[SOLVED] Nvidia- Composite extension is not available

[Popson]

Hi all. I am very new to kubuntu (and Linux in general). I've been trying to get Compiz/Beryl going, but I've ran into frustrating errors.
I am currently running Kubuntu Hardy Heron 8.04, but using the Gnome interface.

When I try to enable the "Extra" appearance preference, I get a message "The Composite extension is not available".

I am unsure of what my problem could possibly be. I have an Nvidia 7900GTO video card. I think I have the drivers installed properly (i get around 17,000fps in glxgears). I installed the drivers using(if memory served me right):

sudo apt-get install nvidia-glx-new

I edited my xorg.conf to contain the Composite extension and enabled it (my xorg.conf never even had the section before).

This is how my entire xorg.conf currently looks:

# xorg.conf (X.Org X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
#   sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Generic Keyboard"
	Driver		"kbd"
	Option		"XkbRules"	"xorg"
	Option		"XkbModel"	"pc105"
	Option		"XkbLayout"	"us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Configured Mouse"
	Driver		"mouse"
	Option		"CorePointer"
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier	"Configured Video Device"
	Boardname	"nvidia"
	Busid		"PCI:5:0:0"
	Driver		"nvidia"
	Screen	0
	Option		"AddARGBGLXVisuals"	"True"
	Option		"RenderAccel"	"True"
	Option		"AllowGLXWithComposite"	"True"
	Option		"backingstore"	"True"
	Option		"TripleBuffer"	"True"
	Option		"DisableGLXRootClipping"	"True"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier	"Configured Monitor"
	Vendorname	"Generic LCD Display"
	Modelname	"LCD Panel 1440x900"
	Horizsync	31.5-56.0
	Vertrefresh	56.0 - 65.0
  modeline  "800x600@56" 36.0 800 824 896 1024 600 601 603 625 +hsync +vsync
  modeline  "800x600@60" 40.0 800 840 968 1056 600 601 605 628 +hsync +vsync
  modeline  "1280x768@60" 80.14 1280 1344 1480 1680 768 769 772 795 -hsync +vsync
  modeline  "1280x720@60" 74.48 1280 1336 1472 1664 720 721 724 746 -hsync +vsync
  modeline  "1280x800@60" 83.46 1280 1344 1480 1680 800 801 804 828 -hsync +vsync
  modeline  "1440x900@60" 106.47 1440 1520 1672 1904 900 901 904 932 -hsync +vsync
	Gamma	1.0
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier	"Default Screen"
	Monitor		"Configured Monitor"
	Device		"Configured Video Device"
	Defaultdepth	24
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth	24
		Virtual	1440	900
		Modes		"1440x900@60"	"1280x800@60"	"1280x720@60"	"1280x768@60"	"800x600@60"	"800x600@56"
	EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
	Identifier	"Default Layout"
  screen 0 "Default Screen" 0 0
  screen 1 "screen1" leftof "Default Screen"
EndSection
Section "Module"
	Load		"glx"
	Load		"v4l"
EndSection
Section "device" #    
	Identifier	"device1"
	Boardname	"nvidia"
	Busid		"PCI:5:0:0"
	Driver		"nvidia"
	Screen	1
EndSection
Section "screen" #    
	Identifier	"screen1"
	Device		"device1"
	Defaultdepth	24
	Monitor		"monitor1"
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth	24
		Modes		"1440x900@60"	"1280x800@60"	"1280x720@60"	"1280x768@60"	"800x600@60"	"800x600@56"
	EndSubSection
EndSection
Section "monitor" #    
	Identifier	"monitor1"
	Vendorname	"Generic LCD Display"
	Modelname	"LCD Panel 1440x900"
	Horizsync	31.5-56.0
	Vertrefresh	56.0 - 65.0
  modeline  "800x600@56" 36.0 800 824 896 1024 600 601 603 625 +hsync +vsync
  modeline  "800x600@60" 40.0 800 840 968 1056 600 601 605 628 +hsync +vsync
  modeline  "1280x768@60" 80.14 1280 1344 1480 1680 768 769 772 795 -hsync +vsync
  modeline  "1280x720@60" 74.48 1280 1336 1472 1664 720 721 724 746 -hsync +vsync
  modeline  "1280x800@60" 83.46 1280 1344 1480 1680 800 801 804 828 -hsync +vsync
  modeline  "1440x900@60" 106.47 1440 1520 1672 1904 900 901 904 932 -hsync +vsync
	Gamma	1.0
EndSection
Section "ServerFlags"
	Option		"Xinerama"	"true"
 	Option		"AIGLX"		"on"
EndSection
Section "Extensions"
	Option		"Composite"	"Enable"
EndSection

I've changed and added a few things, but nothing has seemed to work.



I don't know if this will help, but here is part of what comes up in glxinfo:

name of display: :0.0
display: :0  screen: 0
direct rendering: Yes
server glx vendor string: NVIDIA Corporation
server glx version string: 1.4
server glx extensions:
    GLX_EXT_visual_info, GLX_EXT_visual_rating, GLX_SGIX_fbconfig, 
    GLX_SGIX_pbuffer, GLX_SGI_video_sync, GLX_SGI_swap_control, 
    GLX_EXT_texture_from_pixmap, GLX_ARB_multisample, GLX_NV_float_buffer, 
    GLX_ARB_fbconfig_float
client glx vendor string: NVIDIA Corporation
client glx version string: 1.4
client glx extensions:
    GLX_ARB_get_proc_address, GLX_ARB_multisample, GLX_EXT_visual_info, 
    GLX_EXT_visual_rating, GLX_EXT_import_context, GLX_SGI_video_sync, 
    GLX_NV_swap_group, GLX_NV_video_out, GLX_SGIX_fbconfig, GLX_SGIX_pbuffer, 
    GLX_SGI_swap_control, GLX_NV_float_buffer, GLX_ARB_fbconfig_float, 
    GLX_EXT_fbconfig_packed_float, GLX_EXT_texture_from_pixmap, 
    GLX_EXT_framebuffer_sRGB
GLX version: 1.3
GLX extensions:
    GLX_EXT_visual_info, GLX_EXT_visual_rating, GLX_SGIX_fbconfig, 
    GLX_SGIX_pbuffer, GLX_SGI_video_sync, GLX_SGI_swap_control, 
    GLX_EXT_texture_from_pixmap, GLX_ARB_multisample, GLX_NV_float_buffer, 
    GLX_ARB_fbconfig_float, GLX_ARB_get_proc_address
OpenGL vendor string: NVIDIA Corporation
OpenGL renderer string: GeForce 7900 GTO/PCI/SSE2
OpenGL version string: 2.1.2 NVIDIA 169.12
OpenGL extensions:
    GL_ARB_color_buffer_float, GL_ARB_depth_texture, GL_ARB_draw_buffers, 
    GL_ARB_fragment_program, GL_ARB_fragment_program_shadow, 
    GL_ARB_fragment_shader, GL_ARB_half_float_pixel, GL_ARB_imaging, 
    GL_ARB_multisample, GL_ARB_multitexture, GL_ARB_occlusion_query, 
    GL_ARB_pixel_buffer_object, GL_ARB_point_parameters, GL_ARB_point_sprite, 
    GL_ARB_shadow, GL_ARB_shader_objects, GL_ARB_shading_language_100, 
    GL_ARB_texture_border_clamp, GL_ARB_texture_compression, 
    GL_ARB_texture_cube_map, GL_ARB_texture_env_add, 
    GL_ARB_texture_env_combine, GL_ARB_texture_env_dot3, GL_ARB_texture_float, 
    GL_ARB_texture_mirrored_repeat, GL_ARB_texture_non_power_of_two, 
    GL_ARB_texture_rectangle, GL_ARB_transpose_matrix, 
    GL_ARB_vertex_buffer_object, GL_ARB_vertex_program, GL_ARB_vertex_shader, 
    GL_ARB_window_pos, GL_ATI_draw_buffers, GL_ATI_texture_float, 
    GL_ATI_texture_mirror_once, GL_S3_s3tc, GL_EXT_texture_env_add, 
    GL_EXT_abgr, GL_EXT_bgra, GL_EXT_blend_color, 
    GL_EXT_blend_equation_separate, GL_EXT_blend_func_separate, 
    GL_EXT_blend_minmax, GL_EXT_blend_subtract, GL_EXT_compiled_vertex_array, 
    GL_EXT_Cg_shader, GL_EXT_depth_bounds_test, GL_EXT_draw_range_elements, 
    GL_EXT_fog_coord, GL_EXT_framebuffer_blit, GL_EXT_framebuffer_multisample, 
    GL_EXT_framebuffer_object, GL_EXT_gpu_program_parameters, 
    GL_EXT_multi_draw_arrays, GL_EXT_packed_depth_stencil, 
    GL_EXT_packed_pixels, GL_EXT_pixel_buffer_object, GL_EXT_point_parameters, 
    GL_EXT_rescale_normal, GL_EXT_secondary_color, 
    GL_EXT_separate_specular_color, GL_EXT_shadow_funcs, 
    GL_EXT_stencil_two_side, GL_EXT_stencil_wrap, GL_EXT_texture3D, 
    GL_EXT_texture_compression_s3tc, GL_EXT_texture_cube_map, 
    GL_EXT_texture_edge_clamp, GL_EXT_texture_env_combine, 
    GL_EXT_texture_env_dot3, GL_EXT_texture_filter_anisotropic, 
    GL_EXT_texture_lod, GL_EXT_texture_lod_bias, GL_EXT_texture_mirror_clamp, 
    GL_EXT_texture_object, GL_EXT_texture_sRGB, GL_EXT_timer_query, 
    GL_EXT_vertex_array, GL_IBM_rasterpos_clip, 
    GL_IBM_texture_mirrored_repeat, GL_KTX_buffer_region, GL_NV_blend_square, 
    GL_NV_copy_depth_to_color, GL_NV_depth_clamp, GL_NV_fence, 
    GL_NV_float_buffer, GL_NV_fog_distance, GL_NV_fragment_program, 
    GL_NV_fragment_program_option, GL_NV_fragment_program2, 
    GL_NV_framebuffer_multisample_coverage, GL_NV_half_float, 
    GL_NV_light_max_exponent, GL_NV_multisample_filter_hint, 
    GL_NV_occlusion_query, GL_NV_packed_depth_stencil, GL_NV_pixel_data_range, 
    GL_NV_point_sprite, GL_NV_primitive_restart, GL_NV_register_combiners, 
    GL_NV_register_combiners2, GL_NV_texgen_reflection, 
    GL_NV_texture_compression_vtc, GL_NV_texture_env_combine4, 
    GL_NV_texture_expand_normal, GL_NV_texture_rectangle, 
    GL_NV_texture_shader, GL_NV_texture_shader2, GL_NV_texture_shader3, 
    GL_NV_vertex_array_range, GL_NV_vertex_array_range2, GL_NV_vertex_program, 
    GL_NV_vertex_program1_1, GL_NV_vertex_program2, 
    GL_NV_vertex_program2_option, GL_NV_vertex_program3, 
    GL_NVX_conditional_render, GL_SGIS_generate_mipmap, GL_SGIS_texture_lod, 
    GL_SGIX_depth_texture, GL_SGIX_shadow, GL_SUN_slice_accum

Could someone tell me how to get/use the composite extension?
Maybe there is something I am missing completely...

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated! I just need some wobbly =P.

[djtux]

Hey,

I'm also have the same problem as Popson. Im using a 8800GT. But I have not yet installed Beryl only been trying Compiz. I've been trying to fix it for many hours trying various things, such as adding the Composite extention under the xorg.conf. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

DjTux

[Zorael]

What is the terminal output of the following?

$ compiz --loose-binding --ignore-desktop-hints --replace &

Omit the prepended dollar-sign, that's just code convention to show it's a terminal command.

[Popson]

What is the terminal output of the following?

$ compiz --loose-binding --ignore-desktop-hints --replace &

Omit the prepended dollar-sign, that's just code convention to show it's a terminal command.

This is what I get:

[1] 9650
neil@neil:~$ Checking for Xgl: not present. 
Detected PCI ID for VGA: 05:00.0 0300: 10de:0291 (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
Checking for texture_from_pixmap: present. 
Checking for non power of two support: present. 
Checking for Composite extension: not present. 
aborting and using fallback: /usr/bin/metacity 
metacity: Unknown option --loose-binding

Which reminds me, I noticed for people with ATI cards, installing xserver-xgl often did the trick. Is there something similar for nVidia cards(or does that work for nVidia cards too)?


EDIT: Using Synaptic I installed xserver-xgl (why i didn't do this before, I don't know...) and it immediately did the trick!
Yay for wobbly windows.

Thanks for the help.

[Forlong]

Your original problem was Xinerama. If you switch to TwinView, you will be able to use Compiz without Xgl (which should be considerably faster).

[Popson]

Your original problem was Xinerama. If you switch to TwinView, you will be able to use Compiz without Xgl (which should be considerably faster).

Okay removed Xgl, I have a few questions.

a) how do I enable TwinView?
b) when in TwinView, how do I make the taskbar and windows monitor specific. I don't really know how to explain it, like, so that everything doesn't stretch across both my monitors.

I really appreciate this help

[Zorael]

To disable Xinerama and as such, enable TwinView (since it's on by default and you don't seem to have explicitly disabled it in your xorg.conf), just comment out or remove this line.

	Option		"Xinerama"	"true"

As for the monitor-specific taskbar thingy, that fixed itself after an X restart for me.

[Popson]

Thank you!!! That was way easier than I was expecting.

Now I have another question (one day I will know enough...). [With compiz on] my mouse can travel across each monitor perfectly, but windows cannot. Each monitor has it's own two workspaces, when I try and drag a window to the other monitor it either switches to the other workspace or it doesn't move at all (if I am already on said workspace). How do I go about fixing this?

Thanks.

[Zorael]

Open up nvidia-settings, go to X Server Display Configuration and hit Configure. You want to pick TwinView and not Separate X screen. You will have to restart X after making this change.

[Popson]

Thanks for the great help. It's all good now.