HOW TO : XGL/Compiz Nvidia Cards

[chokes]

Hello,

For those who have nVidia cards and Ubuntu, here is a small howto. This howto configure your gdm to use Xgl. Xgl is run by root, not the user. (not startxgl.sh script). This howto is based on RacerII and mstlyevil howto.

1. Configure nVidia acceleration

If you do not have nVidia 3D acceleration enable, follow this steps :

1.1. Install packages

You must install restricted modules for your kernel to have the nVidia blob. You may prefer use linux-686, linux-686-smp (for core duo) or linux-k7 to optimise with your cpu. Be sure you have restricted repo enable. You might also want to install nvidia-glx-legacy for no more supported nVidia cards.

Do it with System->Adminitration->Synaptic Package Manager or with the following cmd line :

sudo apt-get install nvidia-glx nvidia-kernel-common linux-386

1.2. Configure Xorg

sudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Then do the following changes :

1.2.1 Modules

Int the "Module" section comment lines for GLcore and dri and set the glx directive.

Section "Module"
 Load "bitmap"
 Load "ddc"
# Load "dri"
 Load "extmod"
 Load "freetype"
 Load "glx"
 Load "int10"
 Load "type1"
 Load "vbe"
EndSection

1.2.2 nVidia's driver

In the "Device" section set :

 Driver "nvidia"
 Option "NoLogo" # This option disable the startup logo. optional.
 Option "RenderAccel" "true"
 Option "Triplebuffer" "true"

1.2.3 Screen depth

In the "Screen" section set :

DefaultDepth 24

Done.

2 Install great stuffs

2.1 Enable extra repos

sudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list

Add this:

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

Receive quinn GPG key for package check. You may do it with System->Administration->Software Properties. Download Quinn key file at http://www.beerorkid.com/compiz/quinn.key.asc and add it with the "Import Key File" button. Or simply do :

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 package list, Reload with synaptic or do :

sudo apt-get update

2.2 Install the packages

Now you need to install those packages :

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

Remember to keep your packages up to date.

2.3 Keep up to date

Upgrade all packages using Synaptic, update-manager or :

sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

3. Configure GDM

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

And complete the servers section

[servers]
0=Xgl 

[server-Xgl] 
name=Xgl server 
command=/usr/bin/Xgl :0 -fullscreen -ac -accel glx:pbuffer -accel xv:pbuffer
flexible=true

Now restart your computer.

GDM should launch normally. Alt Gr might not work on some keyboard (e.g. french keyboard). If you need Alt Gr to type your password, you'd better change your passowrd. To do so, switch to VT1 with Ctrl+Alt+F1. Login. Change your password with

passwd

answer questions and switch back to VT7 with Alt+F7.

4. Launch compiz

Once you're logged in, metacity is still your window manager. You may want to reconfigure your keyboard layout with System->Preference->Keyboard , tab Layout. You'll have an icon im notification aera right click on it and select : GL Desktop

Now you can start and stop compiz as you wish
You have more option in preferences you can set plugins and change windows decoration

That's all guys.&

Thanks to all people that made it possible. First David Reveman and QuinnStorm.

I run this on Athlon 64 3000+ with 1GB of ram and a 7800GT

Review and comments are very welcomes.

Here the link that i have taken the sources to make the HOWTO
http://www.compiz.net/viewtopic.php?id=652
i just wanted to make it more easy

Here A link to the wiki page for configuring Compiz in Gconf-editor
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Co...ngCompiz#xprop

Edit: (Friday, 25 August 2006) : Big update!!!! I modified the sources for more package and aiglx(not tested) and removed The compiz-start script an replaced it with gnome-compiz-manager so no need to have a script!

Have Fun!!!

[wate]

Thank you, it was very helpful to me so everything works now.

[Sammi]

Yeah I followed a similar HOWTO I found somewhere else. This is the right way to do it

[MikeEnIke]

mike@mike:~$ sudo apt-get install xserver-xgl compiz-gnome gset-compiz
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
E: Couldn't find package gset-compiz
mike@mike:~$


?? Can't find it?


EDIT: Nevermind, I went and found another mirror that had the file. It's all installed except for the decorations, anyone have an idea?

mike@mike:~$ sudo apt-get install cgwd gcompizthemer gcompizthemer-themes
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
cgwd is already the newest version.
Some packages could not be installed. This may mean that you have
requested an impossible situation or if you are using the unstable
distribution that some required packages have not yet been created
or been moved out of Incoming.
The following information may help to resolve the situation:

The following packages have unmet dependencies:
  cgwd: Conflicts: gcompizthemer
  gcompizthemer-themes: Depends: gcompizthemer (>= 0.18)
E: Broken packages

[chokes]

oh! sorry you have to install the package : cgwd-themes i didnt edit the tread sice they merge gcompizthemer directly in cgwd

[Intangir]

how do i set it to allow full screen 3d apps to have direct rendering?

isnt there a way?

[Alan_Hill]

hic.
I've got my X Desktop crashed

[MikeEnIke]

Originally Posted by Intangir how do i set it to allow full screen 3d apps to have direct rendering? isnt there a way?

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...t=xgl%2Fcompiz

Doing that should should work. Worked fine for me.

[mattlach]

Originally Posted by MikeEnIke mike@mike:~$ sudo apt-get install xserver-xgl compiz-gnome gset-compiz Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree... Done E: Couldn't find package gset-compiz mike@mike:~$ ?? Can't find it? EDIT: Nevermind, I went and found another mirror that had the file.

I am having this same problem, but I can't seem to find the gset-compiz deb anywhere. How did you find it?

Thanks,
Matt

[Sammi]

Did you enable the extra repositories like decribed in step 2.1 in the howto?