HOWTO: compiz + aiglx + i915, the NEW guide

**reacocard** · September 9th, 2006

This guide is designed for i915 graphics, but should work with any intel card that uses the i810 driver.

First, open your sources.list file

Code:

gksudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list

and add these lines

Code:

## Compiz
deb http://xgl.compiz.info/ dapper main aiglx
deb http://www.beerorkid.com/compiz dapper main aiglx
deb http://ubuntu.compiz.net/ dapper main aiglx
deb http://media.blutkind.org/xgl/ dapper main aiglx
deb-src http://xgl.compiz.info/ dapper main aiglx
deb-src http://www.beerorkid.com/compiz dapper main aiglx
deb-src http://ubuntu.compiz.net/ dapper main aiglx
deb-src http://media.blutkind.org/xgl/ dapper main aiglx

now, make sure everything is up-to-date:

Code:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

Install DRI:

Code:

sudo apt-get install xserver-xorg-air-core linux-dri-modules-common linux-dri-modules-`uname -r`

now, there are two major kinds of compiz. quinn, and vanilla. vanilla is the generic compiz from cvs, and quinn includes quinnstorm's custom patches and plugins. You can only install one of the two. I reccommend quinn's.

For vanilla

Code:

sudo apt-get install compiz-vanilla compiz-vanilla-gnome

For quinn's you have the choice of several window decorators, the thing that draws the borders and titlebars of your windows. here are the apt-get lines for two of them.

for cgwd: (most advanced, supports lots of theming, has a few bugs. doesn't work on vanilla)

Code:

sudo apt-get install cgwd cgwd-themes compiz-core compiz-plugins csm

for gnome-window-decorator: (least advanced, no theming, but works very well. used by vanilla compiz as well.)

Code:

sudo apt-get install compiz-gnome compiz-core compiz-plugins csm

or for both:

Code:

sudo apt-get install cgwd cgwd-themes compiz-gnome compiz-core compiz-plugins csm

Edit your Xorg config:

Code:

sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.old
gksudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf

BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN EDITING THIS FILE

make sure the following sections/options are like this. the most important changes are highlighted in red.

Needs to be in the Screen section:

Code:

          DefaultDepth 24

Make sure these are all there, and GLcore is commented out:

Code:

    Section "Module"

    # Load "GLcore"

    Load "i2c"

    Load "bitmap"

    Load "ddc"

    Load "dbe"

    Load "dri"

    Load "extmod"

    Load "freetype"

    Load "glx"

    Load "int10″

    Load "type1″

    Load "vbe"

    EndSection

EXACTLY like this:

Code:

    Section "Device"

    Identifier "Intel Corporation Intel Default Card"

    Driver "i810″

    Option "XAANoOffscreenPixmaps"

    BusID "PCI:0:2:0″

    EndSection

MUST have this:

Code:

    Section "Extensions"

    Option "Composite" "Enable"

    EndSection

and this:

Code:

    Section "DRI"

    Mode 0666

    EndSection

Now modify gdm's config to use AIGLX:

Code:

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

make it look like this:

Code:

    [servers]

    0=aiglx

    [server-aiglx]

    name=aiglx server

    command=/usr/bin/Xorg-air :0

    flexible=true

Now let's add a tray icon to simplify turning compiz on/off and configuring it. Grab compizswitch.tar.gz from the end of this guide and extract it somewhere. /opt works well if want to use it systemwide, but if its just for you you home directory also works (I use ~/Software/compizswitch)

Now let's make sure everything works. reboot the computer, then goto wherever you extracted compizswitch are run compizswitchicon.

Compiz will start. Notice the little red box on your panel? Click that and you'll get a menu letting you restart compiz, switch back to metacity, and change compiz's preferences or themes.

Now that that's working, let's add compiz to your startup so it'll launch automatically. Go to System -> Preferences -> Sessions, and under the Startup Programs tab, click add, browse to whereever you put compizswitch, and use compizswitchicon.

END

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