slack64-1337 gnome & compiz

lesechang · 05-03-2011, 09:55 PM

I'm trying to install compiz with a completely new install of slackware64-13.37.

I had been using gsb gnome2 and compiz 0.8.6 under slackware64-13.1.

I installed gsb gnome3 and, to my chagrin, found out that it is incompatible with compiz. I'm afraid I'm not "LEET" enough to install the old gnome (gnome2) pkg by pkg.

Which version of compiz did you successfully install and in which desktop?

Daedra · 05-03-2011, 11:21 PM

Hi lesechang,

You need either 0.8.8 or 0.9.4. I submitted 0.8.8 packages to SBo so they should be available soon. I wouldn't recommend 0.9.4 since its not quite stable enough for every day use. If you don't want to wait I can email you my 0.8.8 builds, just send me a PM with your email if you want them.

P.S. Im not 100% sure if the 0.8.8 branch works with Gnome3, but I know 0.9.4 will work, You can use my 0.9.2 builds if you want, just change the version numbers in the build to 0.9.4 and grab the correct sources. However I would definitely try 0.8.8 first since that branch is stable.
http://webpages.charter.net/daedra1/compiz-0.9.2.tar.gz

Sources
http://releases.compiz.org/0.9.4/

enorbet · 05-04-2011, 12:23 AM

Greetz
Although I have Gnome installed for the libraries it is exceedingly rare that I use it. However on another forum it is full of Ubuntu and Arch fans and they are in the majority and a few have mentioned that kwin, KDE's answer to Compiz, is both superior to compiz (especially the "snap" feature, apparently) and works better with Gnome than Compiz does. I can't help much with the install but I'll try to find the threads so I might help out there. It is worth knowing that not only is it possible but it seems better by a lot of people.... perhaps worth looking into.

lesechang · 05-06-2011, 03:30 PM

All right. I now realize that I can also live without gnome2.

I installed gnome3 (GSB) but it ruined compiz, so I started over. It's heavy like KDE.

I'm looking into a minimum desktop manager.

I start most programs that I like via xbindkeys (ctrl-alt-something), so I'm not attached to desktop menus.

I'm playing around with xfce and lxde. Xfce won't allow compiz to put different background photos on each of my 4 desktops, which I like, and I can't seem to change it to single-click. Lxde's fonts are so ugly to be almost unusable.

Daedra · 05-06-2011, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lesechang

All right. I now realize that I can also live without gnome2.

I installed gnome3 (GSB) but it ruined compiz, so I started over. It's heavy like KDE.

I'm looking into a minimum desktop manager.

I start most programs that I like via xbindkeys (ctrl-alt-something), so I'm not attached to desktop menus.

I'm playing around with xfce and lxde. Xfce won't allow compiz to put different background photos on each of my 4 desktops, which I like, and I can't seem to change it to single-click. Lxde's fonts are so ugly to be almost unusable.

Actually you can set different wallpapers with compiz in xfce, however you will lose the ability to have icons on the desktop.

lesechang · 05-06-2011, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daedra

Actually you can set different wallpapers with compiz in xfce, however you will lose the ability to have icons on the desktop.

Great! How would one do that? Does xfce have a gconf-editor or something akin to it where I can disable its windows manager?

cwizardone · 05-06-2011, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lesechang

....Xfce won't allow.... .....and I can't seem to change it to single-click.

IIRC, you can change that in the file manager, Thunar.

lumak · 05-06-2011, 05:52 PM

I've been using Gnome 3 for a few days, other than some irritations about customizing stuff (as their focuse was on usability and stability first), I can say I'm quite happy with the complete package. If you are looking for a netbook style interface, this is so much better than KDE Plasma. As far as compiz goes, I was never a big fan to begin with. Compiz was more about adding fancy graphics and offing endless configurations than functionality.

Some annoyances I had with gnome-shell were
1. No extra themes or ability to switch them by default. But the white windows and black gui is a nice default.
2. gnome-shell-extras are turned ON by default if they match the version number of gnome. Very annoying, and the gsb is incomplete and broken on the windowNavigator. Not to mention, you need the full UUID of the extention to list it in the org.gnome.shell.diabled-extensions. E.G. dock@gnome-shell-extensions.gnome.org. GOD that extra dock is annoying by default.
3. Other minor issues like evolution crashing with tasks/calendar and being unable to change the region/city on the clock.
4. JavaScript interface which is both an annoyance and a solution. Python would have been worse. Yes, I'm not a Python fan. It's syntax is horrible and it's an ugly language. At least JavaScript was built for DOM interfaces.
5. Workspaces collapse if they arn't used by any programs, but you can always select an empty work space an drag a program to a new work space.

Anyway... What features of compiz were you looking for?

Also, keep in mind that gnome-shell is about changing the workflow. Some features of compiz just don't make sense with the way gnome-shell is supposed to be used... Like a spinning cube. It's more flash than useful.

lesechang · 05-06-2011, 07:17 PM

I like the speed of the old gnome (2x) compared to KDE. However, my sister likes several kdegames and she can play them in whatever desktop I choose thanks to Slackware.

Yes, it's true that much of Compiz is pure eye candy and doesn't add much functionality. I don't really use hail, snow, or water drops, as they are just toys. However, I keep them there to dazzle children whom I am endeavoring to convert to being Linux users. I also show them the desktop cylinder with our school logo on the top of the "cube." I also have the windows set up to close with only three features: "beam out," "burn" and "explode" set to random. They're fun even thought they don't add functionality. I shortened the "duration" to 300 so they don't get in my way or make me wait.

There are some features of Compiz that enhance my usability as well as being fun to use:

The RING SWITCHER is quite handy (I have ALT-TAB assigned to it and ALT-Q rotates the the other way so I can go that direction when the window I want to switch to is to the right). I like it much better than the standard switcher because I can see ALL the open windows at once.

I like the EXPO feature (push mouse towards upper left to activate). It allows me to place open windows on different desktops with ease. I have four desktops, each with a different background so I can keep track of where I am. At first I kept accidentally activating EXPO, but I've acclimated to it.

I like the OPACITY AND BRIGHTNESS feature that makes a window transparent so that I can temporarily "look behind" a window if I'm copying things.

I use the ANNOTATE feature when I wish circle some text on the screen or point out something I find interesting. For example, I might underline the important part of a document, use ksnapshot to take a photo of it, save the picture and email it.

To a far lesser extent, I use PAINT FIRE ON SCREEN, but it sometimes comes in handy.

I'm sure there are others.

When I used gnome2, I turned off the gnome-session window manager so that it wouldn't steal my xbindkeys keyboard shortcuts. I am not a Java or Python programmer, but I have noticed that my main source of compiz compiling problems were due to Python errors, version mismatches, and perhaps 64/32bit library problems.

I'm quite happy with using my computer with compiz and xbindkeys. I like getting in and out without having to click all day long up and down the menus, Micro$oft-style.

My biggest gripe with compiz is that it is a hassle to install.

Thanks to Daedra's SlackBuilds, it now installs easily.

lumak · 05-07-2011, 12:39 AM

@ Ring Switcher: Gnome-shell has a feature found in compiz where it temporarily resizes all the windows on the work space to show you what is open, clicking returns you to normal. Alt-F1 or Clicking/Hotcorner Activities will go to this view. You can add a shell extention to allow keyboard selection from this view (you have to change the version number in the metadata.json of the gsb package to make it work) The default Alt-Tab will group by programs and cycle by icon. Alt-` (tilde key) will cycle windows of that program. If you install the gnome-shell-extras, you have to disable the replacement it installs, which is a classic Alt-Tab function.

Code:

# The dock is also a useless extention as it adds the favorites bar to the right side of the screen and it is always showing
gsettings set org.gnome.shell disable-extensions "['dock@gnome-shell-extensions.gnome.org', 'alternate-tab@gnome-shell-extensions.gnome.org']"

#dconf-editor also works but is missing a menubar.  It's essentially the same as gconf-editor

@ Expo: See previous. It's there by default. Very fluid functionality in gnome-shell

@ Opacity & Brightness: Sorry, haven't seen a per window setting for this. Maybe somebody will write an easy extension for it. I could see it being added very easily

@ Annotate: Not built in, But... a nice little program called "ardesia" worked quite well in 13.1 on normal composite capable window managers. I don't see why it wouldn't work in gnome-shell... There is a Slackbuild for it. There is a verion 0.8 out now... I'll have to give it another shot soon.

@ Key bindings: I haven't played much with the built in functionality or what you can do. You would have to check it out and see what you can do. The interface is all js, so I'm sure there is a way to tie something into it to make it work.

Keep in mind that gnome-shell is still young and works very well... but not much customization options yet.

@ Themes
I modified the default Adwaita theme so that maximized windows don't have a title bar... Honestly, this should be the default. The way everything else is managed the title bar, when maximized, surves only the purpose of closing and maximizing the window.

Code:

mkdir $HOME/.themes
cp -r /usr/share/themes/Adwaita $HOME/.themes
# make changes Adwaita/metacity-1/metacity-theme-3.xml
# basically copy the 'borderless' settings to the 'max' settings.
<frame_geometry name="max" has_title="false" title_scale="xx-small" parent="normal" rounded_top_left="false" rounded_top_right="false">
	<distance name="left_width" value="0" />
	<distance name="right_width" value="0" />
	<distance name="left_titlebar_edge" value="0"/>
	<distance name="right_titlebar_edge" value="0"/>
	<distance name="title_vertical_pad" value="1"/>
	<border name="title_border" left="10" right="10" top="0" bottom="0"/>
	<border name="button_border" left="0" right="0" top="0" bottom="0"/>
	<distance name="bottom_height" value="0" />
</frame_geometry>
# Alt-F2, r, enter

If you need to move something after it's maximized and it has no menu bar, do an alt+left mouse click drag, and it resizes to what it was before maximizing. Open programs/windows can always be closed from the Activities page, Favorites bar, and an icon next to the activities button. I think that icon needs to have added functionality for 'minimize' 'maximize' 'whatever' as well as the only current option of 'quit'... or 'Quit Window' and 'Quit All'

Anyway, I hope that helps make a better informed decition than just ditching it because it doesn't support compiz. "Unity" supports compize, but I heard that it was released with a lot of bugs and grafical glitches. Not that "Alt-Esc" doesn't cause a minor one in gnome shell when there is a smaller window ontop of a larger one.

Daedra · 05-07-2011, 02:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lesechang

Great! How would one do that? Does xfce have a gconf-editor or something akin to it where I can disable its windows manager?

You have to the process Xfdesktop, just run

killall Xfdesktop

You might have to do this 5 or 6 times though, it always restarts and you have to keep killing it, after the 6th time though it should be stopped, then you can set your wallpapers in ccsm. However Xfdesktop is also responsible for your desktop icons, so if you kill it you won't be able to have desktop icons in Xfce. So its a trade off.

lesechang · 05-08-2011, 03:19 AM

Thanks for the suggestions, Daedra and Lumak!

Lumak, that gnome-shell feature just jogged my memory! In ccsm, it's under Windows and called "Scale." When I move the mouse to the "hot corner" (upper right), I can see all the windows that are open on this desktop. If I move the mouse up there again, it will show me the open windows on ALL desktops! This is also a useful feature I use.

Daedra, I had to issue the "killall xfdesktop" command SIX times! I decided to permanently disable xfdesktop since I can live without icons:

I commented out (<!) the "xfdesktop" lines in the following files to stop xfdesktop from loading:

/etc/xfce/xdg/xfce4/xfconf/xfce-perchannel-xml/xfce4-session.xml
~/.config/xfce4/xfconf/xfce-perchannel-xml/xfce4-session.xml

After restarting X, my resolution went from 1024x768 (I have a small monitor) to something unusable! There was no Modes line in xorg.conf, so I added

Modes "1024x768"

to the "Screen" Section of my /etc/X11/xorg.conf file to fix it.

I'm sure there is a more elegant and easier way to stop xfdesktop from loading, but we cave dwellers use blunt instruments.