Max/Min/Quit Buttons are missing

[middlecap]

(os is linux mint 11 katya)

for a couple of days every window misses the maximize/minimize and quit/close buttons in the top right corner

how do i get them back?

thanks for your stress

[aXept]

If you run compiz, you can try to turn "Windows Decoration" in effects (compiz config) off then ON again...

[middlecap]

unfortunately that did not work out

[aXept]

Hm, okay..

[olligod]

(os is linux mint 11 katya)

for a couple of days every window misses the maximize/minimize and quit/close buttons in the top right corner

how do i get them back?

thanks for your stress

I SECOND THAT - was a very annoying situation - FOUND A TEMPORARY SOLUTION.
I actually thought my whole desktop environment is messed up - what did I do wrong ??

This morning I finally got the idea to *look what's going on*:
System messages, including error messages, are mostly written into /var/log/messages;
You can do the following from a command line (there may be a utility in the program menu under "System" for this, too...)

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sudo dmesg

Et voilà - got the bastard exposed: This is the last line of the file in my case:

[11124.839147] unity-window-de[2149]: segfault at 318 ip 0000000000415d6f sp 00007fff2301ff90 error 6 in unity-window-decorator[400000+1b000]

.. which means that a daemon (system process running in background), having to do with "window decoration" (hey - how does that relate to our problem ) crashed.


AND RIGHTFULLY this was the lead...


SOLUTION BELOW ! => Workaround for a bug.

Simply restart the service by typing from a commandline (it is so "nineties" - but the commandline helps me out over and over again )

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unity-window-decorator &

If you omit the & , you will not get your command prompt back, but the program should still run, as long as the command line calling it is also open.
You may then minimize the commandline window (do not close it) - but most importantly, the icons for it, and for "close", "maximize" are back !

Hope this helps you and whoever else has this problem.

I will see to get this bug filed.
And to reaffirm - a "segfault" is never the user's fault but rather one of the software's ...

[AlbertP]

Window Decorator - in CompizConfig - seems to be turned off at some people for some unknown reason. When you turn this one on, everything is working again.

If it does not work:

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gtk-window-decorator &

If you use this command you don't have to install Unity. (Unity people of course have to do the command above)

[olligod]

Window Decorator - in CompizConfig - seems to be turned off at some people for some unknown reason. When you turn this one on, everything is working again.

If it does not work:

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gtk-window-decorator &

If you use this command you don't have to install Unity.

Unity is there, and turned "on" (until it crashes , by default ... on my Mint-Katya-64bit System).
I never actively installed it.

Definitely, I'd like to reaffirm - it is worth to check just **what** crashed (e.g. via the "dmesg" command, see my last post).
That gets the analysis more practical and less academic.

[krustybaguette]

Re: Max/Min/Quit Buttons are missing - temp. SOLUTION

Postby olligod on Mon Jun 06, 2011 6:04 am
middlecap wrote:(os is linux mint 11 katya)
for a couple of days every window misses the maximize/minimize and quit/close buttons in the top right corner
how do i get them back?
thanks for your stress

I SECOND THAT - was a very annoying situation - FOUND A TEMPORARY SOLUTION.
I actually thought my whole desktop environment is messed up - what did I do wrong ??

I've encountered the same bug and the TEMPORARY SOLUTION has my buttons back. Questions remain:

[list=]Will the PERMANENT SOLUTION be installed via an update?[/list]
[list=]Do I need to run the command line fix every time I use MINT until there's a permanent solution?[/list]
[list=]I already see that I need to keep the terminal open but minimized to keep the buttons in place. If I need the terminal for something else will I need to open a second terminal window?[/list]

Thanks to forum members for finding this temporary fix.

krusty

[AlbertP]

Open CompizConfig from the menu, disable Window Decorator and enable it again. If it does not help, please downgrade Compiz:
http://www.webupd8.org/2011/05/how-to-d ... 86-in.html

[xenopeek]

Window decorator crash always happens when you try to use the window menu (top left in title bar [the down arrow icon], or Alt+Space key combo). There is a bugreport for this: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/compiz/+bug/740767

The fix is to change the decorator, as the wrong one is being used in default install of LM11:
1. Go to Menu -> Control Center -> CompizConfig Settings Manager
2. Open the Window Decoration configuration there
3. Change the Command to read: /usr/bin/compiz-decorator

That will fix on next login. For immediate fix, run:

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/usr/bin/compiz-decorator --replace &

[AlbertP]

After downgrading Compiz, the GTK decorator works fine for me.

[olligod]

As of Jul-13: Routine package upgrade fixes it for me!
----------------------------------------------------------------

I did a Mint package upgrade (essentially a routine upgrade) - I noticed that xorg-packages of all kinds were included this time.
I also noticed that (as of now; meaning 2 days hence) the original window decorator problem has never occurred again.
If it does, I may act again.

At times, I love those quick workarounds - and then "sit'n wait - sit'n wait".
It does work out from time to time.

Comclusion: If one has not already done so - compiz downgrade and such may no longer be necessary.

[olligod]

I've encountered the same bug and the TEMPORARY SOLUTION has my buttons back. Questions remain:

[list=]Will the PERMANENT SOLUTION be installed via an update?[/list]
[list=]Do I need to run the command line fix every time I use MINT until there's a permanent solution?[/list]
[list=]I already see that I need to keep the terminal open but minimized to keep the buttons in place. If I need the terminal for something else will I need to open a second terminal window?[/list]

Thanks to forum members for finding this temporary fix.

krusty

Just to answer (regardless of the fact that problem fixes cruising around): As mentioned in other post, the permanent solution may be there via package upgrade (further testing required).
Compiz downgrade (as described in this thread) would be my last resort - as it involves messing with your software repositories - see instructions there. But it can be done of course.

COMMANDLINE: As I said in my post

...by typing from a commandline (it is so "nineties" - but the commandline helps me out over and over again )
unity-window-decorator &
If you omit the & , you will not get your command prompt back, but the program should still run, as long as the command line calling it is also open.

This means: If you DO use the & you WILL get the commandline back i.e.; you can use it !
Sometimes, output is printed there - pressing <enter> is harmless in that case and will give you the prompt back *visually* - unless your process runs in the foreground (i.e.; was NOT started with the "&").

If you want a commandline "nice and clean" for other purposes, you may also open new tabs on the terminal window (menu item "file") - giving you additional commandlines.

[Smiff2]

hmm i am having this problem (i think) when changing compiz settings, but that command line is correctly set.
quite annoying since even switching to metacity and back doesnt restore, had to CTRL_ALT_BACKSPACE .

[AlbertP]

If nothing else works, you can always downgrade Compiz: http://www.webupd8.org/2011/05/how-to-d ... 86-in.html

[Smiff2]

yeah changing almost any setting in CompizConfig settings manager, causes window borders to be lost! very very annoying. going to have to try downgrading i guess..

confirmed after logging out and in that seems to work great. 0.8x much less buggy i think/hope!

thanks AlbertP

[eliberator]

A solution which worked for me:
run Compiz Fusion Icon, and it will appear in the taskbar a new icon with the fusion and you can re-load the windows manager.
After reloading the windows manager, the buttons appeared back on the screen.

I did not checked which is the error, but this was working instantly. You can also change from Compiz to Metacity manager.

[pepperminty]

Window decorator crash always happens when you try to use the window menu (top left in title bar [the down arrow icon], or Alt+Space key combo). There is a bugreport for this: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/compiz/+bug/740767

The fix is to change the decorator, as the wrong one is being used in default install of LM11:
1. Go to Menu -> Control Center -> CompizConfig Settings Manager
2. Open the Window Decoration configuration there
3. Change the Command to read: /usr/bin/compiz-decorator

The command is currently

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gtk-window-decorator --replace

[gammelsmurf1]

Window decorator crash always happens when you try to use the window menu (top left in title bar [the down arrow icon], or Alt+Space key combo). There is a bugreport for this: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/compiz/+bug/740767

The fix is to change the decorator, as the wrong one is being used in default install of LM11:
1. Go to Menu -> Control Center -> CompizConfig Settings Manager
2. Open the Window Decoration configuration there
3. Change the Command to read: /usr/bin/compiz-decorator

The command is currently

Code: Select all

gtk-window-decorator --replace

Hmm, tried that, and then click on "window menu"....
Console spit this out as title bar dissapear once again.

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~ $ gtk-window-decorator --replace

(gtk-window-decorator:4758): Gtk-WARNING **: Error parsing gtk-icon-sizes string:
   'panel-menu=24,24
panel=20,20
gtk-button=18,18
gtk-large-toolbar=24,24'

** (gtk-window-decorator:4758): CRITICAL **: Could not find frame info ྫྷ   \u0001 in frame type table
Segmenteringsfel

"Segmenteringsfel" (swedish) = "Segmentation error" (english)

[xenopeek]

You shouldn't do:

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gtk-window-decorator --replace

You should follow my steps to fix it. Or to resolve it immediately (but only until logout):

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/usr/bin/compiz-decorator --replace