MATE/Compiz

[Glenn Holmer]

I'm getting fed up with effects crashes in KDE Plasma, so I just did a test install of Bullseye with MATE and added the Compiz packages. I've got everything working (even windows folding up into a paper airplane and flying away when they close), but my question is how to start Compiz. The Debian wiki page for Compiz says to use "compiz --replace", and that works for me. But how do I automate that so Compiz starts every time I log in?

--

Glenn Holmer (Linux registered user #16682)
"After the vintage season came the aftermath -- and Cenbe."

[Dan Ritter]

Glenn Holmer wrote:
> I'm getting fed up with effects crashes in KDE Plasma, so I just did a test
> install of Bullseye with MATE and added the Compiz packages. I've got
> everything working (even windows folding up into a paper airplane and
> flying away when they close), but my question is how to start Compiz. The
> Debian wiki page for Compiz says to use "compiz --replace", and that works
> for me. But how do I automate that so Compiz starts every time I log in?

Search terms: debian mate replace window manager

https://blog.sombex.com/2018/02/switch-between-window-managers-on.html

looks useful. Recommends either mate-tweak or using gsettings:

gsettings set org.mate.session.required-components windowmanager compiz

-dsr-

[IL Ka]

But how do I automate that so Compiz starts every time I log in?

Hi. I am not familiar with compiz, but here are some ideas.

All modern DEs support xdg autostart spec: https://specifications.freedesktop.org/autostart-spec/autostart-spec-latest.html#startup

So you can create .desktop file that will be launched automatically when you login.

System-wide location is /etc/xdg/autostart, but I prefer local:

Here is how you can launch xcalc on each login:

$ cat ~/.config/autostart/xcalc.desktop
[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Exec=xcalc

Try to do the same with compiz --replace.

Chances are high that you already have this file in "/usr/share/applications/compiz-start.desktop", so you can simply copy or link (ln -s) it.

Another approach is to install it as an alternative for x-window-manager, but this hasn't been done by package maintainer, so there should be some reasons not to do that..

 

[Glenn Holmer]

On Mon, Mar 8, 2021 at 4:36 PM IL Ka <kazakev...@gmail.com> wrote:

But how do I automate that so Compiz starts every time I log in?

Hi. I am not familiar with compiz, but here are some ideas.

If you install MATE Tweak (it will appear in the Control Center), there's an option under "Windows" to select the window manager (select "Compiz..."). You can also install fusion-icon to get this choice. Fusion-icon appears as "Compiz Fusion Icon" under Accessories in the main menu, and shows an icon in the upper-right app tray).

If you want to take it a step further and use the Emerald window decorator (install emerald, emerald-themes), choose "Select Window Decorator" in fusion-icon.