Compiz Doesn't Work / Compiz Not Working / Mint 13

[hashem]

I absolutely LOVE Mint, when it works, just for the record. So I've had a couple versions of Ubuntu and Mint in the past, and Compiz worked without a hiccup in all of them. Now, the first two things I did with Mint 13 MATE (a fresh install from DVD on an empty HDD) were:

1. Update everything through Update Manager, and any restarts that were required.
2. Activate the post-release updates Nvidia driver through the Additional Drivers dialogue, and restart if it was required.
3. Install CCSM through Software Manager.

Little did I know then, Mint 13 requires a top secret install method to get CCSM working. I read a few threads around here, too. My issue is that I want my install to be as clean as possible, and I'm also completely n00b, so I don't want to follow instructions that aren't 100% proper even if they kinda sorta work.

What is the official, proper method to have CCSM working? Please, if you give instructions requiring terminal commands, note what each command does. I'm trying to avoid running random commands, or I'd probably have CCSM working by sheer brute force of following all the different methods around the internets. The goal is to get CCSM working the PROPER way, not just some way, so that I don't end up needing to uninstall things and have random files laying around.

Thanks to all of you beautiful people who help newbies.

[Oscar799]

Moved here by moderator

[CtrlAltDel]

Can you describe some of the symptoms of it's failure to work? Does it simply not install? Is it installed but will not activate any settings you use, etc...

I'm not sure what your situation is but, perhaps this will help?

http://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/919

[hashem]

Thank you CtrlAltDel, I've read that among other things. That's one of those random tutorials that gives no explanation of what the commands are, and so I don't just want to enter random commands even if they accidentally get things moving. Plus, the responses I've seen to that thread are iffy, some things work after, some things don't, and it depends on the person.

I'm just wondering about the correct, official way to get CCSM working in Mint 13.

Also, Oscar799, thank you for moving my thread to the completely wrong place where nobody will see it. I have a feeling random busybodies like you moving threads around are to blame for many unsolved threads on the internet. This issue, and the thread itself, are NOT about MATE. What????? It has nothing to do with Desktop Managers generally, either!!! The issue is about getting CCSM (software) functioning in Mint 13. I had it in the proper forum > software. Please, move it back where it at least has a chance to get solved.

[CtrlAltDel]

Thank you CtrlAltDel, I've read that among other things. That's one of those random tutorials that gives no explanation of what the commands are, and so I don't just want to enter random commands even if they accidentally get things moving. Plus, the responses I've seen to that thread are iffy, some things work after, some things don't, and it depends on the person.

I'm just wondering about the correct, official way to get CCSM working in Mint 13.

There certainly may be an official way to do it but, I don't know of it. Considering Compiz is not the default window manager/compositing manager for Linux Mint 13 Mate, I'm not sure there really is an official procedure. It would be nice if there were a way or just a simple installation routine that was pre-made for us; it would probably reduce the number of mistakes made when trying to convert to Compiz while using Mate, that is for sure.

I had horrible issues with all types of videos tearing with Mate, using the Marco window manager that comes with it, and was forced to go back to Compiz. I carefully followed the first set of original instructions on the page I linked to and everything went smoothly. I am not recommending you do that, by any means, but just giving you one happy story.

If you do decide to try it, make sure to check mark Window Decoration, Move Window, and Resize Window in Compiz. They aren't marked initially like they used to be. I also had some other issues. One that I just recently figured out had to do with making Caja-Image-Converter show up in the context menu of Caja when right clicking an image. In order to make it work, or even show up after installation, I had to check mark Gnome Compatibility within Compiz. Having Gnome Compatibility marked may apply to any number of other things you may run into also.

[hashem]

Just to be clear, this thread has NOTHING to do with MATE, or even CCSM generally.

It is a question about HOW to install CCSM properly, to get it working. This is a software question, specifically a software installation question. It isn't a question about MATE. Please return this thread to the proper forum (software) so it can get answered.

CtrlAltDel, to answer your original question which I missed, by "not working" I mean I can access the options but they don't do anything. It doesn't matter what I turn on or off or which bindings or settings I change within CCSM, nothing actually changes.

[CtrlAltDel]

CtrlAltDel, to answer your original question which I missed, by "not working" I mean I can access the options but they don't do anything. It doesn't matter what I turn on or off or which bindings or settings I change within CCSM, nothing actually changes.

Considering you do have it installed and can access Compiz but merely can't seem to make any settings take effect, perhaps you may need to try to set Compiz as your permanent compositing manager. If you have shut down or restarted or logged out and back in since installing Compiz, and assuming you have followed all the steps listed in the link provided, perhaps you just didn't do this:

(When you want Compiz to start automatically you can open Control Center -> Startup Applications, and add a new post "Compiz" keeping the same command "compiz --replace".

http://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/919

If you did forget this step, when restarting, etc... Compiz will automatically be replaced with Marco and Compiz will be non-operational. Anything else, I suppose, is out of my pay-grade and I hope you do have some luck and some other posters will help.

[Oscar799]

Moved at OP's request

[Myrmidon83]

Top secret install method?

All I did was:

1. Look in menu
2. See that ccsm wasn't installed.
3. Installed it via synaptic
4. Launched compiz fusion, choose compiz.
5. Opened ccsm and selected window decoration, resize window and move window to get basic functionality back.
6. Selected whatever options I wanted
7. Opened a terminal and typed “mateconf-editor”
8. Go to: /desktop/mate/session/required_components/windowmanager and replace "marco" with "compiz"
9. Done! Haven't needed to bother with it since.

I don't know how much easier you want it, I like things easy and that worked for me.

[Marios]

Hello everyone. I recently installed Maya MATE 64-bit version on my laptop. I activated the AMD driver for my graphics and did everything like the previous post. The result was that the desktop crushes. I mean it keeps flashing very fast and I have to reinstall the OS. Is Compiz even compatible with MATE 64-bit and AMD drivers? Thank you in advance.

[AlbertP]

@ Marios: it should be possible to make it working, maybe you need a more recent graphics driver from http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/l ... linux.aspx
It's true that ATI/AMD hardware causes problems at times.

[Marios]

I will try that later as I am now at work. One more question. Will Compiz work if I install Gnome classic? I found this on the internet.
http://www.liberiangeek.net/2012/03/ret ... -pangolin/
If so then all I have to do is work with that particular DE, right?

[AlbertP]

Mate or Gnome Classic does not matter, both DE's are able to run compiz. The article is about Ubuntu, and Ubuntu does not have Mate so does not need to mention it.
What happens here is probably a graphics driver problem.

[Marios]

Well nothing really worked actually. However yesterday I tried Zorin OS 6 and Compiz worked without any problems. I have to think it had something to do with the DE as the previous linux distro I had was Zorin OS 5.2 and I had no problems there either. Anyway, thank you for your support and congratulations to the Linux Mint community and developers for such a fine OS. I will recommend it to others. ALL HAIL LINUX!!!!!

[bkidwell]

@mario

The reason it flashes uncontrollably and does not work is because you have two Window Managers fighting for control....

This link is a great resource...
http://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/919

The answer to your specific problem is in the link here:

To stop that high CPU usage in MATE when running Compiz:

In a terminal type “mateconf-editor”

When the editor opens:
Go to /desktop/mate/session/required_components/windowmanager and replace "marco" with "compiz".

This will stop the flashing you are talking about that makes it unusable.
Cheers!

[sparky222b]

I had this same problem on my fresh install and I noticed that you also are using an NVIDIA card, so maybe this applies to you: Are you running a multi-monitor setup? if you are, and you're using Xinerama then Compiz won't work. I'm not sure of the full technical details but somewhere on the software stack Xinerama and Compiz don't play nice on an NVIDIA card. If your displays are the same resolution then run in TwinView mode, and all will be well. However if you're like me, and they're not: You can run your displays as separate X screens, which fixes Compiz but will prevent you from dragging application windows between your monitors. This can supposedly be mitigated by using the xrandr extention (Google it), but I've not verified that.