Compiz won't co-operate with # of desktops

**sikander3786** · December 22nd, 2011

Did you try resetting the Compiz settings as mentioned in the above post?

It might also be helpful to purge Compiz completely from Synaptic and then re-install it. Probably you used CCSM as root for once and then lost the normal user's access. However, this is weird.

**meanmrmustard** · December 23rd, 2011

Originally Posted by sikander3786

Did you try resetting the Compiz settings as mentioned in the above post?

It might also be helpful to purge Compiz completely from Synaptic and then re-install it. Probably you used CCSM as root for once and then lost the normal user's access. However, this is weird.

I did do that after getting the # of desktops fixed.
The "~/.compiz-1/session/*" command didn't find a file, the next one exited quietly.

Do I then need to re-boot to re-create the ~/.compiz... file? - not quite ready to do that.
I'm still unable to add or remove components in ccsm as user.
Maybe purging Compiz is the best idea.

**sikander3786** · December 23rd, 2011

Nopes you don't need to create the missing file. These commands are intended for different versions of Ubuntu, some come with one file and some with the other.

Yeah, the last hope is probably purging and re-install Compiz.

**LewisTM** · December 23rd, 2011

As far as I know Compiz manages the number of desktops differently than other window managers.

In ccsm/General/Desktop size, you should set it to one desktop and as many virtual horizontal and vertical desktops as you want (e.g. 6 horizontal).

Those Virtual desktops are also called Viewports and that is what is managed by the Switcher. You can have several actual desktops each with its own set of viewports but I don't see why anyone would do that.

**meanmrmustard** · December 23rd, 2011

I will purge and re-install Compiz once I have other issues taken care of, then come back and tell how it fixed everything!
Thanks to all for your input.

**lolpenguin** · December 25th, 2011

Can't believe everyone missed this: virtual desktops are called workspaces.

**LewisTM** · December 25th, 2011

Originally Posted by lolpenguin

Can't believe everyone missed this: virtual desktops are called workspaces.

Not when Compiz is concerned.
See http://wiki.compiz.org/GeneralOptions
When switching workspaces in KDE, GNOME or XFCE, you actually ask Compiz to switch viewport. So you have to set the virtual size to >1. For instance to have a cube, you need to set the horizontal size to 4.