Version: unspecified (using KDE 4.5.0) OS: Linux Since the update to KDE 4.5 there is a regression with KWin effects. When opening a Windows, Kickoff, Kicker, (Hidden)TrayIcons or activated Desktop Grid or Expo plugin some object on the desktop flicker. Objects that flicker (for less than one secon but is a very annoing flickering) are: windows, panel, menu, desktop (in Desktop Grid). I'also noticed that: - KWin effects are not actived when starting a new session of KDE - FPS (using GlxGears) are near 60 FPS (a big regression since with KDE 4.4 FPS was about 1400) Reproducible: Always Steps to Reproduce: It's sufficent to update to KDE 4.5 Actual Results: The desktop flieckers. Expected Results: As KDE 4.4 (or without kwin effect) there shouldn't be any flickering. Here some configuration: - using KDE 4.5 from extra packages in archlinux (the problem is still present in Kubuntu 10.04 with KDE 4.5) - ATI radeon hd 3650 with radeon drivers - Kwin effects with OpenGL If you need some more information please tell me what is needed.
I tryed with a completely different hardware configuration and the problem is still here. THe other configuration is: Pentium 4, 2.0 GHz, ATI Radeon 9800 XT with radeon drivers, 1 GB RAM -> it's possible that the problem is in radeon drivers?
> I'also noticed that: > - KWin effects are not actived when starting a new session of KDE Please disable functionality checks in the advanced section of desktop effects settings. > - FPS (using GlxGears) are near 60 FPS (a big regression since with KDE 4.4 > FPS was about 1400) This is not a regression, as http://wiki.cchtml.com/index.php/Glxgears_is_not_a_Benchmark
I tryed to disable "functionality check" but the problem is still here. Moreover: Using "sinc. vert" the problem is worse (more flickering) There is no way to disable "direct rendering" (problem with X configuration?) I tried to change "bilinear", "trilinear" and "closest pixel" and Opengl modality but the problems seems to overstay. Using XRender the problem seems to be solved but the entiere plasma and kwin become ver slow.
try to "export LIBGL_ALWAYS_INDIRECT=1" before runnign kwin (or place it in ~/.xprofile) to force indirect rendering
Using Thomas's hint the problem was fixed. Now KDE is really fast and there is no flickering. This is just an issue for me or is really a bug? Thanks a lot for the solution.
You likely suffer from a broken driver, but kwin used to set this variable by default (for all GPUs but nvidia) - this was reverted with 4.5 (there's a test to check whether direct rendering "works" - what unfortunately does not say much about "how good") while in general direct rendering is an advance, this move was maybe a little "hasty" :-( (there more severe issues on this, see eg. bug #241402)