Update: Enable Compositing the Easier Way

By | 2009/02/25

Based on the comments from the previous post I wanted to offer an update. A much simpler solution is to simply activate the compositing within recent versions of Gnome.

gconftool-2 -s --type bool /apps/metacity/general/compositing_manager true

This does introduce a known bug which can break enabling compiz however. If you want to activate compiz after toggling this value, you’ll need to de-activate it first.

gconftool-2 -s --type bool /apps/metacity/general/compositing_manager false

Thanks to Christoph, Philip and Cory for this tip.

10 thoughts on “Update: Enable Compositing the Easier Way

    1. John

      Thank you so much man. That is a simple and very arbitrary, yet incredibly useful thing to know.
      My system is now working right.

      Thanks.

  1. Livio

    “This does introduce a known bug”

    This is not a bug silly. If you turn one compositor on, then you can’t turn another one.

    It’s like being in one place and not being in another at the same time.

  2. Juanjo

    The google ads fucks up the code snipet.

  3. ste

    Enabling and then Disabling Metacity compositing in the same session will lock up your desktop. Even on Debian Lenny.

  4. AleKnaui

    This helped me to enable compositing, but if you still wanna use Compiz, you just go to Preferences –> Appearance –> Visual Effects and select “Extra”… at least, this worked for me…

  5. SickBoy

    Just wanted to say that this helped me immensely when I upgraded my Ubuntu 10.10 (alpha 2) today and compiz got messed up, making my Docky not work properly. The commands worked perfectly (even for someone as inept at *nix as I am). Thanks a million!

  6. Alexis

    OMG, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! You just answered my question that I’ve been bashing my head against for about an hour now!!! All better. 🙂

  7. Herecomes

    Thanx for the help..this works in 10.10 too

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