Bug 315628

Summary: Compositing ignores window- or application-based (inactive) transparency/opacity setting.
Product: [Plasma] kwin Reporter: Felix Tiede <kde>
Component: compositingAssignee: KWin default assignee <kwin-bugs-null>
Status: RESOLVED NOT A BUG    
Severity: normal    
Priority: NOR    
Version: 4.10.0   
Target Milestone: ---   
Platform: Gentoo Packages   
OS: Linux   
Latest Commit: Version Fixed In:
Sentry Crash Report:
Attachments: Screenshot showing translucent inactive window with its settings window as the active one.

Description Felix Tiede 2013-02-22 13:57:30 UTC 
Though I've set opacity (inactive) for an application and a specific window to be enforced to 100% (no transparency), the window still gets transparent as soon as it looses focus.

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
This assumes compositing is active as well as the transparency effect and the latter is set to make inactive windows transparent.

1. Start vlc
2. Select "More Options->Specific settings for this window" from the main window's title bar.
3. Select "Appearance & Corrections" (fourth tab)
4. Tick "Opacity (inactive)
5. Select "Forced"
6. Enter "100%"
7. Click "OK"
8. Restart vlc
9. Open another window
Actual Results:  
vlc's main window gets transparent as per the global transparency settings.

Expected Results:  
vlc's main window should be completely opaque even though it lost focus.

I've seen this behavior in kwin versions prior to 4.10.0, iirc it was at least broken in 4.5.0 as well, did not check every version in between.

Screenshots of effect will be added (unfortunately my locale is german, but the wrong translucency of the window despite its settings can be seen).
Comment 1 Felix Tiede 2013-02-22 13:59:11 UTC 
Created attachment 77511 [details]
Screenshot showing translucent inactive window with its settings window as the active one.
Comment 2 Thomas Lübking 2013-02-22 14:45:24 UTC 
The application/window setting operates on the X11 property.
The translucency effect (all effects) operate(s) multiplicative on that.

The settings about
- decorations
- inactive windows
- dialogs
- popups
- menus

Should probably not exist in that effect (but are there for legacy reasons until the effect will be touched and the -broken- "on move" setting be transferred to a scripted effect)

To gain what you want simply setup a "blind" rule to match all windows (of eg. certain type) and force their inactive opacity.
Then add another rule (on top of them) to match vlc and force the inactive opacity to be 100%.

It will not work the way you try it.
Comment 3 Martin Flöser 2013-02-22 15:12:38 UTC 
@Thomas: I think this is about the window rule and not about the translucency effect
Comment 4 Thomas Lübking 2013-02-22 15:18:52 UTC 
"This assumes compositing is active as well as the transparency effect and the latter is set to make inactive windows transparent."
Comment 5 Felix Tiede 2013-02-22 16:02:39 UTC 
(In reply to comment #2)
> The application/window setting operates on the X11 property.
> The translucency effect (all effects) operate(s) multiplicative on that.
[snip]
> 
> To gain what you want simply setup a "blind" rule to match all windows (of
> eg. certain type) and force their inactive opacity.
> Then add another rule (on top of them) to match vlc and force the inactive
> opacity to be 100%.

This way works for me, yes. Though it is a bit counter-intuitive.
Comment 6 Thomas Lübking 2013-02-22 16:04:26 UTC 
bug remains invalid since translucency effect does, can and will not operate on the actual window opacity.