Revision as of 05:23, 2 November 2007

What is Compiz Fusion?

Compiz Fusion aims to provide an easy and fun-to-use windowed environment, allowing use of the graphics hardware to render each individual window and the entire screen, to provide some impressive effects, speed and usefulness. Here are some videos featuring compiz-fusion on Pardus: <youtube>5Op46xROpgU</youtube> <youtube>pp0pPz6VGqc</youtube>

Which graphics cards are supported ?

Compiz-fusion needs AIGLX support to work properly. Currently most of (beginning from 5 year old cards) Intel, NVidia and ATI based graphics cards support AIGLX.

Installing Compiz Fusion

Preparation

First of all, you need to install all updates, add contrib repository and restart the system to boot with the newest kernel. Easiest way of doing those is to use package-manager.

Installing graphics card driver

If you don't know which graphics card you have;

• Double click the System icon on your desktop.
• Look at the Display Info section.

If you have an Intel based card, you don't need to install anything since it has out-of-the-box Linux support.

If you have an ATI based card, install ati-drivers package with package-manager.

If you have an NVidia based card, the package you should install depends on the model you have (old models like TNT and those released before Geforge2 MX won't run aiglx). You must choose the right package for your card. Click on a package name to see which models it supports:

• nvidia-tools (mostly MX series)
• nvidia-tools-new (for newest NVidia cards and most of FX series)

Then install the right package with package-manager

Configuring graphics card

NVidia has a fine tool for that purpose. Open Pardus>Programs>System>More>Terminal Program-Super User Mode and enter this command:

nvidia-xconfig --composite --allow-glx-with-composite --add-argb-glx-visuals

Intel users should edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf configuration file by hand:

• Press alt+f2 keys and type kdesu kwrite /etc/X11/xorg.conf to start editing.
• Find the line # Option "Composite" "enable" and remove the # character in front of this line.
• Find section "Device" and add this line under that section: Option "XAANoOffscreenPixmaps" "true"
• Save the file and quit (you may want to save a backup for the old version of this file since that may cause a blank screen when wrongly done)

ATI users should edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf configuration file by hand too:

• Press alt+f2 keys and type kdesu kwrite /etc/X11/xorg.conf to start editing.
• Find the line # Option "Composite" "enable" and remove the # character in front of this line.
• Find section "Device" and add this line under that section: Option "XAANoOffscreenPixmaps" "true"
• Again under section "Device", change the line beginning with Driver to Driver "fglrx"
• Save the file and quit (you may want to save a backup for the old version of this file since that may cause a blank screen when wrongly done)

You should restart your current session after configuring your card. To do this, simply press ctrl+alt+backspace key combination. If your screen goes black, it means you may have missed some steps told before or the graphics card driver may have a problem with your card. If you want to reach graphics session again, you may use the xorg=safe trick before booting Pardus, or you may press ctrl+alt+f1 and restore your xorg.conf from console if you are an advanced user.

Installing required packages

Compiz Fusion packages can be installed from package-manager:

• After adding contrib repository, write compiz into the search box.
• Select all search results and press Install Package(s) button.

First run

Click Pardus>Programs>System>Compiz Fusion Window Manager>Compiz Fusion Icon This will place an icon in notification area. Right click this icon and begin playing with it!

Tips and tricks

• If your window edges disappear, try selecting Window Decorators>Emerald from Compiz Fusion Icon

References

• http://www.compiz-fusion.org/