[SOLVED] Windows lag when moved...?

nonah · 2012-03-18 16:43:16

Using Xfce, with and without composite, the windows lag when being moved. It's like the whole window isn't held together properly; the window movement is kind of choppy, but still smooth, if that makes any sense.

This makes for a rather bad experience. And I'm clueless as to what causes this. It's certainly not my HW:

CPU: i5-2500k
GPU: GTX 460
RAM: 8GB, 1600mhz

Also, even more disturbing, is that when moving a window there seems, if you look closely enough, to be a white after-effect where text and the pointer was a few moments ago. As an example: If I grab a window and move it in a small circle, this happens.

Any ideas? Running nuts here...

Last edited by nonah (2012-03-19 00:27:31)

M4he · 2012-03-18 18:08:46

I think what you refer to is 'tearing' and you will always get tearing without compositing.

If you are using a nvidia card with the proprietary driver you will also still experience tearing even with composite turned on in Xfce; at least for videos.

After months of frustration I found myself 2 ways of getting rid of the video tearing with nvidia for both videos and the desktop:

1) use Xfce with compiz and very specific compiz and nvidia settings (I can try to recollect them if requested)
2) use a DE based on gnome3 such as Gnome-Shell or Cinnamon and put the following line into /etc/environment

CLUTTER_PAINT=disable-clipped-redraws:disable-culling

For reference my specs are: Core i5-750, GTX 470, 8GB RAM (quite similar to yours)

nonah · 2012-03-18 18:11:49

Oh, thanks for the response!

I'd rather us Xfce. Hm, Compiz, never thought that would be the solution to my problems.
If you could recollect them for me, I couldn't be able to thank you enough.

Thanks

M4he · 2012-03-18 18:56:08

Okay I'll try but I can't guarantee the completeness. Here are all the steps I managed to recollect:

First install:

compiz, compiz-decorator-gtk, ccsm, compiz-fusion-plugins-main

the decorator and plugins are somewhat optional but will provide you with gtk window borders and more options.

then edit the following paragraph in /etc/xdg/xfce4/xfconf/xfce-perchannel-xml/xfce4-session.xml

      <property name="Client0_Command" type="array"> 
        <value type="string" value="compiz"/> 
        <value type="string" value="ccp"/> 
      </property>

(This replaces xfwm4 with compiz as the default window manager for Xfce)

Then after running

sudo nvidia-xconfig

add the following line to the "Device" section within /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Option "TripleBuffer" "True"

also add

nvidia-settings -l

to your autostart.

Now open up ccsm and within "General Options" on the tab "Display Settings":

tick the option for "Sync to VBlank"
UNtick the option "Detect refresh rate"
drag the slider for the refresh rate to match the refresh rate of your display (60 Hz in my case)

Go back to the main page of ccsm and open "Window decoration". Insert the following line into the "command" field:

gtk-window-decorator --replace

(This will provide you with your gtk borders on compiz otherwise you would have to use emerald)

On the main page of ccsm tick "Move windows" under "Window Management". (Otherwise you won't be able to move windows around at all)

Restart your system and it should load compiz now. If compiz is acting funny you can always temporarily switch back to xfwm by running "xfwm4 --replace".

Note that you will have the best video experience with mplayer (no GUI).
Consider using vdpau as video output with the corresponding codecs if you don't plan to play 10bit H264 videos, otherwise stick to xv.

nonah · 2012-03-18 21:19:51

Thank you!

I've got no idea if it fixed video playback, but it solved it while moving windows.

I'm really, really thankful, first impression of this community did not disappoint

M4he · 2012-03-18 22:57:46

I'm glad it worked.

Please click "edit" at your first post and add a "[SOLVED]" in front of the thread title! Thanks.

While you're at it, you can do it for your other thread too

Last edited by M4he (2012-03-18 22:59:34)

Arch Linux

#1 2012-03-18 16:43:16

[SOLVED] Windows lag when moved...?

#2 2012-03-18 18:08:46

Re: [SOLVED] Windows lag when moved...?

#3 2012-03-18 18:11:49

Re: [SOLVED] Windows lag when moved...?

#4 2012-03-18 18:56:08

Re: [SOLVED] Windows lag when moved...?

#5 2012-03-18 21:19:51

Re: [SOLVED] Windows lag when moved...?

#6 2012-03-18 22:57:46

Re: [SOLVED] Windows lag when moved...?

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