Compiz mucks with mate-panel on startup ~~SOLVED

[linx255]

Hi, using Mint 17 Mate 64-bit.

When I run:

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sudo compiz --replace

it disables my panel and desktop-- I can't click on any icons or switch desktops. The task bar icons don't even light up, though the clock still ticks. I can still use the shortcut keys I defined in compiz, and the effects work.

It doesn't matter whether I run compiz --replace in a terminal or in Startup Applications. Of course, I want it to automatically start, but obviously there's either a major bug or I'm not doing something right.

If I:

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sudo killall -9 compiz

then the taskbar jumps from the bottom of the screen to the top ( even though the setting still says 'bottom' ), and compiz still runs with the effects, though I am able to click icons on the task bar and desktop. I have to set the taskbar to 'top' and back to 'bottom', and then everything is back to normal. Of course, I will cease using compiz if there is no way to fix this, as this rigamarole is unlivable.

I have the following active plugins:

core
composite
opengl
compiztoolbox
decor
copytex
titleinfo
regex
place
resize
move
imgpng
mousepoll
animation
workarounds
grid
commands
session
wobbly
fade
cube
scale
ezoom
rotate
ring
workspacenames
gnomecompat

Should I disable or modify any of them? How do you start compiz automatically without glitches?

Please help, thanks


UPDATE: I just noticed that upon startup, even though my task bar is set to be on the bottom and displays on the bottom, I can't click there because the icons are mapped to the top of the screen ( which only displays the desktop )-- so when I click on the desktop at the top of the screen the icons displayed in the task bar at the bottom of the screen are activated! So it appears Compiz is screwing with my task bar! How do I stop it?

[dlguild]

Don't use "sudo" to start compiz. To start compiz automatically when logging in click the 'Add' button in 'System -> Preferences -> Startup Applications' and populate the entry as follows:

Name: Compiz
Command: compiz --replace ccp
Comment: Start compiz at Login

Save the entry and reboot.

Hope this helps.

[linx255]

I removed sudo and now it's just:

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compiz --replace ccp

But it will not let me have the task bar on the bottom. It forces it to the top, and it's a major hassle to set it to the bottom again.

If this isn't a bug, what am I doing wrong? Can I prevent compiz from controlling my task bar? There are no settings in compiz settings manager that pertain to the task bar / mate-panel that I can tell. If not, is there a workaround? Like maybe somehow load compiz before mate-panel? How does mate-panel load anyway? I could try to initialize it through a script with a sleep command instead of the normal way, but I'd need to stop it from loading the normal way. Of course, I'd rather compiz just not be such a brat.

Thanks

[dlguild]

I had a similar issue. I can't remember for sure what I did, but I think I resolved it by simply deleting the misbehaving panel and then added a new one. Then I used the panel properties to assign the location properly and added the widgets back to it.

[Bill_MI]

I'm in a discussion here that may help: http://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/1621

There's a strange panel interaction (is that what you mean by "task bar"?). We both found we had to create a new panel and blow the old one away. It's a strange one!

I'm successfully starting compiz by replacing marco with compiz using dconf-editor. It's also discussed there. Using terminal or startup app just never seems to be as stable and an old friend, fusion-icon, is quite broken.

And yep, I'm exactly running LM17 Mate 64. HTH

[linx255]

Thanks, but Compiz is still hosing up my panel and I feel so transgressed. It victoriously wages the war on ye olde panels, whom must uprise and revolt or forever be cast on top, for compiz cannot be banished from mine Mint kingdom, only transmuted or weaselfooted... And yes I meant panel, the one that functions like a Windows task bar.

For me it does not matter whether I delete the panel and create a new one before running

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compiz --replace ccp

. It misaligns the x,y coordinates of the click map of the entire panel so that the panel is displayed on the bottom of the screen but only clickable from the empty region at the top of the screen. That's when I have to reset the panel position; so I watch the panel go to the top and back to the bottom, wherewhen click map is harmoniously reunited with its beloved panel once again, but only until next reboot.

I have Intel Haswell by the way; ever since using Mint 16 the drivers have self-installed. I installed dconf-editor, and followed the directions per your link, to configure Mint to load Compiz instead of Marco; it's no different than loading it in Startup Applications or from a terminal, just more trouble. I don't have a 'org.mate.desktop.session.required-components' file anywhere so I had to use the dconf-editor method and not the command line method. Continuing with the link, I noticed for some reason my Compiz gnome-compatibility plugin was not enabled, so I added it to the plugins list, and modified as directed, however, it doesn't seem to have anything to do with my problem...

Rebooted. Still no luck. Compiz works with no complaints except it decides where to put my panel instead of we the users unto the open-source oasis for which we stand, one love, one heart, but divided into many distros and desktop environments. For now I'm setting the panel to 'Top' because this nuissance is baloney, but not as baloney as having no compiz even with my panel at the bottom.

[Yingjie Qin]

I think the matter is not how to start compiz. To use compiz in the right way, you should first start it by "compiz --replace", then do some seetings in CompizConfig Settings Manager. You need to enable "Window Decoration" in "Effects", "Move Window" and "Resize Window" in "Window Management". Hope it can help.

[linx255]

Ok, I have changed the topic name. I just noticed it only happens when I start Compiz. Once I move the panel down and up and down, then it's good for the rest of the session.

enable "Window Decoration" in "Effects", "Move Window" and "Resize Window" in "Window Management"

Thanks, but they're all enabled already. Also my hope of using "Window Rules" to exclude mate-panel have been dashed.

[CarlosMartini]

Hello,

I have exactly the same issue here:

I just noticed that upon startup, even though my task bar is set to be on the bottom and displays on the bottom, I can't click there because the icons are mapped to the top of the screen ( which only displays the desktop )-- so when I click on the desktop at the top of the screen the icons displayed in the task bar at the bottom of the screen are activated!

(...) the panel is displayed on the bottom of the screen but only clickable from the empty region at the top of the screen. That's when I have to reset the panel position; so I watch the panel go to the top and back to the bottom, wherewhen click map is harmoniously reunited with its beloved panel once again, but only until next reboot.

The only workaround for me is click in the hide left/right arrows at the top of the screen. After that, the bottom panel will start to work correctly.

Selection_001.jpg

[linx255]

Hm, that doesn't work for me. Fortunately, I ended up liking my panel on the top.

[arper24]

I have the exact same problem with Mate 1.8 and compiz, a workaround i found is changing monitor resolution for a few seconds.
Plus, im missing middle click function to close windows. Im getting back to Mate 13

[yzord]

Hi all, sorry for de-zombifying this thread but I just went from Mint 15 -> 17 today (complete wipe) and this issue is plaguing me!

I've tried every combination of deleting/replacing the default panel (ie taskbar), but it just won't work. If I place a panel on the bottom it is mistakenly mapped to the top. Also, if I place a panel on the right, it is mistakenly mapped to the left. Panels placed on the top or left work fine.

As an aside, if I place a panel on the bottom or right, there is a brief flash of the panel on the opposite side (which indicates that mapping is erroneously mapping the placement of the bar as compiz is starting. Has anyone figured this problem out? I've tried a bunch of things:
a) going back to mate and deleting/rebuilding the panel
b) adding more than one panel (the bottom or right panel will always be screwed up)
c) playing around with dconf Editor

Is there a way to load mate-panel after the window manager starts?

ps. If it makes any difference, I'm using the open source drivers for my video card.

[yzord]

Looks I figured out how to "fix" it - it's a workaround, but it seems to work without issues.

I found out that running "mate-panel --replace" fixed the problem, so I added it to Startup applications. HTH anyone else having this bizzaro problem!

[linx255]

Workaround works for me; thanks yzord.

[mpiter]

Thanks a lot yzord, it works well for me too.

[cmost]

I had this problem too and solved it with a little shell script. Open up Pluma and copy the following lines: Note, you only need --indirect-rendering if you have a Nvidia graphics card. This greatly improves Compiz performance on nvidia cards.

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#!/bin/bash
sleep 15
killall marco
killall compiz
killall /usr/bin/mate-panel-compiz-restart
sleep 10
compiz --replace --indirect-rendering
sleep 10
/usr/bin/mate-panel-compiz-restart

Save the file in your /home/username directory (where username is your user account name). Right-click the file, select properties and in th 'Permissions' tab, click 'allow executing this file as a program'. Now go to Menu --> Preferences --> Startup applications and add the shell script to your programs that run automatically when you log in.

The mate panel should unfreeze and remain where you place it.