Panel transparency

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Turnip

Beginner

Posts: 8

Sunday, September 5th 2004, 3:58pm

Panel transparency

Hi, I have a KDE panel at the bottom of my screen that pops up when I touch the bottom of the screen, and auto-hides after 3 seconds. It is transparent.

The problem that I am having is that the transparency doesn't work properly. When the desktop is visible it works fine, but when it is over a window, I still see the transparency from the desktop instead of the current window (so I am seeing the desktop through the panel rather than the window that is open). Is there any way to sort this out?

Also, does anyone know how I can create my own themes for the styleclock applet, as there is currently only one digital theme and it's a bit big for my liking.

Thanks a lot.
Turnip

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cmbofh

Intermediate

Posts: 539

Sunday, September 5th 2004, 4:23pm

Re: Panel transparency

Quoted

Original von Turnip

When the desktop is visible it works fine, but when it is over a window, I still see the transparency from the desktop instead of the current window (so I am seeing the desktop through the panel rather than the window that is open). Is there any way to sort this out?

AFAIK this is an issue with the X server. KDE can't do anything about it. I assume you're using XFree86. True transparency cannot be done with this implementation so kicker emulates it: It grabs the desktop and uses it as background image.

IIRC there's work underway to have support for true transparency in the x.org server so this may solve your problem in the future (as soon as this version is released and KDE supports that feature).

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Turnip

Beginner

Posts: 8

Sunday, September 5th 2004, 6:00pm

Thanks for your reply.

Is there a workaround for the problem at all? Such as installing another bit of software? It's really quite a design flaw.

I noticed this isn't a problem with transparent menus, only transparent panels, perhaps this is because the menus generated the "transparency" in real time, and the panels don't?

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cmbofh

Intermediate

Posts: 539

Sunday, September 5th 2004, 6:24pm

Quoted

Original von Turnip

Is there a workaround for the problem at all? Such as installing another bit of software?

None that I know of. That doesn't say much though, I'm not using any transparency.

Quoted

Original von Turnip

I noticed this isn't a problem with transparent menus, only transparent panels, perhaps this is because the menus generated the "transparency" in real time, and the panels don't?

Good question. I don't know what the difference between these two cases is.

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Turnip

Beginner

Posts: 8

Sunday, September 5th 2004, 6:34pm

Ok, well thanks for your help.

Would the issues be the same with GNOME? I might try it again, just to see what the situation's like on there, although if I start using it then I'll have to sort something out with that damn file manager...

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cmbofh

Intermediate

Posts: 539

Sunday, September 5th 2004, 6:45pm

Quoted

Original von Turnip

Would the issues be the same with GNOME?

I would think so but I didn't check.

Quoted

Original von Turnip

I might try it again, just to see what the situation's like on there, although if I start using it then I'll have to sort something out with that damn file manager...

Personally, I wouldn't base the decision of what desktop enviroment to use on such a small (to me) issue.

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Turnip

Beginner

Posts: 8

Sunday, September 5th 2004, 7:03pm

Well... that was the main thing that lead me to switch to KDE actually... it was very frustrating.

Apart from that I don't actually see a *whole* lot of difference between the two. They all have roughly the same features, although KDE is perhaps a little more matured.

I really hate the spatial mode though...

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Amoeba

Trainee

Posts: 115

Location: http://seattle.wa.u$

Occupation: Urban guerilla

Sunday, September 5th 2004, 8:21pm

Re: Panel transparency

Quoted

Original von Turnip

Hi, I have a KDE panel at the bottom of my screen that pops up when I touch the bottom of the screen, and auto-hides after 3 seconds. It is transparent.

The problem that I am having is that the transparency doesn't work properly. When the desktop is visible it works fine, but when it is over a window, I still see the transparency from the desktop instead of the current window (so I am seeing the desktop through the panel rather than the window that is open). Is there any way to sort this out?

Also, does anyone know how I can create my own themes for the styleclock applet, as there is currently only one digital theme and it's a bit big for my liking.

Thanks a lot.
Turnip

What X server are you using? I have a transparent, autohiding panel too. I don't have any problems. I'm using the xorg-x11-6.7.0 server and have no issues.

-- rm -fr /etc/whitehouse
-- Gentoo | udev | Xorg 6.8.2 | 2.6.14-r4 | KDE 3.5.0