ATI XGL/Compiz Beta tester needed

**chokes** · August 27th, 2006

First section
First make sure you have 3d acceleration available in a normal Gnome session. There are lots of howtos for this , Google if you need any help with that. So if glxinfo shows direct rendering: yes , then you are good to go. If not XGL and Compiz wont work!

If you own an X series Radeon card , scroll down to the end of this HowTo!

This First metod is starting Xgl in root not over X....

Update your system:

Code:

  sudo aptitude update && sudo aptitude dist-upgrade

Prepare and update repositories:

Code:

sudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list

Add quinstorms' and reggaemanus' repositories to /etc/apt/sources.list:

Code:

deb http://www.beerorkid.com/compiz dapper main aiglx 
deb http://media.blutkind.org/xgl/ dapper main aiglx 
deb http://ubuntu.compiz.net/ dapper main aiglx

Download and import the gpg key for quinnstorms repository:

Code:

wget http://www.beerorkid.com/compiz/quinn.key.asc -O - | sudo apt-key add - 
wget http://media.blutkind.org/xgl/quinn.key.asc -O - | sudo apt-key add - 
wget http://ubuntu.compiz.net/quinn.key.asc -O - | sudo apt-key add -

update your sources:

Code:

  sudo aptitude update

Install needed packages:

Code:

  sudo aptitude install xserver-xgl compiz compiz-core compiz-plugins compiz-gnome gnome-compiz-manager cgwd cgwd-themes

Modify /etc/gdm/gdm.conf-custom:

Code:

  sudo gedit /etc/gdm/gdm.conf-custom

Look for [servers] and paste this:

[

Code:

servers] # Override display 1 to use Xgl (DISPLAY 1 IMPORTANT FOR ATI FGLRX).
1=Xgl 

[server-Xgl]  name=Xgl server  command=/usr/bin/Xgl :1 -fullscreen -ac -accel glx:pbuffer -accel xv:pbuffer 
flexible=true

Modify /etc/gdm/gdm.conf :

Code:

  sudo gedit /etc/gdm/gdm.conf

And change:

Code:

  0=Standard 
#1=Standard

to

Code:

  #0=Standard 
1=Standard

Go to line 198 and change GdmXserverTimeout=10 to (this one is very crucial):

Code:

 GdmXserverTimeout=50

Do another dist-upgrade so you are sure you have all the newest packages:

Code:

  sudo aptitude update && sudo aptitude dist-upgrade

Reboot , Login and have fun!

To start compiz you have to right click on the red icin in notification aera and clik on : GL Desktop

Second Section
First make sure you have 3d acceleration available in a normal Gnome session. There are lots of howtos for this , Google if you need any help with that. So if glxinfo shows direct rendering: yes, then you are good to go. If not XGL and Compiz wont work!

Tih method is starting Xgl in cover of X its more stable but use more memory. And you will not be able to shut down or restart the computer.

Update your system:

Code:

  sudo aptitude update && sudo aptitude dist-upgrade

Prepare and update repositories:

Code:

  sudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list

Add quinstorms repositories

Code:

deb http://www.beerorkid.com/compiz dapper main aiglx 
deb http://media.blutkind.org/xgl/ dapper main aiglx 
deb http://ubuntu.compiz.net/ dapper main aiglx

Download and import the gpg key for quinnstorms repository:

Code:

wget http://www.beerorkid.com/compiz/quinn.key.asc -O - | sudo apt-key add - 
wget http://media.blutkind.org/xgl/quinn.key.asc -O - | sudo apt-key add - 
wget http://ubuntu.compiz.net/quinn.key.asc -O - | sudo apt-key add -

update your sources:

Code:

  sudo aptitude update

Install needed packages:

Code:

  sudo aptitude install xserver-xgl compiz compiz-core compiz-plugins compiz-gnome gnome-compiz-manager cgwd cgwd-themes

Make a startup script for XGL:

Code:

sudo gedit /usr/bin/startxgl.sh

Paste:

Code:

Xgl -fullscreen :1 -ac -accel glx:pbuffer -accel xv:pbuffer & sleep 2 && DISPLAY=:1 
# Start GNOME 
exec gnome-session

Make the script executable:

Code:

  sudo chmod 755 /usr/bin/startxgl.sh

Make a XGL session for the login manager:

Code:

  sudo gedit /usr/share/xsessions/xgl.desktop

Paste:

Code:

[Desktop Entry] 
Encoding=UTF-8 
Name=XGl 
Exec=/usr/bin/startxgl.sh 
Icon= 
Type=Application

Do another dist-upgrade so you are sure you have all the newest packages:

Code:

  sudo aptitude update && sudo aptitude dist-upgrade

reboot.

In the login manager you can now choose a session named Xgl. Answer to following question that you want to use XGL for this session only (if something went wrong you are logged in next time using standard session) If everything works fine , you can set it as the default session , remember you can always login a normal gnome session if you want.

To start compiz you have to right click on the red icon in notification aera and clik on : GL Desktop

Additional Notes:
If you own an X series Radeon and have problems with lockups, do this:

Code:

  sudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Find the Driver section for your video card and add this as the option:

Code:

  Option       "KernelModuleParm" "agplock=0"

Note for all cards: glxinfo will show that direct rendering is not working , don't worry that's normal when you are running XGL.

Please Let me know if someting wrong with this How to and tell me what do you think

Here A link to the wiki page for configuring Compiz in Gconf-editor

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Co...ngCompiz#xprop

Removal for the first method -

----------------------

Prepare and update repositories:

Code:

sudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list

Remove or comment out (#) quinstorms' and reggaemanus' repositories to /etc/apt/sources.list:

Code:

#deb http://www.beerorkid.com/compiz dapper main aiglx 
#deb http://media.blutkind.org/xgl/ dapper main aiglx 
#deb http://ubuntu.compiz.net/ dapper main aiglx

Remove instaled packages:

Code:

sudo aptitude remove xserver-xgl compiz compiz-core compiz-plugins compiz-gnome gnome-compiz-manager cgwd cgwd-themes

Modify /etc/gdm/gdm.conf-custom:

Code:

  sudo gedit /etc/gdm/gdm.conf-custom

Look for [servers] section and delete this:

Code:

 1=Xgl 

[server-Xgl]  name=Xgl server  command=/usr/bin/Xgl :1 -fullscreen -ac -accel glx:pbuffer -accel xv:pbuffer 
flexible=true

Modify /etc/gdm/gdm.conf :

Code:

  sudo gedit /etc/gdm/gdm.conf

* And change:

Code:

#0=Standard 
1=Standard

to

Code:

0=Standard 
#1=Standard

reboot

Second section removal:

update repositories:

Code:

  sudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list

Comment (#) out the following or delete:

Code:

#deb http://www.beerorkid.com/compiz dapper main aiglx 
#deb http://media.blutkind.org/xgl/ dapper main aiglx 
#deb http://ubuntu.compiz.net/ dapper main aiglx

remove packages

Code:

 sudo aptitude remove xserver-xgl compiz compiz-core compiz-plugins compiz-gnome gnome-compiz-manager cgwd cgwd-themes

Remove start up script and XGL session for login manager

Delete:

Code:

sudo rm /usr/bin/startxgl.sh
sudo rm /usr/share/xsessions/xgl.desktop

reboot

**kosmic** · August 28th, 2006

I've tried the 2º section and it works.

My card is an ATI RADEON 9600 PRO.

**chokes** · August 28th, 2006

you can start and stop compiz with the Compiz icon?

**alexandermimix** · August 28th, 2006

before I try this, whats the likely hood it is going to work on a 64 bit system ?

Im really looking forward to getting this eye candy cranking!

**The Soundophiliac** · August 28th, 2006

No. 2 works for me and I can start/stop compiz using the Compiz icon in the notification area.

I've been using the compiz-start.py script to start and manage compiz. Just tried gnome-compiz-manager. It's alright and I realize that gnome-compiz-preferences are newbie-friendlier but I do prefer gset-compiz for editing the preferences. It has features like choosing the cube top and bottom images and more comprehensive shortcut editing capabilities, for example. I guess I could use gconf-editor for that.

Also, compiz-start.py has the option to restart compiz and to switch to metacity, which I like. Also IMHO it's good that in compiz-start.py you can go directly to the cgwd themer.

**tribaal** · August 28th, 2006

I installed both ways, both work for me.

Good job

- trib'

**S1NGH** · August 28th, 2006

alexandermimix: you will need amd64 packages, you can see this guide: http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=133427
me and chokes will update the guide, we will have both nVidia and ATi setup, since we are getting good feedback, we will post the guide with chokes nVidia guide and my ATi one, which is this.
chokes helped me with a few modifications.

So far all seems well, are you guys experiencing slow downs or any problems or its all good?

**tribaal** · August 28th, 2006

It's all good so far.
I'd say it's even faster than the other tutorials (beerorkid's repos seem to be more up-to-date).

I still have some XGL related questions, but it has nothing to do with the installation method, so I'll post them somewhere else

Cheers

- trib'