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No window decorators in Compiz in Ubuntu Gutsy

I just upgraded an Ubuntu machine from Ubuntu Dapper to Gutsy. For starters, don't do this. The supported path is D -> E -> F -> G, but I'm hax0r, so I wanted to do it in one step. It's possible, but took a lot more effort than it was worth.

Gutsy has Compiz as default, but the upgrade left me with no window decoration (borders, title bar, etc). I did what I thought was deleting my entire GNOME prefs/gconf tree, but still didn't get a fix. I did find the answer eventually: re-enable the decorator plugin.

You can do this, and enable a good bunch more also, like so:

gconftool --set /apps/compiz/general/allscreens/options/active_plugins \
--type list --list-type string \
'[gconf,png,svg,decoration,wobbly,fade,minimize,cube,rotate,zoom,scale,move,place,switcher,screenshot,resize]'

This hard to find answer was bought to you by Brice Goglin's blog.

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3 Responses to “No window decorators in Compiz in Ubuntu Gutsy”

  1. JT says:

    worked for me

  2. Axel says:

    You can do the same installing the "compizconfig-settings-manager" - started via "ccsm" on the commandline - or in the settings menu via "Advanced Desktop Effect Settings".

    Choose "Decoration" in category "Effects".

  3. Jpeg says:

    Thanks for the tip, hard to find answer indeed 🙂 Compiz always left me with no window decorations (Debian Lenny here). I seem to only have the core compiz components, no GUI whatsoever. I didn't track this to a lack of default gconf options. Now it's working as it should. I might as well try installing some sort of GUI configurator, because fiddling with gconftool is not really my type of fun.

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