xsnow not working in Etch KDE

[ComputerBob]

I'm a full-time Debian Etch KDE user, having installed my system from the Debian KDE installation CD #1. I also installed the nvidia drivers for my geforce 6200 graphics card, using "the Debian way." The nvidia drivers are working and I have really good 3D.

This morning, I used Synaptic to install xnow, the little toy that adds falling snowflakes to the desktop background. But when I run it by typing xsnow in a terminal window, the xsnow information appears in the terminal, telling me that it's running, but nothing happens on my desktop, other than it turns off the transparency of my kicker panel, and it takes a minute or so for the terminal prompt to appear again.

Has anyone here successfully run xsnow in Etch KDE? Did you have to do anything to make it work?

[llivv]

you could try

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 xsnow  -nonopopup

or perhaps a few of the samples from the man page?

[ComputerBob]

Thanks for the suggestion, but nothing's getting it to work.

That made me wonder if it's an nvidia driver problem. So I went into screensavers and discovered that NONE of the OpenGL screensavers even appear, let alone work. All of the non-OpenGL screensavers work fine.

I have confirmed that direct rendering is working on my system:

computerbob@debian:~$ glxinfo | grep -i render
direct rendering: Yes
OpenGL renderer string: GeForce 6200/AGP/SSE/3DNOW!
GL_NVX_conditional_render, GL_SGIS_generate_mipmap, GL_SGIS_texture_lod,
computerbob@debian:~$ glxinfo | grep "direct"
direct rendering: Yes

The following post makes me think that maybe there's a problem with getting the nvidia driver to work with OpenGL:

viewtopic.php?t=10109

I guess I should start looking for help to get OpenGL screensavers to work with the nvidia drivers -- once I get that problem fixed, then MAYBE xsnow will start working.

[llivv]

I just found this, I hope it helps
live:/usr/share/doc/xsnow# cat README.Debian
Note on xsnow in KDE

If there is no snow in your KDE, please follow the intructions below.

Right-click on your desktop and select Configure Desktop from the popup
menu. When the dialog box appears, click on the Behavior icon in the left hand
side bar. A three tabbed window will appear on the right hand side. Look near
the top on the General tab and you'll see check box with the words "Allow
programs in desktop window" (see the image below). Click that check box, then
click the OK button.

Xsnow will wash away your icons in KDE. That is the normal behaviour. Please
see manpage for further information.

-- Cai Qian <caiqian@debian.org> Thu, 08 Dec 2005 18:01:00 +0000
live:/usr/share/doc/xsnow#

[ComputerBob]

THAT WORKED!!!!!

Thanks so much for finding that and telling me about it!

My desktop currently shows snowflakes falling onto a tropical scene.

OpenGL screensavers still don't work, but since I think others have reported problems with those, and I never use a screensaver (power-down after 5 minutes), I won't worry about that "problem."

[ComputerBob]

Here's a screenshot of xsnow running on my desktop (750 KB):

http://www.computerbob.com/

[EDIT - I changed the link so that it goes to my site's home page, where you'll see a thumbnail in today's Journal entry - December 22 - that will take you to the larger screenshot image.]

[Lavene]

Here's a screenshot of xsnow running on my desktop (750 KB):

http://www.computerbob.com/images/journ ... now_lg.png

Hmmmm

FORBIDDEN - YOU TRIED TO ACCESS A PAGE THAT YOU ARE FORBIDDEN FROM VIEWING. If you arrived here by clicking on a link from a search engine, then try clearing your browser's location bar and retyping the URL of the page that you want to see. If you believe that you should be able to view that page, you may send an email message to SECURITY403 at COMPUTERBOB.COM.

[garrincha]

Here's a screenshot of xsnow running on my desktop (750 KB):

http://www.computerbob.com/images/journ ... now_lg.png

Hmmmm

FORBIDDEN - YOU TRIED TO ACCESS A PAGE THAT YOU ARE FORBIDDEN FROM VIEWING. If you arrived here by clicking on a link from a search engine, then try clearing your browser's location bar and retyping the URL of the page that you want to see. If you believe that you should be able to view that page, you may send an email message to SECURITY403 at COMPUTERBOB.COM.

Heh...I did see his screenshot by going up parent url:
http://www.computerbob.com/

[ComputerBob]

I'm very sorry everyone. I have a "bad-robot" script that automatically bans robots that ignore my robots.txt file, and apparently, it also bans people who try to visit my site's images directly.

Try going to my home page instead, where today's Journal entry has a thumbnail that leads to the larger screenshot.

ComputerBob.com

In the meantime, I'll work on that "bad-robot" script.

If you still get the "FORBIDDEN" message, even when you try to visit my home page, then PLEASE PM me your IP address and I will manually remove it from my .htaccess file, or else you'll never be allowed to view any of my site's pages.

[bluesdog]

..I went into screensavers and discovered that NONE of the OpenGL screensavers even appear, let alone work.

Post your /etc/X11/xorg.conf

[ComputerBob]

Post your /etc/X11/xorg.conf

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# /etc/X11/xorg.conf (xorg 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 /etc/X11/xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man /etc/X11/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 "Files"
   FontPath   "/usr/share/fonts/X11/misc"
   FontPath   "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc"
   FontPath   "/usr/share/fonts/X11/cyrillic"
   FontPath   "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/cyrillic"
   FontPath   "/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi/:unscaled"
   FontPath   "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi/:unscaled"
   FontPath   "/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi/:unscaled"
   FontPath   "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled"
   FontPath   "/usr/share/fonts/X11/Type1"
   FontPath   "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Type1"
   FontPath   "/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi"
   FontPath   "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi"
   FontPath   "/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi"
   FontPath   "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi"
   # path to defoma fonts
   FontPath   "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/TrueType"
EndSection

Section "Module"
   Load   "bitmap"
   Load   "ddc"
   Load   "extmod"
   Load   "freetype"
   Load   "glx"
   Load   "int10"
   Load   "vbe"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
   Identifier   "Generic Keyboard"
   Driver      "kbd"
   Option      "CoreKeyboard"
   Option      "XkbRules"   "xorg"
   Option      "XkbModel"   "pc104"
   Option      "XkbLayout"   "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
   Identifier   "Configured Mouse"
   Driver      "mouse"
   Option      "CorePointer"
   Option      "Device"      "/dev/input/mice"
   Option      "Protocol"      "ImPS/2"
   Option      "Emulate3Buttons"   "true"
EndSection

Section "Device"
   Identifier   "nVidia Corporation NV44A [GeForce 6200]"
   Driver      "nvidia"
   BusID      "PCI:3:0:0"
   Option      "UseFBDev"      "true"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
   Identifier   "Envision_G22LWk"
   Option      "DPMS"
   HorizSync   30-90
   VertRefresh   50-60
EndSection

Section "Screen"
   Identifier   "Default Screen"
   Device      "nVidia Corporation NV44A [GeForce 6200]"
   Monitor      "Envision_G22LWk"
   DefaultDepth   16
   SubSection "Display"
      Depth      1
      Modes      "1680x1050"
   EndSubSection
   SubSection "Display"
      Depth      4
      Modes      "1680x1050"
   EndSubSection
   SubSection "Display"
      Depth      8
      Modes      "1680x1050"
   EndSubSection
   SubSection "Display"
      Depth      15
      Modes      "1680x1050"
   EndSubSection
   SubSection "Display"
      Depth      16
      Modes      "1680x1050"
   EndSubSection
   SubSection "Display"
      Depth      24
      Modes      "1680x1050"
   EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
   Identifier   "Default Layout"
   Screen      "Default Screen"
   InputDevice   "Generic Keyboard"
   InputDevice   "Configured Mouse"
EndSection

Section "DRI"
   Mode   0666
EndSection


I installed the latest nvidia drivers "the Debian way" and I haven't made any changes to xorg.conf, so there really shouldn't be anything wrong with it, should there?

BTW, if I go into the OpenGL section in the list of screensavers, and select any of them, the "preview" remains black. If I click on the "Setup" button, it tells me "No configuration available for (name of screensaver)."

[ComputerBob]

Good news -- I did some more experimenting and discovered that a few of my OpenGL screensavers DO work -- I just had to click on every OpenGL screensaver in the long list to find the few that work.

At least now I know that OpenGL is working correctly for the following screensavers:

Bitmap Flag (GL)
Euphoria (GL)
Fireworks 3D (GL)
Flux (GL)
Gravity (GL)
Pendulum (GL)
KRotation (GL)
Particle Fountain (GL)
Solar Winds (GL)

All of the other OpenGL screensavers just show a black preview screen and don't work.

I'm really relieved to see that those few of them are working just fine, but do the rest of them not work because Debian "thinks" I have a whole bunch of other OpenGL screensavers that I really don't have?

[llivv]

I wouldn't know if debian thinks you have them or not. The package maintainer might think you have them though.
So I would think that would be a good place to start checking as to what you think debian is thinking, I think.

[bluesdog]

First make a backup copy of your /etc/X11/xorg.conf
Example:

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# cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg_backup.conf

Then edit the file, using your fav plain text editor.

Example:

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# nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Add the following to Section "Module"

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Load    "record"
Load    "dbe"
Load    "type1"

Under Section "Device"
Try commenting out the framebuffer device option:

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# Option  "UseFBDev"  "true"

Add the following to Section "Screen"

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Option         "RenderAccel" "true"
Option         "NvAGP" "3"

Comment out or remove the entire Section "DRI"
nvidia GPU has direct rendering built in, so this stanza in /etc/X11/xorg.conf conflicts with the built in dri

You'll probably have to restart the x-server to see any changes.
Switch to a different terminal
Example: <ctrl><alt><f2>
Login as root, and issue command appropriate to your system. Example

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# /etc/init.d/kdm restart

If you inadvertantly mis-typed something, or the x-server refuses to start, you can restore your original /etc/X11/xorg.conf by typing at the CLI:

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# mv /etc/X11/xorg_backup.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf

You can also use the nvidia configuration tool: nvidia-xconfig to create a basic, nicely-formatted /etc/X11/xorg.conf.

See man nvidia-xconfig for more details, and visit the nvidia README for details on various configuration options

Happy tweaking!

[ComputerBob]

I wouldn't know if debian thinks you have them or not. The package maintainer might think you have them though.
So I would think that would be a good place to start checking as to what you think debian is thinking, I think.