# Transparent windows in Linux?



## Error 404 (Jul 7, 2008)

Ok, I've been looking at some screenshots of Linux, and somehow they manage to get transparent windows.
I've been doing some research on Google, but didn't find anything on how to make my windows transparent!
So, does anyone know how to make them transparent? (as in, being able to see the window behind another window, text "floating" above the desktop, etc)


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## Cybrnook2002 (Jul 7, 2008)

Error 404 said:


> Ok, I've been looking at some screenshots of Linux, and somehow they manage to get transparent windows.
> I've been doing some research on Google, but didn't find anything on how to make my windows transparent!
> So, does anyone know how to make them transparent? (as in, being able to see the window behind another window, text "floating" above the desktop, etc)



I have never run linux, but I know the "beryl" package adds a TON  of visual effects and tools. I think the name "beryl" has been adopted to something else, but you can google it.


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## Pyeti (Jul 7, 2008)

depends on what distro your running but either beryl or compiz will give you transparency as well as heaps of other effects


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## Grimskull (Jul 7, 2008)

all depends on the version of linux you are using. IF you are using Ubuntu you can install the Compfiz Fusion that is in the add/remove software, that will give you all the "Eye Candy" and extras like transperancy and the 3D desktop cube. have a look at the videos on youtube. Type in ubuntu and 3D cube into youtube.


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## blueskynis (Jul 7, 2008)

Compiz Fusion is already installed in Ubuntu and if you have 3D support (installed driver) then 3D effects are turned on automatically. If you want to personalize 3D effects and add more bells & whistles you must install CompizConfig Settings Manager.


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## Wayward (Jul 7, 2008)

Transparency is just the tip of the iceberg.  

Here is a great demo of Compiz Fusion in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ImW0-MgR8I


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## Davidelmo (Jul 7, 2008)

If you have full visual effects installed a running, you can change window transparency by simply holding ALT and scrolling your mouse wheel.

You need to:
install your graphics card
enable full desktop effects - might require extra packages depending on what distro you are using
etc

first.


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## Error 404 (Jul 7, 2008)

Er, I'm using this on my laptop. No visual effects for me. 
I've seen window managers like Fluxbox do transparent windows, but Fluxbox is meant for barebones PCs (i.e., ones worse than mine), so surely there must be an easy way to do it with Gnome without enabling Compiz?


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## Davidelmo (Jul 8, 2008)

Error 404 said:


> Er, I'm using this on my laptop. No visual effects for me.
> I've seen window managers like Fluxbox do transparent windows, but Fluxbox is meant for barebones PCs (i.e., ones worse than mine), so surely there must be an easy way to do it with Gnome without enabling Compiz?



Does the laptop not have a graphics card?

I use Ubuntu on my laptop with a 128Mb ATI Mobility x1400 and I can use full visual effects without compiz.

Took me a while to get the graphics card fully installed and working though but once I did that it was fine.


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## Error 404 (Jul 8, 2008)

Hmm. I'll put my specs down as well. It might help.

Graphics: ATI Rage 128 Mobility M3; as powerful and reliable as a lemming. 
CPU: Intel PIII-M @ 850 MHz. Not exactly a powerhouse, but enough to get by.
RAM: SDRAM. 512 MB of it. Good stuff. 
HDD: 9.3 GB of... clattering, clinking 4200 RPM platters.

As you can see, It's a bit old. The hard drive is almost dead, the graphics are glitching (not due to drivers), and the battery is dead. But hey, Linux is good on old stuff! 
I'm not necessarily after whiz-bang desktop effects, I'd just like see-through windows in Gnome. I'll even do Command-line stuff if I have to, to enable transparency. All my taskbars are transparent, and I know the graphics card can do SOME form of rendering, so transparent windows shouldn't affect performance...


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## Becard (Nov 23, 2008)

Theres actually a better way to do this.
Heres how to do it: 
1. Go into the compiz Config settings Manager (which is in System->Preferences->CCSM)
2. Go to the opacity, Brightness, and Saturation settings, and click the opacity tab.
3. Now add the following lines under windows specific settings: 
DropdownMenu
normal
dialog
menu
popupmenu
tooltip
notification
utility

While adding the lines, Makes sure to specify the opacity you want (though I recommend setting it to 90%. Any less and the windows may get a little hard to read)
This will make ALL of the windows transparent. However, this can get annoying when watching movies, so to fix this, go back into opacity, Brightness, and Saturation settings, and in order to add the apps you want solid, click the + button in the line settings. There should be an option to grab the program (Provided its open), and set the window Opacity to 100%. Now one last thing: Make sure the specialized lines are above the line which make the windows transparent, otherwise this won't work.

Hope this helps.


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## Stephen (Nov 24, 2008)

With KDE 4.1 (for me anyway) you can set it to change the opacity of the window using the scroll wheel on the mouse while hovering over the title bar (the top of the window)


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## Error 404 (Nov 24, 2008)

These are some good answers, but a few months too late. I've given up on KDE for the moment and have Dream Linux installed on my laptop. Thanks for the answers in any case!


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