Bug 58901 - kmix doesn't dock reliable
Summary: kmix doesn't dock reliable
Status: RESOLVED FIXED
Alias: None
Product: kmix
Classification: Applications
Component: KMix Panel Docking (show other bugs)
Version: unspecified
Platform: Gentoo Packages Linux
: NOR normal
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: Christian Esken
URL:
Keywords:
: 61532 65198 100561 134199 134254 145855 (view as bug list)
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2003-05-24 19:17 UTC by Fridtjof Busse
Modified: 2007-12-30 14:38 UTC (History)
8 users (show)

See Also:
Latest Commit:
Version Fixed In:


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Description Fridtjof Busse 2003-05-24 19:17:48 UTC
Version:            (using KDE KDE 3.1.2)
Installed from:    Gentoo Packages
Compiler:          gcc 3.2.2 
OS:          Linux

Maybe the same bug as #49142, but I'm not sure:
If I start kmix and close the mixer-window, I get an icon near the clock. When I restart and login again, it's still there. If I now restart again, I not only get the icon but also the mixer-window (which I don't want).
If I now kill kmix, log out and in again, start kmix, iconify it, I'm where I started: First session kmix remains as an icon, second session the window starts up.
I'm not sure if this is a bug or feature. If it's a feature, it's an annoying one.
Comment 1 Fridtjof Busse 2003-05-24 19:21:06 UTC
Forgot to mention: kmix worked fine when I had kde-3.1.1a installed, it always 
stayed iconified.  
Also have no problems on a kde-3.1.0 machine. 
Comment 2 John Stamp 2003-05-29 06:17:04 UTC
I have the same problem, and it appeared when I upgraded from Debian's sid 
3.1.1 packages to 3.1.2. 
 
I've worked around the problem by making .xsession set Visible=false in 
.kde/config/kmixrc 
 
Apparently something keeps setting it to true. 
 
Comment 3 Ismail Donmez 2003-05-29 08:59:24 UTC
Can confirm on cvs-head too. 
Comment 4 Christian Esken 2003-05-31 15:44:34 UTC
OK, it looks that I fixed one bug and introduced another. I believe I know the source 
of the problem. Can somebody please check the following: 
1) After the first restart (when everything looks still fine), use the icon to show the 
mixer window. 
2) Then hide (really hide, not only iconify) the window again, so that only the icon 
is there. 
3) Restart 
 
I believe after this next restart the window will NOT show up. 
 
Chris 
 
Comment 5 Fridtjof Busse 2003-05-31 20:15:14 UTC
Doesn't work for me, window comes back after at least two new logins.  
I even deleted the kmixrc to make sure nothing was screwed up. 
  
Comment 6 Christian Esken 2003-06-02 22:08:47 UTC
I believe I found the bug. It is fixed in CVS HEAD. Can somebody with HEAD 
branch please update. I need some confirmation. 
 
Thanks, 
  Chris 
Comment 7 Ismail Donmez 2003-06-03 20:10:19 UTC
Subject: Re:  kmix doesn't dock reliable

This bug seems to be fixed for me on CVS HEAD. Thanks Christian!

Comment 8 Christian Esken 2003-07-23 20:33:05 UTC
*** Bug has been marked as fixed ***.
Comment 9 Christian Esken 2003-07-23 20:56:25 UTC
*** Bug 61532 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 10 Timur Mukhamedjanov 2003-07-24 06:24:18 UTC
Workaround (kde3.1.2) requires root access: 
In ~/.kde/share/config/kmixrc make sure the option Visible=false 
After that: 
su root 
chmod a-w kmixrc 
 
This fixes the problem for me. 
Comment 11 Christian Esken 2003-10-03 16:50:01 UTC
*** Bug 65198 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 12 Dripple 2005-06-08 10:50:22 UTC
Appears also on KUbuntu, KDE 3.4.1 now.
Comment 13 Doug Morton 2005-07-10 19:18:57 UTC
I have 3 LINUX machines that were recently upgraded to FC4 (running kde 3.4.1 that is included in the release).  This bug occurs on only one of the machines - a 32-bit laptop.  My other two computers (32 and 64-bit desktops) seem to work just fine.  The problem occurs for all laptop users, including root.  

There were only a few configuration differences between the three installs: 
1. I had SELINUX enabled during the laptop install and and disabled during install for the other two machines.

2. I installed the NVidia video drivers to allow correct suspend-to-ram function.

I have tried the above suggested fixes - none seem to work.  I have also reinstalled kdemultimedia - this also did not fix the problem.  Disabling SELINUX doesn't seem to help.
Comment 14 Christian Esken 2005-07-11 00:51:52 UTC
Doug Morton's report indicates that there is indeed still a problem. Possibly  it is a laptop issue ... but this is not clear yet.
Comment 15 Christian Esken 2005-07-11 01:16:29 UTC
*** Bug 100561 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 16 Jake Palmer 2005-07-14 21:34:27 UTC
I have this bug on my laptop with 3.4.1 (Gentoo).  I can prevent KMix from opening by manually saving the session, otherwise it opens every boot.  Problem isn't present on my desktop with 3.4.1 (Frugalware). 
Comment 17 Christian Esken 2005-07-31 23:59:58 UTC
As this looks laptop related, please check whether you run KMilo.
Comment 18 Dripple 2005-08-01 08:46:39 UTC
Here, running tpb (Thinkpad buttons), which is, AFAIK a port of KMilo...
Comment 19 Jake Palmer 2005-08-01 23:41:59 UTC
I disabled i8k, and all seems to be fixed.  I just use the Dell keyboard layout and everything seems to work as it should.
Comment 20 Christian Esken 2005-08-04 01:16:33 UTC
Information update: Ideas are there, how to solve this issue for KDE3.5 (KMilo could run  "kmix --dont-show"). It will be evaluated, whether the "--dont-show" can be properly implemented by KMix and KMilo (and probably KAlarm).
Comment 21 Dripple 2005-08-04 08:38:55 UTC
I noticed that it docks well when no netwrok connection is active (and by the way video players do not work when no network connection in active too).
Comment 22 gallir 2005-10-30 01:25:48 UTC
I see now this problem in my IBM thinkpad where I use kmilo.
Comment 23 André Fettouhi 2005-11-01 08:52:30 UTC
I have a DELL Inspiron 8200 laptop running FC4 with KDE 3.4.3 from kde-redhat and I also the problem of kmix popping up during login. I tried every possible solution nothing worked except I removed i8kutils and it stopped. Now everything is ok. My question is now how can I have i8kutils installed but disabled? It seems like Jake Palmer disabled it simply.

Kind Regards

André Fettouhi
Comment 24 André Fettouhi 2005-11-02 08:06:24 UTC
Turning off kmilo seems also to work, i.e. stopping kmix from popping up.

Regards

André Fettouhi
Comment 25 Christian Esken 2005-11-07 23:52:08 UTC
André, thanks for that feedback. :-)
I am asking about kmilo all the time, but never got an clear answer. Accepting Bug now. I will continue to find a workaround now, as described in comment 20.
Comment 26 Maciej Pilichowski 2006-05-27 13:22:04 UTC
I don't know whether I should open another report since my problem is very similar.

After installing KMix it autostarts as maximized window. For me it's wrong because I didn't ask for autostart at all no matter if the window is docked, maximized, minimized, etc. The user should decide to set the app for autostart or not. I assume that default behaviour for KMix should be autostart but there should be GUI settings to change it.
Comment 27 Christian Esken 2006-05-28 12:16:52 UTC
Some general feedback about this bug report. I cannot reproduce it, not matter what I do. Currently I don't see how this can be fixed (without reproducability I cannot implemnent the stuff mentioned in comment 20).
If anyone can tell me how to reproduce it, please tell me. Please include ~/.kde/share/config/kmixrc file with your description.

About Maciej's comment 26: Distributions sometimes make KMix auto-start for all users (look in the  /opt/kde3/share/autostart or the appropriate directory of your distribution).
Comment 28 Christian Esken 2006-05-28 12:18:22 UTC
By the way: Due to complete restructuring, this will be fixed in KDE4.
Comment 29 Martin von Gagern 2006-06-15 09:56:05 UTC
I experience this Problem on my notebook since updating from 3.4 to 3.5.
This seems to confirm comment #14, the bug is easier reproduced on laptops.

I also experience it on my desktop when starting a second KDE session on a second X server. So steps to reproduce on a desktop could probably be:

1. don't use kdm/xdm/... (at least I don't)
2. startx (KDE starts, kmix in system tray)
3. back to another text console, even log in as different user
4. startx -- :1 (KDE starts, kmix window showing)

I'm using Gentoo Linux and I'm willing to try out any patches you might have to address this problem. I would rather avoid building from CVS if possible.
Comment 30 Enzo Matrix 2006-06-24 02:47:05 UTC
I have this problem with kde3.5.2. It was fine in 3.1
The problem is with kmilo which I use to activate my thinkpad buttons. Kmix works fine if kmilo is disable, but then my buttons doesn't work.
kmixrc:
AllowDocking=true
Labels=true
MasterMixer=ALSA::Sound_Fusion_CS46xx:1
Menubar=true
Orientation=Horizontal
Position=328,706
Size=599,305
Tickmarks=true
TrayVolumeControl=true
ValueStyle=Absolute
Visible=false
startkdeRestore=true

Kmix not obeying Visible=false

My solution is the script below in Autostart
#!/bin/sh
DCOPSERVER=`cat ~/.DCOPserver_laptop\:0 | grep local`
export DCOPSERVER
dcop kmix kmix-mainwindow#1 hide
Comment 31 Christian Esken 2006-09-19 01:18:57 UTC
*** Bug 134254 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 32 Christian Esken 2006-09-19 01:56:41 UTC
*** Bug 134199 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 33 Christian Esken 2006-09-19 01:57:52 UTC
--- Copy of observation from bug 134199 -------------------------------------
Version:            (using KDE KDE 3.5.4) 
Installed from:    SuSE RPMs 
 
 As soon as any entry in the kmix settings menue is made there seems to appear an additional line 
 VISIBLE=true 
 in kmixrc. 
 This leads to the kmix window always showing up on the desktop after a kdm restart. 
 As a workaround I found that one can either delete the line or change it to VISIBLE=false. As long as one does not touch the settings menue everything stays OK.
Comment 34 Martin von Gagern 2006-09-23 18:23:02 UTC
(In reply to comment 33)
Neither removing the line nor changing Visible to false solves the issue for me on my notebook. The file I edited is ~/.kde3.5/share/config/kmixrc
Comment 35 Josh Berry 2007-04-24 23:36:10 UTC
Is this still an issue?  I haven't noticed this happen at all on KDE 3.5.6.
Comment 36 Ismail Donmez 2007-04-24 23:41:26 UTC
Also works for me for a long time.
Comment 37 Christian Esken 2007-04-28 11:55:04 UTC
Josh, I can't tell whether this is still a problem or not. All I can say is that I haven't done anything to fix it (as described in comment 27 I don't know how to fix or reproduce it).
The whole situation is very tricky. I'll summarize it here:
1) I have to workaround a possible exit-by-systray issue, otherwise the KMix window would ALWAYS be hidden on login (Systray-Quit would close/hide the window and I got a wrong state)
2) Then there is the fact that KMix is a KUniqueApplication. This causes a start of KMix to behave differently: On the first start, KMix is really started. On the secnd start, KMix is just shown. This behaviour conforms to user expectations, but can lead to undefined results - if KMix is started twice  (e.g. some global autostart and user session), KMix would always start shown (independent from the configured value).
3) Then there is KMilo. KMilo will start Kmix if it doesn't find it. This can lead to undefined results:
3a) If KMilo is run AFTER KMix is restored from the session, everything is fine (KMilo would find a running KMix, and thus will not start it again). 
3b) If KMilo is run BEFORE KMix is restored from the session, the bug hits: KMilo will not find KMix, and start it. Then the session restoration will start KMix again AND thus (see point 2) KMix will be shown.

Final words:
A) The KMilo / KMix collaboration is suboptimal. It depends a lot on the startup timing whtether the problem will show up on your box or not. A possible (but untested) soulution is to backport the "--keepvisibility" command line parameter as implemented in KDE4's KMix, and to implement using it in KMilo. Due to time constraints I am not able to do this backport - volunteers for this task are welcome and should contact me (preferable directly by email).
B) Some problems can't be avoided. If KMix is started twice (Session+Autostart or Global_Autostart+User_Autostart), you have lost and I don't see a solution for that right now.
 
  Christian
Comment 38 Christian Esken 2007-05-27 12:49:04 UTC
*** Bug 145855 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 39 Christian Esken 2007-12-13 11:37:22 UTC
Update:

About comment 37, point 1) For KDE4 I have removed the exit-by-systray workaround. It is not neccesary anymore.

 
Comment 40 Christian Esken 2007-12-30 14:16:24 UTC
Here is an outlook how I will handle this bug report. 
 
 I believe that the reasons for all the problems are divers. Issues in KMix, issues in KMilo, badly constructed Linux distributions, Upgrade issues and many more issues. 
 
 Because of that, I am going to not touch this bug report in KDE3 any more. When KDE4 is out, I will close this bug report. If issues come up, please do not reopen this bug report, but open a new bug report. 
 
   Christian 
Comment 41 Christian Esken 2007-12-30 14:38:16 UTC
KDE4 is about to be released. As announced, I am closing this bug report.

If issues come up, please do not reopen this bug report, but open a new bug report.

--------
PS: After some ramblinbg I decided to set the resolution code to "FIXED". This is to be understood that it is likely to be be fixed in KDE4. The resolution codes "WONTFIX" or "WORKSFORME" would have also be possible.