[SOLVED] Mate Panel breaks on multi-monitor

[Guyverix]

I have a fresh install of Mint 19.1 and have run into an issue dealing with the panel application when running a triple monitor setup with two different video cards. Whenever an application is added to the panel, I have to reset it to get the icons to show up properly. Otherwise they appear "torn".. I am guessing that this is due to using 2 video cards, but am not sure what I can do to fix this issue.

Any suggestions?

mate_pannel_bug.png

And after reest

mate_pannel_after_reset.png

[Guyverix]

I apologize. I forgot to include the inxi output for details of my HW..

System: Host: guyver-office Kernel: 4.15.0-43-generic x86_64 bits: 64 Desktop: MATE 1.20.1
Distro: Linux Mint 19 Tara
Machine: Device: desktop Mobo: ASUSTeK model: M5A97 LE R2.0 v: Rev 1.xx serial: N/A
UEFI: American Megatrends v: 2701 date: 03/24/2016
CPU: 8 core AMD FX-8320 Eight-Core (-MCP-) cache: 16384 KB
clock speeds: max: 3500 MHz 1: 1969 MHz 2: 1841 MHz 3: 2965 MHz 4: 3191 MHz 5: 1958 MHz 6: 2225 MHz
7: 3507 MHz 8: 2472 MHz
Graphics: Card-1: NVIDIA GK208 [GeForce GT 720]
Card-2: NVIDIA GF119 [GeForce GT 520]
Display Server: x11 (X.Org 1.19.6 ) driver: nvidia Resolution: 5520x1080
OpenGL: renderer: GeForce GT 720/PCIe/SSE2 version: 4.6.0 NVIDIA 390.77
Audio: Card-1 NVIDIA GK208 HDMI/DP Audio Controller driver: snd_hda_intel Sound: ALSA v: k4.15.0-43-generic
Card-2 NVIDIA GF119 HDMI Audio Controller driver: snd_hda_intel
Card-3 Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] SBx00 Azalia (Intel HDA) driver: snd_hda_intel
Card-4 Logitech Webcam C270 driver: USB Audio
Network: Card: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller driver: r8169
IF: enp2s0 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: 38:d5:47:df:da:7d
Drives: HDD Total Size: 2460.5GB (68.5% used)
ID-1: /dev/sda model: ST9160314AS size: 160.0GB
ID-2: /dev/sdb model: SPCC_Solid_State size: 120.0GB
ID-3: /dev/sdc model: Patriot_Blaze size: 60.0GB
ID-4: /dev/sdd model: Patriot_Blaze size: 120.0GB
ID-5: /dev/sde model: WDC_WD2003FYYS size: 2000.4GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 46G used: 9.6G (23%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sdb2
ID-2: swap-1 size: 2.00GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sdb3
RAID: No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors: System Temperatures: cpu: 18.8C mobo: N/A gpu: 50C
Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: 0
Info: Processes: 304 Uptime: 1:12 Memory: 4092.5/32068.6MB Client: Shell (bash) inxi: 2.3.56

[Guyverix]

If anyone else has this problem specifically with multiple video cards involved the fix that I found worked for me was to NOT use any transparent settings for the Panel. I suspect it is due to only one of the cards having openGL active. From google searches, this appears to be normal and only one card will have OpenGL renderer attached to it.

Right click on the panel >> properties >> background >> Solid Color >> Pick something pretty and close out. This should make the icons accept updates properly, and not "tear" when there are panel changes.

[maihoaomv]

I'm having a problem also with Mate panel 1.20.1 on LM19.1 on a dell laptop (Intel graphics) with an external monitor connected to the VGA. The panel and the icons are intermittently not visible once I log in. Everything is there because I can blindly click on the panel and launch the applications menu or any of the icons. I run the laptop with the laptop screen turned off and the external monitor set as my primary display.

After the last few updates this problem has appeared and it seems to be getting worse. Sometimes the panel is just slow coming up and sometimes it doesn't appear at all. I checked panel --> properties and yes I had background --> solid color enabled. After opening "Displays" and turning the laptop screen on then off the panel appeared.

Is there a command I can run at the command line to force the panel to turn on?