Unable to composit with ati opensource driver

[sling-shot]

(posting from mobile)
kde control centre says "compositing is not supported on your system"

glxinfo at pastebin
http://pastebin.com/qSm4j0d0

[cyrwyn]

I have this problem, too. However, it's on a Toshiba L555D  lappy with an ATI 4100 chipset. On my older Averatec with an ATI 200M compositing works with this driver. I had compositing working on the new Toshiba with the proprietary driver from AMD, then installed the Xorg driver because it is based on a later version. There's a problem with the driver seeing dri and the module. Look in KDE Info Center under GLX and see if the module and driver are unknown. The radeon module should be loaded; it wasn't at first, but loading it didn't make any difference. /var/log/xorg0.log reports no errors on loading both dri and dri2 or any other extensions. I'm scratching my head over this one.

[sling-shot]

Not able to get fglrx working as discussed here http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,71245.0.html

I have attached my KInfoCenter view. 3D accelerator is unknown and renderer is 'software rasterizer'

[bazX]

have a look at your kwinrc file found in /home/user/.kde4/share/config/

check the compositing section
here's a copy of mine

Code:

[Compositing]
AnimationSpeed=3
Backend=OpenGL
CheckIsSafe=true
DisableChecks=true
Enabled=true
GLDirect=true
GLMode=TFP
GLTextureFilter=2
GLVSync=false
HiddenPreviews=5
XRenderSmoothScale=false

make sure these values are set to true
CheckIsSafe=true
DisableChecks=true
Enabled=true

save, logout and in again, should now be working.

[sling-shot]

have a look at your kwinrc file found in /home/user/.kde4/share/config/

check the compositing section

In my /home/user/.kde4/share/config/ directory there are 103 files. I have looked through some suspicious files but was not able to locate compositing section in any of them.
Could you please tell me the exact name of the configuration file in which this section should appear?

[djohnston]

It should be /home/user/.kde4/share/config/kwinrc , as noted by bazX. I'm taking his word for it, as I don't have KDE4 installed.

[sling-shot]

My bad. Too many late nights have taken away whatever little intellectual capacity I had. Now that you have pointed it out I can clearly see kwinrc mentioned by bazX in his post above
Will check it out once I get home.

[djohnston]

No problem. Happens to us all at one time or another. Good luck.

[Hootiegibbon]

sling-shot,

can you post the results of the following in a Konsole/Terminal (note its case sensitive)

lspci |grep VGA

cat /etc/X11/xorg.conf |grep Driver

Thanks

Jase

[sling-shot]

lspci | grep VGA

Code:

03:00.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc RV730XT [Radeon HD 4670]

cat /etc/X11/xorg.conf | grep Driver

Code:

    Driver "ati"

This is my full xorg.conf

Code:

# File generated by XFdrake (rev )

# **********************************************************************
# Refer to the xorg.conf man page for details about the format of
# this file.
# **********************************************************************

Section "ServerFlags"
    Option "DontZap" "False" # disable <Ctrl><Alt><BS> (server abort)
    AllowMouseOpenFail # allows the server to start up even if the mouse does not work
    #DontZoom # disable <Ctrl><Alt><KP_+>/<KP_-> (resolution switching)
EndSection

Section "Module"
    Load "dbe" # Double-Buffering Extension
    Load "v4l" # Video for Linux
    Load "extmod"
    Load "glx" # 3D layer
    Load "dri" # direct rendering
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier "monitor1"
    VendorName "Generic"
    ModelName "1024x768 @ 70 Hz"
    HorizSync 31.5-57.0
    VertRefresh 50.0-70.0
   
    # TV fullscreen mode or DVD fullscreen output.
    # 768x576 @ 79 Hz, 50 kHz hsync
    ModeLine "768x576"     50.00  768  832  846 1000   576  590  595  630
   
    # 768x576 @ 100 Hz, 61.6 kHz hsync
    ModeLine "768x576"     63.07  768  800  960 1024   576  578  590  616
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier "device1"
    VendorName "ATI Technologies Inc"
    BoardName "ATI Radeon HD 2000 and later (radeon/fglrx)"
    Driver "ati"
    Option "DPMS"
    Option "AccelMethod" "EXA"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier "screen1"
    Device "device1"
    Monitor "monitor1"
    DefaultColorDepth 24
   
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth 8
        Modes "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "640x480" "480x360" "320x240"
    EndSubsection
   
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth 15
        Modes "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "640x480" "480x360" "320x240"
    EndSubsection
   
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth 16
        Modes "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "640x480" "480x360" "320x240"
    EndSubsection
   
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth 24
        Modes "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "640x480" "480x360" "320x240"
    EndSubsection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier "layout1"
    Screen "screen1"
EndSection

My kwinrc

Code:

update_info=kwin_on_off.upd:kwin_on_off,kwin.upd:kde3.0r1,kwin_focus1.upd:kwin_focus1,kwin_focus2.upd:kwin_focus2,kwin3_plugin.upd:kde3.2

[$Version]
update_info=kwin_on_off.upd:kwin_on_off,kwin.upd:kde3.0r1,kwin_focus2.upd:kwin_focus2,kwin3_plugin.upd:kde3.2,kwin_focus1.upd:kwin_focus1

[Compositing]
AnimationSpeed=3
Backend=OpenGL
CheckIsSafe=false
DisableChecks=false
Enabled=false
GLDirect=true
GLMode=TFP
GLTextureFilter=1
GLVSync=true
HiddenPreviews=5
XRenderSmoothScale=false

[Desktops]
Name_1=
Name_2=
Name_3=
Name_4=
Number=2

[Effect-BoxSwitch]
TabBox=true

[Effect-CoverSwitch]
TabBox=false

[Effect-Cube]
BorderActivate=9
BorderActivateCylinder=9
BorderActivateSphere=9

[Effect-DesktopGrid]
BorderActivate=9

[Effect-FlipSwitch]
BorderActivate=9
BorderActivateAll=9
TabBox=false

[Effect-PresentWindows]
BorderActivate=9
BorderActivateAll=7
TabBox=false

[ElectricBorders]
Bottom=None
BottomLeft=None
BottomRight=None
Left=None
Right=None
Top=None
TopLeft=None
TopRight=None

[MouseBindings]
CommandActiveTitlebar1=Raise
CommandActiveTitlebar2=Lower
CommandActiveTitlebar3=Operations menu
CommandAll1=Move
CommandAll2=Toggle raise and lower
CommandAll3=Resize
CommandAllKey=Alt
CommandAllWheel=Nothing
CommandInactiveTitlebar1=Activate and raise
CommandInactiveTitlebar2=Activate and lower
CommandInactiveTitlebar3=Operations menu
CommandTitlebarWheel=Nothing
CommandWindow1=Activate, raise and pass click
CommandWindow2=Activate and pass click
CommandWindow3=Activate and pass click
CommandWindowWheel=Scroll

[Plugins]
kwin4_effect_boxswitchEnabled=true
kwin4_effect_coverswitchEnabled=false
kwin4_effect_cubeEnabled=false
kwin4_effect_cubeslideEnabled=false
kwin4_effect_desktopgridEnabled=true
kwin4_effect_dialogparentEnabled=true
kwin4_effect_diminactiveEnabled=false
kwin4_effect_dimscreenEnabled=false
kwin4_effect_explosionEnabled=false
kwin4_effect_fadeEnabled=true
kwin4_effect_fadedesktopEnabled=false
kwin4_effect_fallapartEnabled=false
kwin4_effect_flipswitchEnabled=false
kwin4_effect_highlightwindowEnabled=true
kwin4_effect_invertEnabled=false
kwin4_effect_loginEnabled=true
kwin4_effect_logoutEnabled=true
kwin4_effect_lookingglassEnabled=false
kwin4_effect_magiclampEnabled=false
kwin4_effect_magnifierEnabled=false
kwin4_effect_minimizeanimationEnabled=true
kwin4_effect_mousemarkEnabled=false
kwin4_effect_presentwindowsEnabled=true
kwin4_effect_resizeEnabled=false
kwin4_effect_scaleinEnabled=false
kwin4_effect_shadowEnabled=true
kwin4_effect_sharpenEnabled=false
kwin4_effect_sheetEnabled=false
kwin4_effect_showfpsEnabled=false
kwin4_effect_showpaintEnabled=false
kwin4_effect_slideEnabled=true
kwin4_effect_slidebackEnabled=false
kwin4_effect_slidingpopupsEnabled=true
kwin4_effect_snaphelperEnabled=false
kwin4_effect_snowEnabled=false
kwin4_effect_taskbarthumbnailEnabled=true
kwin4_effect_thumbnailasideEnabled=false
kwin4_effect_trackmouseEnabled=false
kwin4_effect_translucencyEnabled=true
kwin4_effect_wobblywindowsEnabled=false
kwin4_effect_zoomEnabled=true

[PopupInfo]
PopupHideDelay=1000
ShowPopup=false
TextOnly=false

[Style]
ButtonsOnLeft=MS
ButtonsOnRight=HIA__X
CustomButtonPositions=true

[TabBox]
ListMode=0
ShowTabBox=true
TraverseAll=false

[Windows]
ActiveMouseScreen=false
AltTabStyle=KDE
AutoRaise=false
AutoRaiseInterval=750
AutogroupInForeground=true
AutogroupSimilarWindows=false
BorderSnapZone=10
BorderlessMaximizedWindows=false
CenterSnapZone=0
ClickRaise=true
DelayFocus=false
DelayFocusInterval=750
ElectricBorderCooldown=350
ElectricBorderDelay=150
ElectricBorderMaximize=true
ElectricBorderTiling=true
ElectricBorders=0
FocusPolicy=ClickToFocus
FocusStealingPreventionLevel=2
GeometryTip=false
HideUtilityWindowsForInactive=true
InactiveTabsSkipTaskbar=false
MaximizeButtonLeftClickCommand=Maximize
MaximizeButtonMiddleClickCommand=Maximize (vertical only)
MaximizeButtonRightClickCommand=Maximize (horizontal only)
MoveMode=Opaque
MoveResizeMaximizedWindows=false
Placement=Smart
ResizeMode=Opaque
RollOverDesktops=true
SeparateScreenFocus=false
ShadeHover=false
ShadeHoverInterval=250
SnapOnlyWhenOverlapping=false
TitlebarDoubleClickCommand=Maximize
WindowSnapZone=10

NOTE: I have recently installed Pardus on the same system. Compositing seems to be working there. I mean I can see a good difference in the way windows minimize etc.

xorg.conf from Pardus installation

Code:

Section "ServerFlags"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier  "VideoCard"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier  "Screen"
    Device  "VideoCard"
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier  "Layout"
    Screen  "Screen"
EndSection

That seems very sparse to me.

kwinrc from Pardus installation

Code:

[$Version]
update_info=kwin_focus2.upd:kwin_focus2,kwin3_plugin.upd:kde3.2,kwin_focus1.upd:kwin_focus1,kwin.upd:kde3.0r1,kwin.upd:kde3.2Xinerama,kwin_on_off.upd:kwin_on_off

[Compositing]
CheckIsSafe=true

[Desktops]
Name_1=
Name_2=
Name_3=
Name_4=
Number=2

[TabBox]
ListMode=0
ShowTabBox=true

Again looks bare.

[Hootiegibbon]

sling-shot,

You will need to use the radeonhd xserver for compositing, as we use a stable (ie older) version of xorg

Jase

[sling-shot]

Unfortunately I see no difference to the situation with radeonhd

Additionally there are some random flickering horizontal black lines while displaying KDE boot splash or bringing up the desktop.

May be I have to wait for Xorg to be updated then?

[Hootiegibbon]

sling-shot,

At the moment we use x11-server 1.65, which is stable ie it works with the majority of cards with few issues, although there is a potential performance cutback for some cards as a cost (I have an ati x1100 that underperforms but is acceptable).

The 1.8 series does not play nicely with a lot of cards (nvidia and ati) which is why afaik we stayed with 1.65

1.9 is due for release around the autumn time so we will have to wait and see

Texstar and the other Devs will then make their mind up whether to update, that is unless the current release gets patched to fix the issues outstanding.

Jase

[sling-shot]

No problem. I will wait for either ATi to fix their driver or Xorg to be more reliable. Thanks for the clarification :-)

[cyrwyn]

As bazx suggested, editing the kwinrc file to set those 3 to true, then logging out and in brought back compositing. Why they got set to false, I wish I knew. Still, in the KDE Info Center under GLX the module is unknown.