• From: Michigan, US
  • Registered: 2009-01-30
  • Posts: 24

Topic: Terminator transparency workaround

It's likely that you haven't read my introduction topic, so let me explain...

Even with "background_type=transparent" set in Terminator's config file, transparency fails for me.
Since (pseudo) transparency does work in Terminator when composition is turned off I think it would be safe to assume there is a conflict involving xcompmrg. (any help troubleshooting this root problem would be awesomely appreciated)

I've devised an, admittedly shoddy, easy workaround involving xdotool, which was suggested by corenominal.

This is a simple script that I have set to be executed from Openbox's menu:

#/bin/bash

# launch terminator with transparency
terminator &
(sleep 1s && transset .75) &
(sleep 2s && xdotool mousemove 400 450) &
(sleep 3s && xdotool click 1) &

Very simple, and it doesn't work if there are other windows on the desktop (since it usually draws Terminator in an area that won't get "hit" by the "xdotool click 1") so I have to minimise all windows before opening.

Also, I've tried using a variable to hold the value of 'xdotool getwindowfocus' and using 'xdotool windowmove $VARNAME x y' to move the window to a particular location but this doesn't seem to work at all. Even using a hardcoded value that I am certain is the correct window ID will fail to move the window.

I'm definitely not a pro, so if anyone knows of a method that would work better than this (which there has to be), then please let me know.

me on last.fm.
  • From: Lincoln, UK
  • Registered: 2008-11-20
  • Posts: 4,242

Re: Terminator transparency workaround

Hello callinyouin smile

Thinking about it some more, I may have been somewhat hasty in recommending the use of xdotool. I have been playing around with transset-df, which has options for setting transparency by window name and id. So, I came up with an alternative method:

1. Install transset-df:

sudo apt-get install transset-df

2. Create a file in your personal bin directory named "terminator" and make executable:

touch ~/bin/terminator && chmod +x ~/bin/terminator

3. Copy the following code into the file, save and exit:

#!/bin/sh
exec /usr/bin/terminator $@ &
sleep 2s
transset-df --id `xprop -root | grep "_NET_ACTIVE_WINDOW(WINDOW): window id # " | grep -o -E -e 0x[a-z0-9]+` 0.75 &> /dev/null
exit

Now, if everything has worked, Terminator should be made transparent just after it has loaded. Note, I have not done any extensive testing with this so your mileage may vary. wink

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  • From: Michigan, US
  • Registered: 2009-01-30
  • Posts: 24

Re: Terminator transparency workaround

corenominal, you are the master. smile

I will say one thing, though. For some reason, the Terminator window seems to leave behind some "fragments" when I drag it around the desktop. Actually, the first time I launched it with the script you provided, the only thing it drew on screen was a scroll bar. Weird.
I'm not complaining, though. I'm completely satisfied, and I whole-heartedly welcome my new fragment-inducing terminal.

Last edited by callinyouin (2009-01-31 19:21:30)

me on last.fm.
  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2009-02-01
  • Posts: 23

Re: Terminator transparency workaround

cool, works really well. awsome, that's what i needed!

only thing it does, though, is that when dragged around, the background pictures stays "locked" in it and updates only when it is at its final destination.....

any way that can be changed?
if not, not the end of the world. it's obviously no essential feature!

THANK YOU

Last edited by dr. cox (2009-02-03 02:10:02)

  • Registered: 2009-02-28
  • Posts: 5

Re: Terminator transparency workaround

Beautiful! big_smile Thanks corenominal! And I don't have the same problem as dr. cox. Is it possible that you don't have compositing enabled and it's only using false transparency?

  • Registered: 2009-08-11
  • Posts: 15

Re: Terminator transparency workaround

Thanks, corenominal!  Worked like a charm! big_smile

Is there any way to make the body transparent while maintaining 100% opacity on the borders and title bar?

  • From: Lincoln, UK
  • Registered: 2008-11-20
  • Posts: 4,242

Re: Terminator transparency workaround

MissPride wrote:

Is there any way to make the body transparent while maintaining 100% opacity on the borders and title bar?

This should be possible without the use of the above script. Simply edit ~/.config/terminator/config and make sure it includes the following:

background_type=transparent
enable_real_transparency=true
background_darkness=0.8

Adjust background_darkness to your liking. Note the default Terminator config file already contains these lines, they are just commented out like so:

# Uncomment below to enable transparency
# --------------------------------------
#background_type=transparent
#enable_real_transparency=true
#background_darkness=0.8

Hope this helps. smile

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  • Registered: 2009-08-11
  • Posts: 15

Re: Terminator transparency workaround

Hehe, whoops... I mean, uh, I knew that!  Um, yeah. big_smile"

  • koral
  • #! Member
  • Offline
  • From: UK
  • Registered: 2009-08-24
  • Posts: 58

Re: Terminator transparency workaround

I'v got the same thing as dr. cox. When you drag the window, the image stays locked in terminal.
Ho do i fix it?

There's just one kind of man than you can trust, that's a dead man. Or a gringo like me!
  • From: Lincoln, UK
  • Registered: 2008-11-20
  • Posts: 4,242

Re: Terminator transparency workaround

koral wrote:

I'v got the same thing as dr. cox. When you drag the window, the image stays locked in terminal.
Ho do i fix it?

Have you enabled compositing?

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  • koral
  • #! Member
  • Offline
  • From: UK
  • Registered: 2009-08-24
  • Posts: 58

Re: Terminator transparency workaround

corenominal wrote:
koral wrote:

I'v got the same thing as dr. cox. When you drag the window, the image stays locked in terminal.
Ho do i fix it?

Have you enabled compositing?

Noob question:
How to do that? smile

There's just one kind of man than you can trust, that's a dead man. Or a gringo like me!
  • Awebb
  • #! Die-hard
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2009-07-23
  • Posts: 2,308

Re: Terminator transparency workaround

Openbox menu -> preferences -> composting -> one of the more obvious options there.

You can also edit your autostart.sh and add xcompmgr &

I'm so meta, even this acronym
  • koral
  • #! Member
  • Offline
  • From: UK
  • Registered: 2009-08-24
  • Posts: 58

Re: Terminator transparency workaround

Ok, after I enabled it, workspace started behave really odd. Menus dessappeared, and i can see only what i selected with cursor. I tried switchind the gui theme, and openbox theme to different, but it makes no difference. Everything just keeps blinking.
http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/8079/2009082512512281751280x.th.png

There's just one kind of man than you can trust, that's a dead man. Or a gringo like me!
  • Registered: 2008-12-13
  • Posts: 1,480

Re: Terminator transparency workaround

you need to change your conky to:
own_window_type desktop
conky has some issues with some settings and compositing

I say never be complete, I say stop being perfect, I say lets evolve, let the chips fall where they may.
  • koral
  • #! Member
  • Offline
  • From: UK
  • Registered: 2009-08-24
  • Posts: 58

Re: Terminator transparency workaround

Thanks, iggykoopa. I added to conky config, and it solved my problem.

own_window yes
own_window_transparent yes
own_window_type desktop

Cheers!

There's just one kind of man than you can trust, that's a dead man. Or a gringo like me!
  • Registered: 2008-12-13
  • Posts: 1,480

Re: Terminator transparency workaround

I had the same issue a couple of months ago, it was very frustrating to figure out why. Glad to help wink

I say never be complete, I say stop being perfect, I say lets evolve, let the chips fall where they may.
  • Registered: 2009-09-26
  • Posts: 4

Re: Terminator transparency workaround

Thanks corenominal

  • From: USA
  • Registered: 2009-01-10
  • Posts: 65

Re: Terminator transparency workaround

Thanks iggykoopa.

smile Free your Software -- Free your Life smile

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  • From: London, UK
  • Registered: 2009-08-27
  • Posts: 73

Re: Terminator transparency workaround

I've never had a problem with Terminator transparency using xcompmgr-dana:

xcompmgr -I1 -O1 -Ff -m.80

This also gives a transparent menu.

  • Registered: 2010-09-05
  • Posts: 15

Re: Terminator transparency workaround

A day late and a dollar short in this conversation, but thanks Corenominal.  It is perfect! Thanks for #!, love it and finally stopped distro hopping.

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