XGL for KDM users in a few easy steps

Headrush

It looks like nesl247 may be working on a new update wiki, but for the time being I will describe the procedure I got XGL working with KDM.

This setup is specific to adding a XGL session to KDM so you can choose between a regular X setup or XGL.
(This is specific to nvidia cards, its up to ATI users to make changes in the Xgl command /usr/bin/startxgl.sh as needed).

I won't go into the procedure for using layman to checkout the xgl-portage overlay, as the wiki is OK there. (http://gentoo-wiki.com/Xgl)

You must have the following packages installed: mesa, xgl, cgwd, cgwd-themes, cgwd-themes-extra, compiz-manager, compiz-quinnstorm-plugins, csm, compiz-quinnstorm.

If KDEWM is set in /etc/env.d/99kde-env, comment it out.
If you have changed the ServerCmd= in /usr/kde/3.5/share/config/kdm/kdmrc , restore it back to default X server.

Create the file /usr/bin/startxgl.sh with the following:

Code:

#!/bin/sh
fontpath=`grep -i fontpath /etc/X11/xorg.conf | egrep -v "[:space:]*#" | sed "s/.\+\"$.\+$\"/\1,/g" | xargs echo | sed "s/\ //g" | sed "s/,\$//"`
Xgl :1 -fullscreen -br -ac -accel glx:pbuffer -accel xv -fp $fontpath &
DISPLAY=:1 dbus-launch compiz --replace dbus csm &
DISPLAY=:1 dbus-launch cgwd --replace &
DISPLAY=:1 startkde

Make sure this file is executable:

Code:

chmod +x /usr/bin/startxgl.sh

Create the file /usr/share/xsessions/xgl.desktop with the following:
Code:

[Desktop Entry]
Encoding=UTF-8
Name=Xgl
Comment=Start an Xgl Session
Exec=/usr/bin/startxgl.sh
Icon=
Type=Application

Make sure this file is executable:
Code:

chmod +x /usr/share/xsessions/xgl.desktop

We need a local dbus daemon to run for every user, so create the file /usr/kde/3.5/env/start_dbus_session_bus.sh with the following:

Code:

# test for an existing bus daemon, just to be safe
if test -z "$DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS" ; then
# if not found, launch a new one
eval `dbus-launch --sh-syntax --exit-with-session`
fi

Make sure this file is executable:

Code:

chmod +x /usr/kde/3.5/env/start_dbus_session_bus.sh

Now we are going to make compiz-manager start on login. Create the file ~/.kde/Autostart/start_compiz_manager.sh with the following:
Code:

#!/bin/sh
compiz-manager

Make sure this file is executable:
Code:

chmod +x ~/.kde/Autostart/start_compiz_manager.sh

This file can/should? be created as that user.
Restart X and when KDM comes up you should have a xgl session in the sessions menu of KDM that will start XGL.
You should also have a red kicker icon where you can bring up the setting manager and the theme manager.

Currently tested and working with up to the following versions:

Timbers2k · Apprentice Joined: 03 Oct 2003 Posts: 215

Thanks, using this guide I have Xgl running on KDE. I do have one question. How can I eliminate the shadows from the KDE panels? I like transparent panels, but they look kind of silly with shadows.

Headrush · Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 5:56 pm Post subject:

Timbers2k · Apprentice Joined: 03 Oct 2003 Posts: 215

Headrush · Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 6:21 pm Post subject:

What part of kicker? The entire kicker bar, the window taskbar, the applets icons?

The only part of kicker I have that seems to have shadows is the pop-up tool tips.

For some changes you might have to reload the window manager or window decorator which can be done from the red compiz-manager kicker icon.

Edit: Are you using a kdelibs that has the ksystemtray-xgl.patch patch? (Either kdelibs from KIP project or xgl-portage overlay)

Timbers2k · Apprentice Joined: 03 Oct 2003 Posts: 215

The entire kicker panel, or bar has a shadow. That is the one I'm trying to get rid of. It's not obvious if you don't use transparency in the panel, but with it it looks ugly.

Try this:
Right click on panel -> select Appearance tab -> At the bottom, select Enable Transparency -> Go to Advanced options -> Set tint amount to minimum.

With non-Xgl KDE this results in panels that disappear, leaving only the icons and menus. Looks nice. With Xgl, the shadows spoil the effect. I know that way back when, when compiz first came out, there was a command line option to disable the shadows on non-managed windows, like the panel, but I can't find my old notes.

Thanks,
Tim

EDIT: No, I'm using the standard kdelibs. Should I be using one of the others?

Headrush · Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 6:59 pm Post subject:

Hmmm, didn't look bad, the shadow was so minimal.
I thought maybe it was my background picture that might minimize the effect so I switched to a single color background and same thing.
Its hard to say if mine is different from yours, or its just difference in our tastes. I'm not sure what the xgl-systemtray patches changes.

Could you post a screenshot so I could see what it looks like on yours?

beatryder · Veteran Joined: 08 Apr 2005 Posts: 1138

nesl247 · Veteran Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 1614 Location: Florida

Headrush, the mentioned wiki was created as of yesterday at: http://wiki.gentoo-xeffects.org If you find anything missing for KDE please tell me.

Thank you,
nesl247

Headrush · Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 8:04 pm Post subject:

Timbers2k · Apprentice Joined: 03 Oct 2003 Posts: 215

Janax · Apprentice Joined: 17 Aug 2004 Posts: 162 Location: Iowa

nesl247 · Veteran Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 1614 Location: Florida

Give me a few minutes. I'm modifying an extension which is preventing the modification of Special:Mypage.

Headrush · Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 8:31 pm Post subject:

The error is probably temporary as the site worked minutes ago. (probably changing something)

robbyjo · Guru Joined: 06 Apr 2003 Posts: 462

Well, I've followed your guide, but it seems that all of my applications hang up (it shows the window, but it freezes). The only one working is Mozilla Firefox (it's the binary package). Would anyone help? Thanks.

Headrush · Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 9:24 pm Post subject:

robbyjo · Guru Joined: 06 Apr 2003 Posts: 462

Hi Headrush, thanks for your reply, but my Konsole is completely frozen. The only time I can invoke console is by pressing Ctrl-Alt-F1 and login there. Compiz-Setting-Manager tray icon shows up, but when I click it, it shows up but it doesn't respond to any click / keystroke or anything. The only thing I can do is to move around the window.

I already get the XGL running, but gconf-editor doesn't show any compiz options. I already typed the command in the guide:

robbyjo · Guru Joined: 06 Apr 2003 Posts: 462

I got Konqueror as file browser works fine, but Konqueror as a web browser freeze.
KControlCenter works fine.
KWord froze.
Gnome Calculator freeze.
Open-Office 2.0-bin Impress works fine.
Konsole and Gnome Console freeze.
Eclipse 3.2 freeze.
Gvim freeze.

I'll try to revdep-rebuild.

Headrush · Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 10:04 pm Post subject:

Are you sure you haven't modified files using the previous wiki methods that are still being used? (kdmrc for example)

robbyjo · Guru Joined: 06 Apr 2003 Posts: 462

I already reverted the modification of kdmrc and 99kde-env as you said. Restarting xdm doesn't work. I already tried recompiling nvidia-drivers and rmmod and modprobe it and restarted xdm, but it still doesn't work.

The hard part is that I don't have a GUI-based console right now. Even the run dialog freezes. I don't know what to do.

BTW, KPDF runs fine until I press open file dialog (it froze right up).

nesl247 · Veteran Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 1614 Location: Florida

Wiki is back up. I'm going to do maintenance at night from now on.

robbyjo · Guru Joined: 06 Apr 2003 Posts: 462

Thanks, nesl247. I find the guide in the WIKI is confusing. It would be great if the explanation is simplified.

nesl247 · Veteran Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 1614 Location: Florida

robbyjo: You mean the http://wiki.gentoo-xeffects.org is confusing? If so how?

robbyjo · Guru Joined: 06 Apr 2003 Posts: 462

Ah, pardon me. I thought you mentioned about http://gentoo-wiki.com/HOWTO_XGL

robbyjo · Guru Joined: 06 Apr 2003 Posts: 462

nesl, I tried the guide at your site and it didn't work. (Freezes Konsole, only Mozilla-Firefox works, just like the above).