Howto: Standalone Compiz Fusion as WM

Acecero · 2008-07-22 02:03:28

fwojciec wrote:

@moljac024: See the updated post above -- that's the best I can do There is a menu for switching viewports available as well. I just don't like that there are non-removable icons in both these menus...

Well its better then nothing, I didn't think compiz fusion had builtin menus like openbox, so that's really cool. Thanks for the info btw!

springofdark · 2008-07-24 14:15:31

I have the latest gnome installed on my system and was unable to get this setup to work quite properly. I kept getting a dbus error for applications that needed the service running. I hit my first snag when trying to initiate the compiz-deskmenu, for instance. Here is what I found to change in my .xinitrc:

exec dbus-launch compiz --replace ccp &
exec emerald --replace &
exec lxpanel

Dbus needs to be launched with the environment. For instance:

exec dbus-launch compiz --replace ccp

or

exec dbus-launch openbox-session

Once you do this, then a standard install of yaourt -Sy compiz-deskmenu will work as expected.

springofdark · 2008-07-26 11:15:24

I have a question regarding this. My login manager is slim and with this solution I can kill X and return to the command line login, but what do I need to do to actually return to the slim graphical login? WM's like openbox and gnome all have special exit handles - does this have something similar?

Inxsible · 2008-07-26 13:26:18

This seems interesting. However, what's the memory consumption for using Compiz as the standalone WM ?

Openbox uses anywhere between 2-8 MB on my machine. I would just like to compare before I format a partition to try this out. This old machine of mine only has 256MB RAM...so I don't want to bother with it, if its going to be a sloth.

Also, does installing it, also install a bunch of gnome dependencies?

fwojciec · 2008-07-26 13:50:13

springofdark: that's why I prefer using fusion-icon to start compix -- that way you can use the icon on the taskbar to choose "exit" to end the session. I also use a custom script that kills fusion-icon when I want to exit the session. In your case, given how you start compiz, you'd need to close/kill lxpanel to end the sessions, I think.

Inxsible: Yes, compiz uses much more memory than OB, obviously, and IMO 256MB is probably not enough to run it comfortably. I think it can be installed with virtually no gnome dependencies, though.

Last edited by fwojciec (2008-07-26 14:01:58)

Inxsible · 2008-07-26 16:11:44

fwojciec wrote:

Inxsible: Yes, compiz uses much more memory than OB, obviously, and IMO 256MB is probably not enough to run it comfortably. I think it can be installed with virtually no gnome dependencies, though.

Thanks fwojciec. I knew it would take much more than OB. But I was not sure how much. I thought since its a standalone -- maybe, just maybe, it could work in under 256MB. Guess I will have to install it on a different machine with more RAM.

But then I guess, if your machine is capable enough and you want to absolutely run Compiz, you can always go for Gnome with Compiz instead of standalone.

fwojciec · 2008-07-26 17:02:35

Inxsible: Here is a screenie of htop immediately after I start the compiz session. As you can see I am not trying to be particularly frugal when it comes to memory use:

It doesn't look too bad, I guess, but I have to warn you that once a few apps are started and I've been using it for a while the memory use appraches 400-450MB easily. But then, I'm happy when a lot of memory is used because that means that the computer works faster. If one were determined one could get the memory use down further, but probably not to the level of Openbox.

As for using Compiz with Gnome -- choosing not to use Gnome, in my case, is not due to to hardware limitations. I don't think it makes a particularly nice work environment and I don't use any of the apps that come with it, that's all. I just want something to open the applications and manage the windows.

Inxsible · 2008-07-26 17:18:42

fwojciec wrote:

Inxsible: Here is a screenie of htop immediately after I start the compiz session. As you can see I am not trying to be particularly frugal when it comes to memory use:
http://www.loka.pl/outgoing/compiz_mem-thumb.png
It doesn't look too bad, I guess, but I have to warn you that once a few apps are started and I've been using it for a while the memory use appraches 400-450MB easily. But then, I'm happy when a lot of memory is used because that means that the computer works faster. If one were determined one could get the memory use down further, but probably not to the level of Openbox.
As for using Compiz with Gnome -- choosing not to use Gnome, in my case, is not due to to hardware limitations. I don't think it makes a particularly nice work environment and I don't use any of the apps that come with it, that's all. I just want something to open the applications and manage the windows.

Yeah... 1.6 % of 2GB comes to a little more than 20MB - which seems about right for Compiz. I remember it used about the same in my Ubuntu install way back when. Emerald uses another 0.5 % which is not as bad either.

But like you said, standalone compiz might be interesting if you do not use or do not want the Gnome apps.

Some of the gnome apps that I hate are sound-juicer serpentine and nautilus-to an extent. I guess installing compiz as standalone on a better machine might do the trick of having Compiz effects - to impress your non linux friends and also to have a system without the apps that you dont use.

Dieter@be · 2008-10-26 15:31:35

I can't figure out how to configure compiz to reserve the space where my panel/systray are (I'm using tint and stalonetray.). Eg. when you maximize a window, it shouldn't go over your panel/systray.
With lxpanel this works by default, but I find this panel a bit bloated... Anyone an idea?

Update: Lxpanel actually has an option 'to reserve space from maximized windows', but I could not find how to do this in the tint or stalonetray configuration (and neither in CCSM)

Last edited by Dieter@be (2008-10-26 15:49:09)

leo2501 · 2008-10-26 17:29:29

maybe this helps someone...
http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=55907

Heller_Barde · 2008-10-27 07:52:00

moljac024 wrote:

Guess what will happen when you have 2 exec lines ? The second one won't start until the first one finishes.

wrong actually...
exec makes the command afterwards take over the process and thus after the first exec, nothing will run, ever, even if you close the process started with exec again.

example:

#!/bin/sh
#some .xinitrc
exec xterm
exec compiz ccp

here you will NEVER have a compiz running even if you close the xterm. if you close the xterm, the Xserver will shut down because xterm is now running instead of the .xinitrc bashscript.. and not IN it.

moljac024 · 2008-10-27 12:14:24

Heller_Barde wrote:

moljac024 wrote:
Guess what will happen when you have 2 exec lines ? The second one won't start until the first one finishes.
wrong actually...
exec makes the command afterwards take over the process and thus after the first exec, nothing will run, ever, even if you close the process started with exec again.
example:
#!/bin/sh
#some .xinitrc
exec xterm
exec compiz ccp
here you will NEVER have a compiz running even if you close the xterm. if you close the xterm, the Xserver will shut down because xterm is now running instead of the .xinitrc bashscript.. and not IN it.

I stand corrected.

saz · 2008-11-08 16:04:21

sorry about the dumb question but... is it possible to change the "control" theme? you know, buttons and whatever...

Dieter@be · 2008-11-08 16:07:51

Do you mean the buttons to maximize/minimize/.. buttons? You need to change the theme of your window decorator for that (probably emerald).
Otherwise you're talking about the gtk/qt theme, which can also be changed, yes.

Last edited by Dieter@be (2008-11-08 16:09:17)

saz · 2008-11-08 16:09:24

yh the gtk themes, what I'm doing is loading gnome-settiongs-daemon on start, but dunno if there is a better way...

Last edited by saz (2008-11-09 14:14:29)

Dieter@be · 2008-11-08 16:25:53

saz wrote:

yh the gtk themes, what I'm doing is loading gnome-settiongs-daemon on start, but dunno if there is a better way...

I use lxappearance. See http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/How … _look_nice

saz · 2008-11-09 12:19:23

this is really great! lightweight as I like but still with some funny eye candy!

Last edited by saz (2008-11-09 14:15:22)

shogun1234 · 2008-11-27 00:41:02

This is my start-fusion.sh content

gnome-terminal&
emerald&
#lxpanel&
avant-window-navigator&
#compiz ccp
exec fusion-icon

I found out when login to the session, the screen only display blank screen. Originally I suppose it does not work. But when replacing avant-window-navigator with lxpanel, the panel shows on the bottom and some visual-effect work (e.g. cube).

My question is how can I use avant-window-navigator instead of lxpanel? Is there any other additional setting required?

Thanks in advice.

Dieter@be · 2008-11-27 12:47:41

shogun1234 wrote:

This is my start-fusion.sh content
gnome-terminal&
emerald&
#lxpanel&
avant-window-navigator&
#compiz ccp
exec fusion-icon
I found out when login to the session, the screen only display blank screen. Originally I suppose it does not work. But when replacing avant-window-navigator with lxpanel, the panel shows on the bottom and some visual-effect work (e.g. cube).
My question is how can I use avant-window-navigator instead of lxpanel? Is there any other additional setting required?
Thanks in advice.

check your tty1 (press ctrl-alt-F1 after X has started) and look for interesting messages (use shift to scroll up if needed), check if AWN can do (debug)logging, has a verbose flag, .. etc.
Also, you don't need to start emerald imho, compiz will start it itself.

shogun1234 · 2008-11-27 16:47:44

Dieter@be wrote:

shogun1234 wrote:
This is my start-fusion.sh content
gnome-terminal&
emerald&
#lxpanel&
avant-window-navigator&
#compiz ccp
exec fusion-icon
I found out when login to the session, the screen only display blank screen. Originally I suppose it does not work. But when replacing avant-window-navigator with lxpanel, the panel shows on the bottom and some visual-effect work (e.g. cube).
My question is how can I use avant-window-navigator instead of lxpanel? Is there any other additional setting required?
Thanks in advice.
check your tty1 (press ctrl-alt-F1 after X has started) and look for interesting messages (use shift to scroll up if needed), check if AWN can do (debug)logging, has a verbose flag, .. etc.
Also, you don't need to start emerald imho, compiz will start it itself.

Hi Dieter

Remove emerald make gnome-terminal appears. Thanks!

But I still have some other problem. I use ATI x2300 (laptop 6910p) and the fglrxinfo replies me

display: :0.0  screen: 0
OpenGL vendor string: ATI Technologies Inc.
OpenGL renderer string: ATI Mobility Radeon X2300
OpenGL version string: 2.1.8201 Release

I suppose the 3d acceleration should work now. Unfortunately, when typing characters in the gnome-terminal, the speed is very slow. I types several characters, e.g avant-window-navigator. Nothing will appear in the terminal immediately. The terminal will wait a few seconds (around 10 to 20 secs) to display characters. However, moving terminal (or other visual effect) is quite fast. I do not understand the reason why. Is there any thing (e.g. log) I can have a look at to check what happens?

Thanks

Dieter@be · 2008-11-27 17:18:49

shogun1234 wrote:

But I still have some other problem. I use ATI x2300 (laptop 6910p) and the fglrxinfo replies me
display: :0.0  screen: 0
OpenGL vendor string: ATI Technologies Inc.
OpenGL renderer string: ATI Mobility Radeon X2300
OpenGL version string: 2.1.8201 Release
I suppose the 3d acceleration should work now. Unfortunately, when typing characters in the gnome-terminal, the speed is very slow. I types several characters, e.g avant-window-navigator. Nothing will appear in the terminal immediately. The terminal will wait a few seconds (around 10 to 20 secs) to display characters. However, moving terminal (or other visual effect) is quite fast. I do not understand the reason why. Is there any thing (e.g. log) I can have a look at to check what happens?
Thanks

start a new thread about that. this is about Standalone Compiz Fusion as WM. try it in xterm/rxvt too see if it has the same problem.

egersfled · 2008-12-02 11:18:13

I have a question with compiz-deskmenu. How can I change button, which launch menu? Cuz for me better is right-button-menu than mid-button-menu.

Shapeshifter · 2008-12-02 11:45:53

egersfled:
In the Viewport Switcher Plugin, go to "Desktop Based Viewport Switching" and change the "initiate plugin action" button to "Button3".

egersfled · 2008-12-02 14:46:28

Shapeshifter wrote:

egersfled:
In the Viewport Switcher Plugin, go to "Desktop Based Viewport Switching" and change the "initiate plugin action" button to "Button3".

Thx, it works (;

I am so stupid that I cannot help myself with so easy problem ~_~

dusanx · 2008-12-02 18:38:45

I tried compiz-deskmenu but it is not polished yet. What I needed is how to start external app on desktop left-click event and that's where compiz-deskmenu helped a lot

I am using this instead: http://www.manatlan.com/page/popdown

A gtk popup menu launcher. It's a simple application which display a popup menu to let you choose what to launch. Just put your launchers (desktop-files ) in a folder, and it will present them in a speedy popup menu. It's a python app which depends on gtk. Released under the terms of GPL2 licence.

Works _much_ better with regular shortcuts dragged from any gnome panel

Let me know if you need help with this anybody.

Edit: Sorry, there is no info about how to install compiz-deskmenu so here it is:

+ General Options > Commands > Commands > Command line 0 to "compiz-deskmenu"
+ General Options > Commands > Key bindings > Run command 0 to "<Control>space"
+ Viewport Switcher > Desktop-based Viewport Switching > Plugin for initiate
action to "core"
+ Viewport Switcher > Desktop-based Viewport Switching > Action name for
initiate to "run_command0_key"

If you want to use popdown, just replace compiz-deskmenu in the first line above with popdown call

Last edited by dusanx (2008-12-02 18:49:59)

Arch Linux

#26 2008-07-22 02:03:28

Re: Howto: Standalone Compiz Fusion as WM

#27 2008-07-24 14:15:31

Re: Howto: Standalone Compiz Fusion as WM

#28 2008-07-26 11:15:24

Re: Howto: Standalone Compiz Fusion as WM

#29 2008-07-26 13:26:18

Re: Howto: Standalone Compiz Fusion as WM

#30 2008-07-26 13:50:13

Re: Howto: Standalone Compiz Fusion as WM

#31 2008-07-26 16:11:44

Re: Howto: Standalone Compiz Fusion as WM

#32 2008-07-26 17:02:35

Re: Howto: Standalone Compiz Fusion as WM

#33 2008-07-26 17:18:42

Re: Howto: Standalone Compiz Fusion as WM

#34 2008-10-26 15:31:35

Re: Howto: Standalone Compiz Fusion as WM

#35 2008-10-26 17:29:29

Re: Howto: Standalone Compiz Fusion as WM

#36 2008-10-27 07:52:00

Re: Howto: Standalone Compiz Fusion as WM

#37 2008-10-27 12:14:24

Re: Howto: Standalone Compiz Fusion as WM

#38 2008-11-08 16:04:21

Re: Howto: Standalone Compiz Fusion as WM

#39 2008-11-08 16:07:51

Re: Howto: Standalone Compiz Fusion as WM

#40 2008-11-08 16:09:24

Re: Howto: Standalone Compiz Fusion as WM

#41 2008-11-08 16:25:53

Re: Howto: Standalone Compiz Fusion as WM

#42 2008-11-09 12:19:23

Re: Howto: Standalone Compiz Fusion as WM

#43 2008-11-27 00:41:02

Re: Howto: Standalone Compiz Fusion as WM

#44 2008-11-27 12:47:41

Re: Howto: Standalone Compiz Fusion as WM

#45 2008-11-27 16:47:44

Re: Howto: Standalone Compiz Fusion as WM

#46 2008-11-27 17:18:49

Re: Howto: Standalone Compiz Fusion as WM

#47 2008-12-02 11:18:13

Re: Howto: Standalone Compiz Fusion as WM

#48 2008-12-02 11:45:53

Re: Howto: Standalone Compiz Fusion as WM

#49 2008-12-02 14:46:28

Re: Howto: Standalone Compiz Fusion as WM

#50 2008-12-02 18:38:45

Re: Howto: Standalone Compiz Fusion as WM

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