lxde/compiz lost window decorations

**kl522** · 10-12-2011, 02:16 AM

I do have another irritating problem with lxde/compiz though, that occasionally when I restarted the X windows, I lost my window decorations, ie any window I bring up is running without a frame. I found out that compiz is running, gtk-window-decorator is also running, but I just don't get the window decoration. I bring up a lxterminal and typed :-

$ gtk-window-decorator --replace &

That will fix it but it's just bloody irritating.

Also would like to know if others are facing the same issue.

**utu** · 10-12-2011, 02:26 PM

@ kl522

I've seen the 'lost window decorations' thing on occasion.

As time goes by I have retired a few of the Compiz effects,
such as SCALE and EXPO. I think this MAY have reduced the
frequency of these occurences, but that's only a guess.

I'll give your recovery technique a try the next time I
see the frames and such corrupted. Up 'til now I've just
used Control-Alt-Backspace after closing things down,
if or when that's possible.

There is a Compiz re-start menu choice; have you tried that
to correct the 'decorations' problem?

**utu** · 10-12-2011, 05:34 PM

.
@ kl522

I note the following FWIW.
If you read /usr/share/doc/compiz/README.Debian, you find the following note
in regard to /etc/X11/xorg.conf:

Code:

  + Make XAA not hold any pixmaps in offscreen memory. This slows down compiz
    in many configurations. You can disable this by adding the following line
    to your "Device" section:

        Option "XAANoOffscreenPixmaps" "true"

My copy of 6.7.1 LiveCD/LiveUSB omits the "true".
I am adding "true" to my xorg.conf, to see if things change in any way.

Any reason why it should be missing?

**utu** · 10-12-2011, 06:03 PM

I'll answer my own question; sorry for the intrusion.
Under man xorg.conf I find:

Code:

Boolean options may optionally have a value specified.  When  no  value
       is specified, the option's value is TRUE.

**kl522** · 10-13-2011, 02:09 AM

Originally Posted by utu

I've seen the 'lost window decorations' thing on occasion.

I am pretty sure other sees that too, most are keeping quiet. If one searches for reports of such problem with compiz, he will come across quite a few of those on the net. Some of them reported crashes of gtk-window-decorator, but for my case, the gtk-window-decorator is still running, but it is probably blocked at something.

As time goes by I have retired a few of the Compiz effects,
such as SCALE and EXPO. I think this MAY have reduced the
frequency of these occurences, but that's only a guess.

Maybe yes maybe no but as long as there is an instance of it loses
it's window decorations, it still mean the quality need to be improved.

There is a Compiz re-start menu choice; have you tried that
to correct the 'decorations' problem?

If my memory serves me right, this only works if compiz itself and/or if gtk-window-decorator has crashed.