Post your .conkyrc files w/ screenshots

[stinkeye]

Debian (squeezy) AMD64, KDE 4.4.5 + compiz 0.8.4
I suppose that makes me a sinner.

Well the only thing I know is the conky config is ok.
Possibly try running in metacity to see what you get.
Might be your vid drivers.
Gotta go now anyway. Good luck.

[Abdus]

Well the only thing I know is the conky config is ok.
Possibly try running in metacity to see what you get.
Might be your vid drivers.
Gotta go now anyway. Good luck.

Thank you for help.

I just switched my window manager to kwin (no compiz), same effect, two-layered grey conky wirth round corners. Thus I know for sure it's not compiz that screws it.

EDIT:
After restoring:
own_window_argb_visual yes
own_window_type normal
semi-transparency regained (no black rectangle).

Still a problem remains: my cover (current playing album cover) is also semi-transparent, when it shouldn't. Is there a way to fix it without running another conky instance just for the cover?

[El_Belgicano]

Good stuff... I have a wife that does the same... two or three times a day! And I'm not joking either!

Yes perfectly! The key: mono fonts and there are some nice mono font out there.

And you keep changing it back? Things can go real funny at home...

dafont, here i come...

<snip>

Edit:
El_Belgicano can you tell me what background you are using?

The original i found on wallbase and is here on my dropbox. As wallpaper, i only use gimped versions of those images, i darken the sides to the color of the theme and i change the brightness, the result i use is here on my dropbox again.

I got a lot more... Mostly from wallbase.

Enjoy...

[stinkeye]

Thank you for help.

I just switched my window manager to kwin (no compiz), same effect, two-layered grey conky wirth round corners. Thus I know for sure it's not compiz that screws it.

EDIT:
After restoring:
own_window_argb_visual yes
own_window_type normal
semi-transparency regained (no black rectangle).

Still a problem remains: my cover (current playing album cover) is also semi-transparent, when it shouldn't. Is there a way to fix it without running another conky instance just for the cover?

No experience with kde.
Don't know if this will solve your problem.
http://conky.pitstop.free.fr/wiki/index.php5?title=Conky_KDE_Transparency_(en)

[dk75]

It should since one must make original Conky window fully transparent to make LUA transparent background.

[mrpeachy]

Still a problem remains: my cover (current playing album cover) is also semi-transparent, when it shouldn't. Is there a way to fix it without running another conky instance just for the cover?

what is happening is that the lua background is being drawn ontop of the album art image being called in the conkyrc

this also happens when you call weather images (not fonts) and i assume any other images

there doesnt seem to be a fix other than
1. modifying the lua script to take over the image display function
2. dont use the lua background, use a transparent image as a background
3. a separate conkyrc might work

2 is a bit trickier if you want curved corners etc
but for a straight rectangle all you need is a single 1 by 1 pixel image of the right color and transparency... call it in conky and stretch it to fit using the image commands
(thanks to Sector11 for that idea)

for 1... try this in the bg lua file
paste the code in the main function indicated below

cairo_fill(cr)
##PASTE IMAGE DRAWING CODE HERE###
cairo_surface_destroy(cs)
cairo_destroy(cr)
end

image drawing code

--------------------------------------------------------------
--height and width of displayed image
iheight=130
iwidth=130
--position
iacross=70
idown=900
--location of image
image="/home/abd/.quodlibet/current.cover"
-----------------------------------------------------
show = imlib_load_image(image)
if show == nil then return end
imlib_context_set_image(show)
w_img, h_img = imlib_image_get_width(), imlib_image_get_height()
width=iheight
height=iwidth
buffer = imlib_create_image(width, height)
imlib_context_set_image(buffer)
imlib_blend_image_onto_image(show, 0, 0, 0, w_img, h_img, 0, 0, width, height)
imlib_context_set_image(show)
imlib_free_image()
imlib_context_set_image(buffer)
imlib_render_image_on_drawable(iacross, idown)
imlib_free_image()
--------------------------------------------------------------

[dk75]

oj tam, oj tam



my test suite
conkyrc

# ~/.conkyrc-test38

#-----Conky settings
background no
no_buffers yes
#	out_to_console yes
top_cpu_separate no
#	cpu_avg_samples 10
#	net_avg_samples 10
#	max_port_monitor_connections 10
update_interval 1
total_run_times 0

#-----Text setings
use_xft yes
xftfont Bitstream Vera Sans Mono:size=13
xftalpha 0.8
#	uppercase no
#	override_utf8_locale yes
#	format_human_readable no
#	short_units
#	max_user_text 64
#	text_buffer_size 256

#-----Window settings
own_window yes
own_window_type override
#	own_window_argb_visual yes
#	own_window_argb_value 255
own_window_transparent yes
own_window_colour black
own_window_hints undecorated,below,sticky,skip_taskbar,skip_pager
own_window_class Conky
own_window_title ConkyMRClock

#----Layout settings
minimum_size 645 770
#	maximum_width 100
alignment top_left
use_spacer right
gap_x 100
gap_y 75

#-----Graphics settings
draw_shades no
draw_outline no
draw_borders no
draw_graph_borders yes
stippled_borders 0
#	border_inner_margin 16
border_width 1
double_buffer yes
#	max_specials 64
#	imlib_cache_size 0

#-----Color settings
default_color white
default_shade_color black
default_outline_color black

#-----LUA load
lua_load ~/.conky/lua/BGtest.lua
#	lua_draw_hook_pre conky_draw_bg

TEXT
${lua conky_draw_bg}${image ~/.conky/images/BGtest-pic.jpg -p 100,100}

LUA

--[[	Background by londonali1010 (2009)
	VinDSL Background Hack (2010-2011)

This script draws a background to the Conky window. It covers the whole of the Conky window, but you can specify rounded corners, if you wish.

To call this script in Conky, use (assuming you have saved this script to ~/scripts/):
	lua_load ~/scripts/draw_bg.lua
	lua_draw_hook_pre draw_bg

Changelog:
	+ v3.0	VinDSL Hack (01.28.2011) Killed memory leak.
	+ v2.4	VinDSL Hack (01.25.2011) Declared all variables in local.
	+ v2.3	VinDSL Hack (12.31.2010) Added shading example(s).
	+ v2.2	VinDSL Hack (12.30.2010) Cleaned up the code a bit.
	+ v2.1	VinDSL Hack (12.24.2010) Added cairo destroy function(s).
	+ v2.0	VinDSL Hack (12.21.2010) Added height adjustment variable.
	+ v1.0	Original release (07.10.2009)

]]

--------------START OF PARAMETERS ------------

-- Change these settings to affect your background:

-- "corner_r" is the radius, in pixels, of the rounded corners. If you don't want rounded corners, use 0.

	local corner_r = 50

-- Set the colour and transparency (alpha) of your background (0.00 - 0.99).

--	(Light Shading Example)
--	local bg_colour = 0x4d4d4d
--	local bg_alpha = 0.50

--	(Medium Shading Example)
--	local bg_colour = 0x222222
--	local bg_alpha = 0.50

--	(Dark Shading Example)
	local bg_colour = 0x000000
	local bg_alpha = 0.40

--	local bg_colour = 0x908C80
--	local bg_alpha = 0.2

-- Tweaks the height of your background, in pixels. If you don't need to adjust the height, use 0.

--	(Default Setting)
	local vindsl_hack_height = 0

--	local vindsl_hack_height = -228

---------------END OF PARAMETERS -------------

require 'cairo'
local	cs, cr = nil

local function rgb_to_r_g_b(colour,alpha)
	return ((colour / 0x10000) % 0x100) / 255., ((colour / 0x100) % 0x100) / 255., (colour % 0x100) / 255., alpha
	end

function conky_draw_bg()
	if conky_window == nil then return end
	if cs == nil then cairo_surface_destroy(cs) end
	if cr == nil then cairo_destroy(cr) end
	local w = conky_window.width
	local h = conky_window.height
	local v = vindsl_hack_height
	local cs = cairo_xlib_surface_create(conky_window.display, conky_window.drawable, conky_window.visual, conky_window.width, conky_window.height)
	local cr = cairo_create(cs)
	
	cairo_move_to(cr,corner_r,0)
	cairo_line_to(cr,w-corner_r,0)
	cairo_curve_to(cr,w,0,w,0,w,corner_r)
	cairo_line_to(cr,w,h+v-corner_r)
	cairo_curve_to(cr,w,h+v,w,h+v,w-corner_r,h+v)
	cairo_line_to(cr,corner_r,h+v)
	cairo_curve_to(cr,0,h+v,0,h+v,0,h+v-corner_r)
	cairo_line_to(cr,0,corner_r)
	cairo_curve_to(cr,0,0,0,0,corner_r,0)
	cairo_close_path(cr)

	cairo_set_source_rgba(cr,rgb_to_r_g_b(bg_colour,bg_alpha))
	cairo_fill(cr)

	cairo_surface_destroy(cs)
	cairo_destroy(cr)
	return ""
	end

As you couldn't guess, "own_window_argb_visual yes" not only makes background of Conky transparent... it makes all Conky with any object inside opaque, and as so it is useless. And "own_window_transparent yes" makes pseudo transparency by copying system main window background to the Conky window, hence no icon is visible under.

[mrpeachy]

oj tam, oj tam

TEXT
${lua conky_draw_bg}${image ~/.conky/images/BGtest-pic.jpg -p 100,100}

As you couldn't guess, "own_window_argb_visual yes" not only makes background of Conky transparent... it makes all Conky with any object inside opaque, and as so it is useless. And "own_window_transparent yes" makes pseudo transparency by copying system main window background to the Conky window, hence no icon is visible under.

interesting!

ive been playing around with conky settings
it is possible to get the lua background, have good images and have real transparency
but you need to call images in lua for it to work
(although i have to say the whole things seems a little hit or miss!)

the parts of interest

own_window yes
own_window_type normal
own_window_argb_visual yes
##own_window_argb_value 0
own_window_transparent yes
##own_window_type override
own_window_hints undecorated,below,sticky,skip_taskbar,skip_pager

and

lua_load /home/mcdowall/lua/pictest.lua
#lua_draw_hook_pre draw_bg

TEXT

TEST TEST TEST TEST
TEST TEST TEST TEST
TEST TEST TEST TEST
${lua conky_draw_bg}
${image /home/mcdowall/Desktop/moviestill2.jpg -p 100,600 -s 130x130}

sorry, my test pic isnt as nice as your dk75

the top inage is from lua
the bottom through using the image object in conkyrc
you can see my icons underneath the test text

for some reason i couldnt call the same image in both the lua script and the conkyrc... otherwise both images appeared overbright and washed out

doing it the above way the bottom image gets washed out

doing it this way

lua_load /home/mcdowall/lua/pictest.lua
lua_draw_hook_pre draw_bg

TEXT

TEST TEST TEST TEST
TEST TEST TEST TEST
TEST TEST TEST TEST
#${lua conky_draw_bg}
${image /home/mcdowall/Desktop/moviestill2.jpg -p 100,600 -s 130x130}

you get the lua bg being drawn ontop of the conkyrc image

here is the bg and image script i used

--[[    Background by londonali1010 (2009)
    VinDSL Background Hack (2010-2011)
    Added ability to display images mrpeachy 2011

This script draws a background to the Conky window. It covers the whole of the Conky window, but you can specify rounded corners, if you wish.

To call this script in Conky, use (assuming you have saved this script to ~/scripts/):
    lua_load ~/scripts/draw_bg.lua
    lua_draw_hook_pre draw_bg

Changelog:
    + v3.0    VinDSL Hack (01.28.2011) Killed memory leak.
    + v2.4    VinDSL Hack (01.25.2011) Declared all variables in local.
    + v2.3    VinDSL Hack (12.31.2010) Added shading example(s).
    + v2.2    VinDSL Hack (12.30.2010) Cleaned up the code a bit.
    + v2.1    VinDSL Hack (12.24.2010) Added cairo destroy function(s).
    + v2.0    VinDSL Hack (12.21.2010) Added height adjustment variable.
    + v1.0    Original release (07.10.2009)

]]

--------------START OF PARAMETERS ------------

-- Change these settings to affect your background:

-- "corner_r" is the radius, in pixels, of the rounded corners. If you don't want rounded corners, use 0.

    local corner_r = 50

-- Set the colour and transparency (alpha) of your background (0.00 - 0.99).

--    (Light Shading Example)
--    local bg_colour = 0x4d4d4d
--    local bg_alpha = 0.50

--    (Medium Shading Example)
--    local bg_colour = 0x222222
--    local bg_alpha = 0.50

--    (Dark Shading Example)
    local bg_colour = 0x000000
    local bg_alpha = 0.5

--    local bg_colour = 0x908C80
--    local bg_alpha = 0.2

-- Tweaks the height of your background, in pixels. If you don't need to adjust the height, use 0.

--    (Default Setting)
    local vindsl_hack_height = 0

--    local vindsl_hack_height = -228

---------------END OF PARAMETERS -------------

require 'cairo'
require 'imlib2'
local    cs, cr = nil

local function rgb_to_r_g_b(colour,alpha)
    return ((colour / 0x10000) % 0x100) / 255., ((colour / 0x100) % 0x100) / 255., (colour % 0x100) / 255., alpha
    end

function conky_draw_bg()
    if conky_window == nil then return end
    if cs == nil then cairo_surface_destroy(cs) end
    if cr == nil then cairo_destroy(cr) end
    local w = conky_window.width
    local h = conky_window.height
    local v = vindsl_hack_height
    local cs = cairo_xlib_surface_create(conky_window.display, conky_window.drawable, conky_window.visual, conky_window.width, conky_window.height)
    local cr = cairo_create(cs)
    
    cairo_move_to(cr,corner_r,0)
    cairo_line_to(cr,w-corner_r,0)
    cairo_curve_to(cr,w,0,w,0,w,corner_r)
    cairo_line_to(cr,w,h+v-corner_r)
    cairo_curve_to(cr,w,h+v,w,h+v,w-corner_r,h+v)
    cairo_line_to(cr,corner_r,h+v)
    cairo_curve_to(cr,0,h+v,0,h+v,0,h+v-corner_r)
    cairo_line_to(cr,0,corner_r)
    cairo_curve_to(cr,0,0,0,0,corner_r,0)
    cairo_close_path(cr)

    cairo_set_source_rgba(cr,rgb_to_r_g_b(bg_colour,bg_alpha))
    cairo_fill(cr)
--------------------------------------------------------------
--height and width of displayed image (number scales original image 1=full size, 2 = half size)
iheight=130
iwidth=130
--position
iacross=105
idown=200
--location of image
image="/home/mcdowall/Desktop/moviestill.jpg"
-----------------------------------------------------
show = imlib_load_image(image)
if show == nil then return end
imlib_context_set_image(show)
w_img, h_img = imlib_image_get_width(), imlib_image_get_height()
width=iheight
height=iwidth
buffer = imlib_create_image(width, height)
imlib_context_set_image(buffer)
imlib_blend_image_onto_image(show, 0, 0, 0, w_img, h_img, 0, 0, width, height)
imlib_context_set_image(show)
imlib_free_image()
imlib_context_set_image(buffer)
imlib_render_image_on_drawable(iacross, idown)
imlib_free_image()
--------------------------------------------------------------
cairo_surface_destroy(cs)
cairo_destroy(cr)
return ""
end

you can copy and paste the image drawing code for as many images as you like
but that image code only works for images that contain no transparency so no good for weather images

QUESTION
is it possible to make a function in a lua script, for example

function image(filename,height,width)
code to draw the image
end

and then call that function in the conkyrc which supplies the variables?

TEXT
${lua image(/images/pic.jpg,200,200)}

[Abdus]

Wow, thank you guys. I'm already getting a bit lost with all this code.

I used feh, and also mrpeachy's additional piece of code pasting image through lua. The image is being pasted, it is no more semi-transparent (that's progress!), but it's still being covered by lua's semi-transparent background, so colors are not so vivid as on the original. This also lets me skip using
own_window_argb_visual yes
whih used to be necessary to get any kind of semi-transparency.

Also my conky reports constantly:
Conky: llua_do_call: function conky_draw_bg execution failed: /home/abd/scripts/draw-bg.lua:95: attempt to call global 'imlib_load_image' (a nil value)

EDIT:
That's how it looks now:

[dk75]

interesting!

ive been playing around with conky settings
it is possible to get the lua background, have good images and have real transparency
but you need to call images in lua for it to work
(although i have to say the whole things seems a little hit or miss!)

the parts of interest

own_window yes
own_window_type normal
own_window_argb_visual yes
##own_window_argb_value 0
own_window_transparent yes

sorry, my test pic isnt as nice as your dk75

nothing can be

own_window_argb_visual yes overrides own_window_transparent yes so later is irrelevant

test that

own_window yes
own_window_type normal
own_window_argb_visual yes
###own_window_argb_value 0
###own_window_transparent yes

QUESTION
is it possible to make a function in a lua script, for example

function image(filename,height,width)
code to draw the image
end

and then call that function in the conkyrc which supplies the variables?

TEXT
${lua image(/images/pic.jpg,200,200)}

does this answers your question?



conkyrc

# ~/.conkyrc-test38

#-----Conky settings
background no
no_buffers yes
#	out_to_console yes
top_cpu_separate no
#	cpu_avg_samples 10
#	net_avg_samples 10
#	max_port_monitor_connections 10
update_interval 1
total_run_times 0

#-----Text setings
use_xft yes
xftfont Bitstream Vera Sans Mono:size=13
xftalpha 0.8
#	uppercase no
#	override_utf8_locale yes
#	format_human_readable no
#	short_units
#	max_user_text 64
#	text_buffer_size 256

#-----Window settings
own_window yes
own_window_type normal
own_window_argb_visual yes
own_window_argb_value 0
#	own_window_transparent yes
own_window_colour black
own_window_hints undecorated,below,sticky,skip_taskbar,skip_pager
own_window_class Conky
own_window_title ConkyMRClock

#----Layout settings
minimum_size 645 770
#	maximum_width 100
alignment top_left
use_spacer right
gap_x 100
gap_y 75

#-----Graphics settings
draw_shades no
draw_outline no
draw_borders no
draw_graph_borders yes
stippled_borders 0
#	border_inner_margin 16
border_width 1
double_buffer yes
#	max_specials 64
#	imlib_cache_size 0

#-----Color settings
default_color white
default_shade_color black
default_outline_color black

#-----LUA load
lua_load ~/.conky/lua/BGtest.lua



TEXT
${lua conky_draw_bg}
${lua conky_image_load /home/kitsune/.conky/images/BGtest-pic.jpg 75 75 2 2}
${lua conky_image_load /home/kitsune/.conky/images/BGtest-pic2.jpg 400 75 2 2}
${lua conky_image_load /home/kitsune/.conky/images/BGtest-pic2.jpg 75 425 2 2}
${lua conky_image_load /home/kitsune/.conky/images/BGtest-pic.jpg 375 425 2 2}

LUA

--[[    Background by londonali1010 (2009)
    VinDSL Background Hack (2010-2011)
    Added ability to display images mrpeachy 2011

This script draws a background to the Conky window. It covers the whole of the Conky window, but you can specify rounded corners, if you wish.

To call this script in Conky, use (assuming you have saved this script to ~/scripts/):
    lua_load ~/scripts/draw_bg.lua
    lua_draw_hook_pre draw_bg

Changelog:
    + v3.0    VinDSL Hack (01.28.2011) Killed memory leak.
    + v2.4    VinDSL Hack (01.25.2011) Declared all variables in local.
    + v2.3    VinDSL Hack (12.31.2010) Added shading example(s).
    + v2.2    VinDSL Hack (12.30.2010) Cleaned up the code a bit.
    + v2.1    VinDSL Hack (12.24.2010) Added cairo destroy function(s).
    + v2.0    VinDSL Hack (12.21.2010) Added height adjustment variable.
    + v1.0    Original release (07.10.2009)

]]

--------------START OF PARAMETERS ------------

-- Change these settings to affect your background:

-- "corner_r" is the radius, in pixels, of the rounded corners. If you don't want rounded corners, use 0.

    local corner_r = 50

-- Set the colour and transparency (alpha) of your background (0.00 - 0.99).

--    (Light Shading Example)
--    local bg_colour = 0x4d4d4d
--    local bg_alpha = 0.50

--    (Medium Shading Example)
--    local bg_colour = 0x222222
--    local bg_alpha = 0.50

--    (Dark Shading Example)
    local bg_colour = 0x000000
    local bg_alpha = 0.5

--    local bg_colour = 0x908C80
--    local bg_alpha = 0.2

-- Tweaks the height of your background, in pixels. If you don't need to adjust the height, use 0.

--    (Default Setting)
    local vindsl_hack_height = 0

--    local vindsl_hack_height = -228

---------------END OF PARAMETERS -------------

require 'cairo'
require 'imlib2'
local    cs, cr = nil

local function rgb_to_r_g_b(colour,alpha)
    return ((colour / 0x10000) % 0x100) / 255., ((colour / 0x100) % 0x100) / 255., (colour % 0x100) / 255., alpha
    end

function conky_draw_bg()
    if conky_window == nil then return end
    if cs == nil then cairo_surface_destroy(cs) end
    if cr == nil then cairo_destroy(cr) end
    local w = conky_window.width
    local h = conky_window.height
    local v = vindsl_hack_height
    local cs = cairo_xlib_surface_create(conky_window.display, conky_window.drawable, conky_window.visual, conky_window.width, conky_window.height)
    local cr = cairo_create(cs)
    
    cairo_move_to(cr,corner_r,0)
    cairo_line_to(cr,w-corner_r,0)
    cairo_curve_to(cr,w,0,w,0,w,corner_r)
    cairo_line_to(cr,w,h+v-corner_r)
    cairo_curve_to(cr,w,h+v,w,h+v,w-corner_r,h+v)
    cairo_line_to(cr,corner_r,h+v)
    cairo_curve_to(cr,0,h+v,0,h+v,0,h+v-corner_r)
    cairo_line_to(cr,0,corner_r)
    cairo_curve_to(cr,0,0,0,0,corner_r,0)
    cairo_close_path(cr)

    cairo_set_source_rgba(cr,rgb_to_r_g_b(bg_colour,bg_alpha))
    cairo_fill(cr)

    cairo_surface_destroy(cs)
    cairo_destroy(cr)
    return ""
    end

function conky_image_load(image, iacross, idown, width, height)
	--------------------------------------------------------------
	if image == nil then print("Error: no image selected"); return "" end
	--height and width of displayed image (number scales original image 1=full size, 2 = half size)
	width = tonumber(width); if width == nil then width = 1 end
	height = tonumber(height); if height == nil then height = 1 end
	--position
	iacross = tonumber(iacross); if iacross == nil then iacross = 0 end
	idown = tonumber(idown); if idown == nil then idown = 0 end
	-----------------------------------------------------
	show = imlib_load_image(image)
	if show == nil then print("Error: can't load image"); return "" end
	imlib_context_set_image(show)
	w_img, h_img = imlib_image_get_width(), imlib_image_get_height()
	if w_img == nil or h_img == nil then return "" end
	if width == 1 then width = w_img
	elseif width == 2 then width = w_img / 2 end
	if height == 1 then height = h_img
	elseif height == 2 then height = h_img / 2 end
	buffer = imlib_create_image(width, height)
	imlib_context_set_image(buffer)
	imlib_blend_image_onto_image(show, 0, 0, 0, w_img, h_img, 0, 0, width, height)
	imlib_context_set_image(show)
	imlib_free_image()
	imlib_context_set_image(buffer)
	imlib_render_image_on_drawable(iacross, idown)
	imlib_free_image()
	--------------------------------------------------------------
	return ""
	end