April 8, 2008 by keith
Posted in
In a couple of days' time, Ubuntu 8.04 will be officially released to the public. This version is codenamed Hardy Heron. Since last year's release of Ubuntu Feisty Fawn, I have briefly spoken about its new feature of Desktop Effects being a default installation. Over the past 12 months, the development has seen the feature stabilised with further enhancement brought to you in this new release.
The Desktop Effect feature is, however, not automatically installed in the new version. Hence, in order to obtain that special feel of Wobbling Windows, Cube Switching, Flame Effect and others, you will need to activate these features using the following instructions. To activate Desktop Effects in Ubuntu Hardy Heron, simply follow the instructions below:
Under the System toolbar tab, the Appearance command is a default installation that comes with Ubuntu 8.04. In order to fully exploit the capability of your system graphics, the following package is required to be installed.
Run the following command from the console to install Compiz Manager to your Linux system.
sudo aptitude install compizconfig-settings-manager
After successfully done so, then proceed to configure your Ubuntu to activate Desktop Effects.
- Access [Appearance] tab under System toolbar; that is, System > Preferences > Appearance.
- Click on the [Visual Effects] tab and Select "Extra" as your option.
- You would probably have already experience some powerful graphical effects by now. Follow the next 2 steps to configure your desired effects for your system.
- After installing Compiz Manager, an additional command would now appear under the System toolbar, known as [Advanced Desktop Effects Settings]; that is, System > Preferences > Advanced Desktop Effects Settings.
- Finally, the entire list of Compiz Configuration Menu is shown to users. Select your desired graphical Desktop Effects from the list.
- Last but not least, Enjoy!
One can never imagine how easy it is to set up Desktop Effects in Linux systems these days; as in contrasts to Microsoft Windows Vista's Aero Glass Effects.
A screenshot of a Wobbly Windows effect is shown below.
However, it is still important to note that features may still cause problem to systems. If issues do occur, disable the Desktop Effects.
Doesn't work here
Submitted by Guest (not verified) on Sun, 2008-04-27 19:50.
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When clicking Normal or Extra in the Appearance Preferences MenĂ¼, I get:
Desktop Effects could not be enabled.
Graphics Card Issue?
Submitted by keith on Tue, 2008-04-29 18:00.
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Could it be your graphics card issue? You need to have a good graphic card, at the least, to run Desktop Effects.
won't wrk for me either
Submitted by grolim (not verified) on Fri, 2008-05-02 20:07.
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I can enable it and is working fine when i'm logged in as me but when my wife is logged in it would not be enabled at all ... Something is spooky here.
// Grolim
Unable to work for Multi-User
Submitted by keith on Sat, 2008-05-03 06:43.
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Hi Grolim,
This could be a bug, I've not verified if this could be enabled under multi-users logged on environment, but you could be right.
didn't work
Submitted by will (not verified) on Sat, 2008-05-03 15:09.
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I have had lots of desktop effects installed and working on gutsy, with AWN and emerald theme manager, but when I upgraded to Hardy Heron my AWN is gone, so are my window effects and emerald themes, and the desktop effects is set to "None" I had this on normal in gutsy gibbon, but it won't let me enable them on hardy heron... is there a way to force desktop effects to enable?
You may not have your video
Submitted by Guest (not verified) on Sat, 2008-09-06 03:10.
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You may not have your video card drivers installed if you have a nVidia card, run synaptic and search for nvidia, this should give you the restricted drivers for the card, then the effects should work
after a while it doesnt work anymore
Submitted by weg (not verified) on Mon, 2008-05-05 17:27.
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hello,
the desktop effects are automatically disabled if I start dragging windows too fast or if I switch a desktop.
do you know what is the problem?
thanks
this is bs.. it wont update
Submitted by Guest (not verified) on Sun, 2008-06-08 14:56.
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this is bs.. it wont update OR activate effects.. wtf
Define your steps
Submitted by keith on Mon, 2008-06-09 01:20.
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Hi,
Are you sure you have done the correct procedure? Perhaps you may want to list the steps here.
Alternatively, you might be short of the system requirement to run Desktop Effects.
Works for me on my new box.
Submitted by Guest (not verified) on Thu, 2008-07-10 22:27.
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Works for me on my new box. Not used Linux in ages, I hated it back then for its lack of drivers and abundance of bugs. Now, within four hours of installing Ubuntu 8, I don't see any reason why I would use anything else! These effects were the only thing I liked when I tried linux first time... Great to have them back!
Cheers!
hey it will not let me select
Submitted by drew 111 (not verified) on Sun, 2009-06-07 01:47.
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hey it will not let me select extra in visual effects a message says "desktop effects could not be enabled"
Neat!
Submitted by Banks (not verified) on Fri, 2009-07-17 04:45.
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This is a nice effects tool - I will be playing around with it to see how it works for me.
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