i3 picom headache

arvygasp · 2021-02-28 11:20:13

Good day everyone!

I have installed Arch linux, installed i3 de, installed picom.
My goal now is to make terminal windows transparent.

.config/picom/picom.conf file contents are as such:

 opacity-rule = [
              "90:class_g = URxvt' && focused"
              "90:class_g = 'URxvt' && !focused"

#active-opacity = 0.90
#inactive-opacity = 0.90
];

Now I modified my .config/i3/config file to have these lines as stated in arch wiki.

# Start pixom on startx
exec_always --no-startup-id picom -b --config ~/.config/picom/picom.conf

It would make sense to me that after reboot or after ctrl+shift+R (restart i3?) windows would become transparent as I have specified, since I have made changes in picom configuration file, which I then linked with i3, saying to start it automatically after reboot (-b).

But it doesn't do that...

I did picom, did picom & did picom -b in the terminal individually. Of course after first input of (picom, picom & or picom -b) in the terminal, if I try to do it again it gives me error saying "FATAL ERROR. Another composite manager is already running.

What am I doing wrong?

Thank you

Last edited by arvygasp (2021-02-28 13:06:41)

seth · 2021-02-28 13:17:35

I get transparent windows sometimes when I get into the config/picom/picom.conf file and do :w

As you noticed, picom tracks its config file so there's no reason to restart anything when editing it.

(save command in vim)

Thanks for the info ;-)

The rule only makes the window 10% translucent which is not very much. Also I'm not sure whether i3 conveys focus information.
And: this way you'll only get fore- and background transparent together, so here's a magic trick:

urxvt -depth 32 -bg rgba:0000/0000/0000/8080

This will get you an urxvt with a 50% translucent background only (foreground is still opaque and readable)

progandy · 2021-02-28 13:21:25

If that is a direct copy of the picom config, then there is a single quote missing before the first URxvt.

arvygasp · 2021-02-28 13:34:14

When new to Linux and playing with Arch you can get carried away with the new terms so far away and follow one tutorial after the other until you become lost and don't know which way to go anymore.

I went for a walk... came back, read the Picom's Archwiki and there I realized where I made a mistake. I simply created picom.conf file by myself and put some values that I wanted instead of COPYING it from /etc/xdg/picom.conf.

I copied it, everything works fine now...

Still dont get why we have to copy the conf file from its original destination in order to modify it?

REMEMBER TO GO OUTSIDE!

silly issues like this don't really discourage me from Arch, I like it even more. It does everything you tell it to do, and if you mess you, you'll be confused.

This can be deleted I guess...

arvygasp · 2021-02-28 13:36:27

Oh sorry seth and progandy for the replies! as I was writing my last reply I didnt see your responses!

I didnt directly copy the picom config, that was the problem...

Thank you for responses ) <3

btw, why we have to copy the conf file from its original destination in order to modify it?

seth · 2021-02-28 18:10:09

You'd need root permissions to edit the global file, but that's not how multiuser systems are designed and also the package manager might override your changes w/ the next update.
picom doesn't seem to be a cascading config where the global config is simply augmented w/ a local one, so you'll have to provide a complete configuration.
Other programs indeed support a configuration cascade, so this is no general rule but varies w/ the specific implementation.

Please always remember to mark resolved threads by editing your initial posts subject - so others will know that there's no task left, but maybe a solution to find.
Thanks.

Arch Linux

#1 2021-02-28 11:20:13

i3 picom headache

#2 2021-02-28 13:17:35

Re: i3 picom headache

#3 2021-02-28 13:21:25

Re: i3 picom headache

#4 2021-02-28 13:34:14

Re: i3 picom headache

#5 2021-02-28 13:36:27

Re: i3 picom headache

#6 2021-02-28 18:10:09

Re: i3 picom headache

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