[SOLVED] Conky doesn't draw a background on Wayland

Fuchs07 · 2025-10-16 17:28:12

This is my conky.conf

conky.config = {
    background = false,
    out_to_x = false,
    out_to_wayland = true,
    update_interval = 60,
    double_buffer = true,
    no_buffers = true,
    own_window = true,
    own_window_class = 'conky',
    own_window_argb_visual = true,
    own_window_argb_value = 100,
    own_window_colour = '#767676',
    own_window_type = 'desktop',
    gap_x = 200,
    gap_y = 1100,
    draw_shades = false,
    draw_outline = false,
    draw_borders = false,
    use_xft = true,
    font = 'Adwaita Sans Regular:size=25',
    uppercase = false
};
conky.text = [[
${exec ~/.config/scripts/getTime.sh}
Betriebszeit]]

I am using hyprland and an AMD GPU.
It is intended to show the system uptime on the desktop, which is does. The text from the script is rendered properly.
When I launch it with the terminal (kitty) it says that it has found wayland but with 'unknown wayland session' and the background isn't showing either.
With the option out_to_x=true it opens a new 'normal' window with background, but not on the desktop. Oh, and it cannot be killed with Super+Q, which is really annoying.
Additionally, eventhough double buffer is enabled it says single buffer on launch.
This config worked fine on Mint with i3 on X instead of wayland.
What could be the cause for it not recognising hyprland?

Help much appreciated.

Last edited by Fuchs07 (2025-10-23 10:53:50)

wim66 · 2025-10-17 11:41:58

Just remove the lines

out_to_x = false,
out_to_wayland = true,

seth · 2025-10-17 12:43:03

The OP wrote:

With the option out_to_x=true it opens a new 'normal' window with background, but not on the desktop

Though I'm not entirely clear what the problem (expectation vs. reality) is

It is intended to show the system uptime on the desktop, which is does. The text from the script is rendered properly. … the background isn't showing

You mean

own_window_colour = '#767676',

Does

    own_window_argb_visual = true,
    own_window_argb_value = 100,

have any impact?

Fuchs07 · 2025-10-17 13:21:51

It should draw a small window on the desktop, which cannot be selected and is below all windows. It should also be visible on all workspaces, so basically a widget like the clock on your phone. This is the case if out_to_wayland=true but without a background.
own_window_argb_visual does not make a difference on out_to_wayland=true but when out_to_x=true, then it creates it's own selectable window (not what I want) in a tiling mode with the right background (as described in config).
Maybe there's a way to change it's behaviour with window rules if out_to_x=true, although so far, I haven't found a way that worked.

As already described, on a x-session it works as expected.

seth · 2025-10-17 15:18:26

"without a background" means you want a solid #767676 colored background, not the wallpaper?
Have you tried "own_window_argb_value = 255"?

Fuchs07 · 2025-10-19 11:24:11

Yes, I have tried disabling it with own_window_argb_visual=false and also did own_window_argb_value=255 but it didn't do anything. It is intended to be semi-transparent as described in config but it only does this with X not Wayland.

seth · 2025-10-19 14:34:42

https://github.com/brndnmtthws/conky/issues but you probably should™ check this on a different compositor (weston, sway, …) first (though the background ought to be rendered by conky and not related to the compositor at all)

Fuchs07 · 2025-10-19 15:46:31

You're right, on a different compositor (sway) it behaves the same way. It says 'unknown wayland session' and doesn't render a background, even with own_window_argb_value=255.

Fuchs07 · 2025-10-19 15:54:55

Maybe there's something wrong with my installation? It is installed via pacman which is version 1.22.1 although the latest github version is 1.22.2. Should I reinstall it using source?

seth · 2025-10-19 19:29:40

https://archlinux.org/packages/extra/x86_64/conky/ is currently at 1.22.2-1 (since July 7th)?

pacman -Syu

but yes, make sure to test the latest version before filing a bug upstream.

Fuchs07 · 2025-10-22 13:07:25

During the installation process from source I've made some discoveries. When building without the WAYLAND... enable flag and then running conky it does actually recognise hyprland but does not output anything because wayland support isn't enabled. When the build flag is set to on tho, it outputs to wayland but does not recognise hyprland. I've also found this on Github https://github.com/brndnmtthws/conky/is … 2389756471 and https://github.com/brndnmtthws/conky/pu … 2525393769
Even though it's a bit outdated there is said that own_window does nothing which overlaps with my discovery that switching from own_window_type='desktop' to own_window_type='normal' has no affect.

Fuchs07 · 2025-10-23 10:51:09

Since it seems as own_window is not implemented yet on wayland, I'll mark this topic as solved.

seth · 2025-11-03 22:25:09

https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php … 9#p2271039 ?

Arch Linux

#1 2025-10-16 17:28:12

[SOLVED] Conky doesn't draw a background on Wayland

#2 2025-10-17 11:41:58

Re: [SOLVED] Conky doesn't draw a background on Wayland

#3 2025-10-17 12:43:03

Re: [SOLVED] Conky doesn't draw a background on Wayland

#4 2025-10-17 13:21:51

Re: [SOLVED] Conky doesn't draw a background on Wayland

#5 2025-10-17 15:18:26

Re: [SOLVED] Conky doesn't draw a background on Wayland

#6 2025-10-19 11:24:11

Re: [SOLVED] Conky doesn't draw a background on Wayland

#7 2025-10-19 14:34:42

Re: [SOLVED] Conky doesn't draw a background on Wayland

#8 2025-10-19 15:46:31

Re: [SOLVED] Conky doesn't draw a background on Wayland

#9 2025-10-19 15:54:55

Re: [SOLVED] Conky doesn't draw a background on Wayland

#10 2025-10-19 19:29:40

Re: [SOLVED] Conky doesn't draw a background on Wayland

#11 2025-10-22 13:07:25

Re: [SOLVED] Conky doesn't draw a background on Wayland

#12 2025-10-23 10:51:09

Re: [SOLVED] Conky doesn't draw a background on Wayland

#13 2025-11-03 22:25:09

Re: [SOLVED] Conky doesn't draw a background on Wayland

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