Saturday, May 19, 2012

[SOLVED] Docky issue in Mint/Ubuntu: How to enable compositing?

Having a docky / Avant window navigator (AWN) gives a cool look to the desktop. From the day I started using Linux, I have always preferred to have a docky. My desktop with the AWN docky helps me to access all the common programs I need at one place, plus CPU user in the dock tells me how much CPU I am using at any point in time. Auto-hide feature doesn't shrink my desktop as well.



All in all, I find docky useful. And it's 3D look actually add a mystic charm to the GUI. However, in my recent update of netbook to Xubuntu 12.04 LTS and PC to Linux Mint 13 Mate, I found that I need to enable Compositor to customize the dock.

Now, for this kind of problem, there is a easy way out. Linux Mint uses Metacity and the desktop effect can be rendered by enabling compositing from Desktop Settings. Just check the option for compositing from desktop setting to enable 3D effect in the docky.



For Xubuntu, Go to:
Settings -> Settings Manager -> Window Manager Tweaks ->Compositor-> Enable Display Compositing
This would solve the issue of enabling compositor for the 3D effects in docky.

9th June 2012:
To enable compositor in debian, go to Applications -> System Tools -> Configuration Editor.
In Config Editor, go to Apps -> Metacity -> General and check compositing manager. Restart Docky and that would do the trick.

20 comments:

  1. Thanks a lot. I use Linux Mint 13 Mate desktop and docky wont work. Gconf editor doest start compositing. Your way helped me.

    ReplyDelete
  2. You are a legend!

    I have been going through crap all day, finally got the right term in google and came upon this, So annoyingly simple!!!

    Thank you so much!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. thank you very very very very very very very very big

    ReplyDelete
  4. thanks
    worked on my x64 Mint 14 Mate

    ReplyDelete
  5. thanks for the tip

    just made it work on mint 14

    ReplyDelete
  6. thanks, much appreciated

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks a lot, your first suggestion solved all my dock problems in Linux Mint 14, I had been trying lot of other useless solutions! Great!

    ReplyDelete
  8. can u help how to enable composting in cinnamon linux mint 14?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Basic effects of compositing works with cinnamon, I've used it. Right now I'm traveling and will be back by 20th. I can post the solution once I'm back to Bangalore.

      Thanks,
      Arindam

      Delete
  9. Thank you for posting this. While your instructions weren't exact for me ( using Kali Linux ) , it pointed me in the right direction.

    ReplyDelete
  10. By any chance, is there a way this can work in Fedora?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It depends. Which desktop environment are you using? XFCE, LXDE, Openbox, GNOME, KDE?

      Delete
  11. By any chance, is there a way this can work in Fedora?

    ReplyDelete
  12. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thank you very much, I have just installed Arch in my PC and I couldn't enable the 3D mode but this helped. :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete