Desktop decoration

[mailtwogopal]

Hi all,

I am having ubuntu hardy in my box. I am not sure whether am right to be here to ask you guys about how i can have my Desktop richer than one of my friend who owns windows vista. The idea is, apart from using background images to make the desktop richer, how to an extent i can customize my desktop. This question may be silly but it is due to the fact that i may not aware of using or customizing ubuntu hardy desktop. Please help me. Hope guys understand what i need.

[Sealbhach]

Hi,

You need to install the Compiz Configuration Settings Manager.

This will allow you to enable a whole load of amazing effects.

You can install it with Add/Remove programs - juat search for "compiz" and the first package you will see is "Advanced Desktop Effect Settings".

That's the one you want.


.

[Trail]

You might want to try screenlets as well, or avant-window-navigator. Which need compiz enabled, though.

(By the way, less is more. Simpler desktops are more productive, imo).

[billgoldberg]

Hi all,

I am having ubuntu hardy in my box. I am not sure whether am right to be here to ask you guys about how i can have my Desktop richer than one of my friend who owns windows vista. The idea is, apart from using background images to make the desktop richer, how to an extent i can customize my desktop. This question may be silly but it is due to the fact that i may not aware of using or customizing ubuntu hardy desktop. Please help me. Hope guys understand what i need.

See link in my signature "Customizing Ubuntu".

[Dutch70]

Here is a good site to help you get compiz set up...
http://forlong.blogage.de/entries/2008/4/26/How-to-set-up-Compiz-Fusion-074

I didn't read this entire thread. But I will forewarn you about screenlets...although they are really awesome. If you decide you don't like them, or you have trouble with them, from what I understand, it takes a power user to uninstall them. So do some research before making that decision.

[billgoldberg]

Here is a good site to help you get compiz set up...
http://forlong.blogage.de/entries/2008/4/26/How-to-set-up-Compiz-Fusion-074

I didn't read this entire thread. But I will forewarn you about screenlets...although they are really awesome. If you decide you don't like them, or you have trouble with them, from what I understand, it takes a power user to uninstall them. So do some research before making that decision.

I don't know why you think that.

It's removed like any other app.

[Dutch70]

I don't know why you think that.

It's removed like any other app.

Well, I had read something to that effect, sorry I can't give you the source, but are you saying that screenlets can be added and removed easily. If so please enlighten me, because I would love to have them. But 3 months ago I didn't even know what linux was...lol. So I have to be very careful.

[mailtwogopal]

Hi guys,

thanks a lot for ur replies. I ll try tonight and let u all know. Am in office at present. Also guys please tell me one thing that, do i need NVIDIA graphics card and driver to work with compiz since mine is not NVIDIA at present.

[Saint Angeles]

you dont even need advanced desktop effects (compiz) to make your desktop pretty!

take a look at my current setup. (i have anxiety problems and i change my theme about every 3 days)

[mailtwogopal]

Hi saint,

Shall i follow the link "See what worked for me" in your signature area. Mine is also ATI only. Shall i try this?

[mailtwogopal]

Hi saint,

Shall i follow the link "See what worked for me" in your signature area. Mine is also ATI only. Shall i try this?

[Saint Angeles]

Hi saint,

Shall i follow the link "See what worked for me" in your signature area. Mine is also ATI only. Shall i try this?

yes sir!

i've helped a few people getting fglrx (the proprietary ATI driver) to work!

[billgoldberg]

Well, I had read something to that effect, sorry I can't give you the source, but are you saying that screenlets can be added and removed easily. If so please enlighten me, because I would love to have them. But 3 months ago I didn't even know what linux was...lol. So I have to be very careful.

Sure.

I've installed the latest version , not the ancient version in the repos. So that could be why was easier for me.

Install instructions are copy/paste only.

Look here for them:
http://tombuntu.com/index.php/2008/03/17/os-x-like-widgets-with-screenlets-on-ubuntu-3rd-update/

[mailtwogopal]

Ok guys i try tonight and let you know the results. :)

[mailtwogopal]

Hi saint,

i have gone to http://ati.amd.com/support/drivers/l...ux-radeon.html page, where the page is like the attachment here. i clicked on ATI driver installer link in that page and it downloaded to my desktop. As i typed "sudo sh ati[tab]" it said as below:




gopal@gopal-desktop:~$ sudo sh ati[tab]
sh: Can't open ati[tab]



What can i do further?

[miggols99]

Hi saint,

i have gone to http://ati.amd.com/support/drivers/l...ux-radeon.html page, where the page is like the attachment here. i clicked on ATI driver installer link in that page and it downloaded to my desktop. As i typed "sudo sh ati[tab]" it said as below:




gopal@gopal-desktop:~$ sudo sh ati[tab]
sh: Can't open ati[tab]



What can i do further?
When it says [tab] it means to press tab. Not to type it..

[mailtwogopal]

hi miggols,

i pressed tab after that but none happened. so i copy-pasted the full file name and still error as below:



gopal@gopal-desktop:~$ sudo sh ati-driver-installer-8-8-x86.x86_64.run
[sudo] password for gopal:
sh: Can't open ati-driver-installer-8-8-x86.x86_64.run


Please help.

[MaxIBoy]

Right click the .run file, go to "properties," then "permissions," and enable executing of the file as a program.

[GrouchoMarx]

If you saved it to your desktop then the file is in the "Desktop" folder in your home directory. You need to specify that in your path...


sudo sh Desktop/ati-driver-installer-8-8-x86.x86_64.run

[mailtwogopal]

Hi maxi,

I did the same a pop up window appeared having options "Cancel", "Run" "Run on terminal". I chose run on terminal options and the result is as attached screen shot. please refer and help. In the screen shot any one can see a small window appeared having no message in window and in button. what is is upto?

[miggols99]

Try running


sudo sh ./ati-driver-installer-8-8-x86.x86_64.run

[mailtwogopal]

Hi miggols,

Same error thrown. :(



gopal@gopal-desktop:~$ sudo sh ./ati-driver-installer-8-8-x86.x86_64.run
sh: Can't open ./ati-driver-installer-8-8-x86.x86_64.run

[mailtwogopal]

Hi billgold,

I followed the link "customizing ubuntu". One of the thing dint work for me is setting window borders, menus transparent. I set all the steps it stated, but it dint work for me. Also can any one help with this?

[zxscooby]

A red stapler maybe, and some multi-colored post it notes.

[Saint Angeles]

Hi miggols,

Same error thrown. :(



gopal@gopal-desktop:~$ sudo sh ./ati-driver-installer-8-8-x86.x86_64.run
sh: Can't open ./ati-driver-installer-8-8-x86.x86_64.run


dude... navigate to your desktop first (cd Desktop) then run the sh ati... command

[mailtwogopal]

Hi saint,

Am posting the result of using command cd desktop below:



gopal@gopal-desktop:~$ cd desktop
bash: cd: desktop: No such file or directory

[jespdj]

Desktop, not desktop. Filenames are case sensitive.

cd Desktop

[mailtwogopal]

Hi jespdj,

Ya i tried that option, it worked. So i was following all the steps from here (http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=4749740&postcount=12). At the end as suggested i restarted my PC. All of a sudden after booting, i got a screen which has colours splashing here and there, in which i can do nothing. Only my mouse works. i restarted and tried again, even then i landed to same screen (Probably its a login screen which looks so) as above in which i can do nothing. Then i restarted again and in grub boot loader i booted thru recovery mode and chose the option to "repair broken package" and checked "Xorg" one time and resumed to normal boot. Now it is working fine. But i am not sure what the change may happened because i can't feel it. any way i executed command "lspci" and the result is below:



gopal@gopal-desktop:~$ lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: ATI Technologies Inc Radeon Xpress 200 Host Bridge (rev 01)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: ATI Technologies Inc RS480 PCI Bridge
00:11.0 IDE interface: ATI Technologies Inc IXP SB400 Serial ATA Controller (rev 80)
00:12.0 IDE interface: ATI Technologies Inc IXP SB400 Serial ATA Controller (rev 80)
00:13.0 USB Controller: ATI Technologies Inc IXP SB400 USB Host Controller (rev 80)
00:13.1 USB Controller: ATI Technologies Inc IXP SB400 USB Host Controller (rev 80)
00:13.2 USB Controller: ATI Technologies Inc IXP SB400 USB2 Host Controller (rev 80)
00:14.0 SMBus: ATI Technologies Inc IXP SB400 SMBus Controller (rev 81)
00:14.1 IDE interface: ATI Technologies Inc IXP SB400 IDE Controller (rev 80)
00:14.2 Audio device: ATI Technologies Inc IXP SB4x0 High Definition Audio Controller (rev 01)
00:14.3 ISA bridge: ATI Technologies Inc IXP SB400 PCI-ISA Bridge (rev 80)
00:14.4 PCI bridge: ATI Technologies Inc IXP SB400 PCI-PCI Bridge (rev 80)
01:05.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc RC410 [Radeon Xpress 200]
02:02.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (rev 10)


Why i pasted the above code is to check with you guys whether the graphics card what i have suits to it or not. Thats why. Expecting replies.

[Saint Angeles]

what does
glxinfo | grep direct give ya?

(i'm really really sorry if i didn't say that politely)

[mailtwogopal]

Hi saint,

here is the result:



gopal@gopal-desktop:~$ glxinfo | grep direct
direct rendering: No (If you want to find out why, try setting LIBGL_DEBUG=verbose)
OpenGL renderer string: Mesa GLX Indirect


What is it for basically?

[Saint Angeles]

Hi saint,

here is the result:



gopal@gopal-desktop:~$ glxinfo | grep direct
direct rendering: No (If you want to find out why, try setting LIBGL_DEBUG=verbose)
OpenGL renderer string: Mesa GLX Indirect
What is it for basically?

basically, the command i gave ya will take the output of "glxinfo" and search for a line containing the word "direct" and spit it out.

this tells you that you ARE NOT getting direct hardware rendering with your card right now. i am going through this same mess because i stupidly upgraded to intrepid last night without checking to see if fglrx works with it yet (it doesn't).

what this means is that you wont get the cool 3d features you want. you can still watch videos and get a good resolution... but we need to figure out whats wrong with your driver.

[mailtwogopal]

Hi saint,

Sorry for delay in reply. My monitor got into power problem and am not getting power from CPU. Today it ll be solved. So what can be done on this. do i need to send any further details about my hardware etc?

[mailtwogopal]

hi saint,

Am at home now. My monitor power problem got resolved. i will search some stuff regarding this and post u if i get any solution. expecting replies from experts in this forum.

[Saint Angeles]

what resolution is the best for your monitor...

for example: my monitor is a samsung 941bw that likes 1440x900. its a widescreen LCD monitor. most people have a normal aspect ratio monitor... so you probably want either 1024x768 or 1280x1024.

make sure that is setup in your xorg.conf file.. can you post your xorg.conf file for us?

its located at /etc/X11/xorg.conf

open it with
sudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf then save it as a different file on your desktop. (file->save as) i choose xorg.txt so its easy to upload onto this site.

now what you might wanna do, before editing your xorg.conf file with all those extra things in my tutorial, is run the aticonfig thing first...


sudo aticonfig --initial go through the steps answering as much as possible. after its done, go through with the xorg.conf steps of my tutorial once again.

lemme know if you run into any hiccups or require aditional explanation.

[mailtwogopal]

Hi saint,

i hereby uploaded my xorg file which is saved in text format. Also out of fear i ask you one thing is that if i do again the steps etc will i be landed to a screen which splashes color like anything as before with which i cannot do anything. Will it lead to any problem? Also my monitor is the Samsung Syncmaster 594MG a CRT monitor with best resolution of 1024*768. Also i dint find anything as resolution size in xorg file.

And now at first i installed ati driver in pc and in thru terminal window. finally i got the screen as attached and in that window i could read nothing, Also please look into it. i did nothing in that screen. i hope two options are there and two buttons too. i just closed that window.

[cardinals_fan]

Hi all,

I am having ubuntu hardy in my box. I am not sure whether am right to be here to ask you guys about how i can have my Desktop richer than one of my friend who owns windows vista. The idea is, apart from using background images to make the desktop richer, how to an extent i can customize my desktop. This question may be silly but it is due to the fact that i may not aware of using or customizing ubuntu hardy desktop. Please help me. Hope guys understand what i need.
That depends on your definition of "richer". I would personally recommend installing/configuring a lightweight WM such as Openbox for a clean, minimal style. If you want shiny things, try out Gdesklets, Wbar, and tweak your Compiz with CCSM.

[kingbilly]

you dont even need advanced desktop effects (compiz) to make your desktop pretty!

take a look at my current setup. (i have anxiety problems and i change my theme about every 3 days)


We share the same symptoms :)