normal user.

Adam

mothergoose729 · 11-23-2009, 02:21 PM

I disabled Xinerma and reconfigured it as twin view and I can now get both two screen working and all visual effects. The way I had it before the monitors were positioned "on top" of eachother, and now they are not, but I am sure I can figure out how to get that going again. Even if not it is a minor annoyance, thank you all for your help

.

allend · 11-23-2009, 05:52 PM

Quote:

I don't think I am using a different Xorg.conf because it is located within a directory of my root.

The default location of xorg.conf is in /etc/X11.

Quote:

but I am sure I can figure out how to get that going again

Run 'nvidiasettings'.