KDE desktop cube

[FreshFlesh]

Any way to animate desktop cube background (like in compiz) without using compiz ?
I hope that's an YES....

[aqeeliz]

You can do it without using compiz (name of a software) but you will have to enable composting (3D effects).

To use desktop cube, "Enable desktop effects" in KMenu -> Settings -> System Settings -> Desktop Effects. Then goto 'All Effects' tab and enable desktop cube.

[FreshFlesh]

i was talking about the background... from the back of the cube...
In compiz is "animate skydome" (or something like that) and when u rotate cube, the background also rotates.
That is called "animated".

Any way to do that in KDE ? ---> WITHOUT COMPIZ !

[oshunluvr]

System Settings > Desktop > All Effects > Desktop Cube > Wrench icon > Background/Wallpaper

[FreshFlesh]

And I animate it how ? :D

The wallpaper was already set, but I would really like to be able to make it rotate with the cube (as to be an extra effect of the desktop cube).

[oshunluvr]

Oh, sorry - somehow I missed the animate part. I think kwin just doesn't have all the compiz effects and this might be one of them.

I can't figure out how to grab my desktop with the mouse and rotate the cube (like with compiz) without CRTL-F11 first... :P

[Snowhog]

The 'default' is to just right-click+hold which changes the cursor from a pointer to a closed hand. Then just move the mouse. Works here on my 10.10 32-bit KDE 4.5.2.

[FreshFlesh]

i use ctrl+alt+z

is alot like ctrl+alt+hold-click from compiz

i also set that desktop cube effectt ends at the end of mouse drag so i wont have to press ctrl+alt+z again to end it

still no animated background though...

maybe in a future KDE release...

[oshunluvr]

All right-click does for me is bring up a desktop menu.

[Pillage Idiot]

As fresh says, I have mine set to end when I stop dragging it.
I also have the screen edges set, when I push the top screen edge it goes into cube, right side presents windows. (System Settings/Window Behaviour/Screen Edges.
Can be quite amusing when someone borrows my PC.

[GreyGeek]

All right-click does for me is bring up a desktop menu.


"My wife - lucky me"? :o
Looks a lot like Gina Lolabridgeda (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0518178/) to me.
;D

[oshunluvr]

Hmm, If I remember Gina, I'd say that was a very complementary comparison - Thank you! Let's take a look - please note this shot if my wife is without make-up artists or professional photographers, however both sets of "garments" are French. We were in Paris when I took this candid shot...

Lisa is on the left ;D

[NoWorries]

As fresh says, I have mine set to end when I stop dragging it.
I also have the screen edges set, when I push the top screen edge it goes into cube, right side presents windows. (System Settings/Window Behaviour/Screen Edges.
Can be quite amusing when someone borrows my PC.


I have tried the desktop cube and when my wife used my laptop she got a shock when she accidentally moved the cursor to the corner which enabled the cube.

I have tried using compiz but it changes the sound quality. There is a cracking sound in the speakers when using packages such as Kaffeine and Skype. When I removed compiz and used the KDE desktop effects, I also got the same crackling sound from my speakers.

Also I have a second monitor connected to my laptop and the desktop effects do not work properly, especially the cube.

Because of the degradation in sound quality when desktop effects are active, I have abandoned enabling desktop effects. This also keeps my wife happy ;D.

[GreyGeek]

....
Lisa is on the left


If you've ever seen pics of Gina WITHOUT makeup you'd know she has nothing over your wife except a good press agent (and better photographer! :D ) Here are some examples of what makeup can do (http://fashiontribes.typepad.com/fashion/2008/12/models-without.html)! What you can't see in some of the make-up shots are the bones some of those dogs are chewing on.

Now that we are bragging about wives, here is a shot taken a week ago of my lovely bride and her trophy husband.. ;D ;D ;D ;D

[oshunluvr]

Thank you the nice words about my wife - and I've never been much of a photog, that's her game too.

Great photo of you and your better-half as well - I'm sure your personality makes up for a lot...

;D ;D ;D Just joking of course - how can I be so mean after all your compliments? Notice I've edited myself out of all my photos! :P

Hey, maybe those makeup artists can help me out too!

A couple of weeks ago I showed my wife what you can do with GIMP - took a group shot of us and some relatives and made all the women huge and all the men trim and fit...hilarious!
[/off-thread posting]

I guess the mouse-dragging-the-cube thing is a compiz feature and not yet available in kwin. I'm trying to stick to simplicity.

Odd how desktop effects cause sound "effects", just a guess... on-board sound AND video with shared memory?

[GreyGeek]

Attached is our wedding pic, Dec 16, 1962

[oshunluvr]

Awwwwww... How sweet!

You have the same haircut my dad did that year. I was 11 months old!

You'll soon be having a 50-year anniversary! That's incredible and something to be very proud of.

[woodsmoke]

I dunno, but the way I did it was:

System/Preferences/Simple Compiz Setting Manager/ Desktop/Desktop Cube

I had to have four columns.

and then press Ctrl-alt and grab with a left click on the mouse and there is the cube.

woodsmoke

[oshunluvr]

Yes, like I said...


System/Preferences/Simple Compiz Setting Manager/ Desktop/Desktop Cube

...I'm not using compiz.

I was trying to figure out if kwin had the ability to

rotate the cube
using the mouse
without typing CRTL-F11 first.

It appears the answer is "no."

[dibl]

I was trying to figure out if kwin had the ability to

rotate the cube
using the mouse
without typing CRTL-F11 first.

It appears the answer is "no."


Yes it does!

I'm away from my system atm, but there are two steps to get "the cube" as offered by Kubuntu.

1. You first have to change the number of virtual desktops from the default 2 to 4. I'm having trouble remembering the exact path to get to that, but it's in desktop settings somewhere.

2. K > System Settings > Desktop Effects, enable compositing, enable "cube", and "apply", and you should be good to go. Using the mouse wheel to turn to the next desktop works great on my system -- I have not bothered to install compiz because the kwin effects are fully sufficient to let me "spin" the desktops.

[NoWorries]

Odd how desktop effects cause sound "effects", just a guess... on-board sound AND video with shared memory?


The "crackling sound" that I get on my 64B laptop when the desktop effects are enabled is unrelated to the on-board sound AND video with shared memory. I get it when I play a CD or use Skype Echo / Sound Test Service. Neither of these involve video. Also, I have external speakers plugged into the laptop and I have also tried USB speakers which also give the crackling sound. My sound driver uses PulseAudio.

Sometimes when I enable desktop effects, I get a message from KWin Window Manager about slow desktop response. The cursor is slow and menu actions slow down. There is nothing in the system showing high cpu useage. I now suspect that the degradation in sound quality is related to the slow down in desktop response with desktop effects enabled. A solution this this problem would be appreciated.

[oshunluvr]

dibl: I should have been more specific on my last post - I can rotate the cube with the mouse wheel (4 desktops already enabled), but I can't grab the cube with the left or right mouse button and manually manipulate it unless I hit CRTL-F11 first.

This was a feature that was available with compiz since kde3, but I can't make it work without compiz using kde4.

It's really not that big of a deal anyway - I was just looking to see if I had missed it somewhere. I don't think kwin has that feature available.

[dibl]

I can't grab the cube with the left or right mouse button and manually manipulate it unless I hit CRTL-F11 first.



Right. The *buntu version of "Desktop Cube" does not allow the "grab and rotate" like compiz. You have to install and configure compiz to get that.

[Snowhog]

Right. The *buntu version of "Desktop Cube" does not allow the "grab and rotate" like compiz. You have to install and configure compiz to get that.



Not so. At least, not here on my 10.10 running KDE 4.5.3. With the Cube activated as well as Desktop Cube Animation, all I have to do is active the cube (Alt+F11) and then right-click+hold the mouse and I can rotate the cube.

[sjhstorm]

In Kwin the only way I can see (without using key combination) to start cube grab is by setting screen edge, this is the method I use and prefer. In compiz the default is middle button click and hold on desktop/workspace.

I like the screen edge setting it's especially fun when someone else uses your computer.

[kubicle]

Right. The *buntu version of "Desktop Cube" does not allow the "grab and rotate" like compiz. You have to install and configure compiz to get that.

One option would be to use btnx, which allows you to reroute mouse buttons as key presses (among other things), so you can map a button to produce Ctrl+F11 -keypress (you can of course set a different shortcut for the cube action).

Since you probably need the regular buttons for other things, I'd recommend this only if you have a multi-button mouse (more than three buttons)

(Could be doable with input actions/mouse gestures as well, but haven't tried)

[dibl]

With the Cube activated as well as Desktop Cube Animation, all I have to do is active the cube (Alt+F11) and then right-click+hold the mouse and I can rotate the cube.


It doesn't work that way for me -- all I see with a right-click is the desktop settings menu, before or after Alt-F11. Ctrl-F11 makes it "quiver", Alt-F11 does nothing at all. Must depend on your graphics driver. But the mousewheel switching works just fine, same as compiz.

[Snowhog]

Sorry, ment left+click+hold the mouse (at least here) to get the 'closed hand' which then allows rotation/tilting of the cube.