Why a Very Long Delay for Conky Transparency [SOLVED]

[jp734]

It takes a very long time for conky transparency to take effect. Why?

I timed it and it took nearly 10 minutes after the desktop is displayed (BionicPup64). Bookworm is the same way (didn't time it yet though).

[rockedge]

It takes a very long time for conky transparency to take effect. Why?

This can happen because BionicPup64 does not have a full scale graphics compositor that can perform actual transparency. So there is a workaround to emulate transparency with a trick using the background. The workaround method is slow to respond in this case.

Also it depends on the conkyrc configuration of the conky window creation and the parameters used to activate a transparent conky output are correct.

[jp734]

Even though I have xcompmgr installed?

With xcompmgr, the taskbar panel, inactive app windows and menu transparencies work right away.

[rockedge]

what version of Conky is being used in the BionicPup64?

[fredx181]

I timed it and it took nearly 10 minutes

That's absurd, 10 seconds to get transparency would be ok but 10 minutes ? Weird !

[Trapster]

Are you saying that conky actually starts immediately and the transparency takes 10 min. or conky doesn't start at all for 10 min.?

Any messages if you start conky from a terminal?

Do you have any "outside" sources that you are pulling info from that might cause a delay?

Please post your conky.conf.

[jp734]

what version of Conky is being used in the BionicPup64?

1.10.8

That's absurd, 10 seconds to get transparency would be ok but 10 minutes ? Weird !

And the weird part is at times it will go back from transparent to having black background. Like right now as I type this

Are you saying that conky actually starts immediately and the transparency takes 10 min. or conky doesn't start at all for 10 min.?

Any messages if you start conky from a terminal?

Do you have any "outside" sources that you are pulling info from that might cause a delay?

Please post your conky.conf.

Yes, conky starts and then the long delay. No outside sources. It's pretty much the default conky config. Have not messed with it much except added the bars for CPUs 1, 2 and 3

Results from executing conky from terminal:

Code: Select all

conky: Syntax error (/etc/conky/conky.conf:2 '=' expected near 'yes') while reading config file
conky: Assuming it's in old syntax and attempting conversion
conky desktop window (400020) is subwindow of root window (24a)
conky: window type - override
conky: drawing to created window (0x140001)
conky: drawing to double buffer
conky: Unknown setting 'border_margin' 

conky.conf

Code: Select all

# Use Xft?
use_xft yes
xftfont DejaVuSans:size = 9
xftalpha 0.8
text_buffer_size 2048

# Update interval in seconds
update_interval 1

# This is the number of times Conky will update before quitting.
# Set to zero to run forever.
total_run_times 0

# Create own window instead of using desktop (required in nautilus)
own_window true
own_window_class conky
own_window_transparent true
own_window_type override
#own_window_argb_visual true
#own_window_argb_value 255
own_window_hints undecorated,below,sticky,skip_taskbar,skip_pager

# Use double buffering (reduces flicker, may not work for everyone)
double_buffer yes

# Minimum size of text area
minimum_size 500
maximum_width 210

# Draw shades?
draw_shades no

# Draw outlines?
draw_outline no

# Draw borders around text
draw_borders no

# Draw borders around graphs
draw_graph_borders yes

# Stippled borders?
stippled_borders 0

# border margins
border_margin 1

# border width
border_width 0

# Default colors and also border colors
default_color white
#default_shade_color black
#default_outline_color black
#own_window_colour white

# Text alignment, other possible values are commented
#alignment top_left
alignment top_right
#alignment bottom_left
#alignment bottom_right

# Gap between borders of screen and text
# same thing as passing -x at command line
gap_x 75
gap_y 50

# Subtract file system buffers from used memory?
no_buffers yes

# set to yes if you want all text to be in uppercase
uppercase no

# number of cpu samples to average
# set to 1 to disable averaging
cpu_avg_samples 2

# number of net samples to average
# set to 1 to disable averaging
net_avg_samples 2

# Force UTF8? note that UTF8 support required XFT
override_utf8_locale yes

# Add spaces to keep things from moving about?  This only affects certain objects.
use_spacer none
color1 cecece
color2 cecece
#weather1 liverpool

#show only active network interfaces 
if_up_strictness link

TEXT

${color1}System ${hr 2}
${color2}${nodename}
#${color}${pre_exec lsb_release -i -s}
${color2}BionicPup64
${color2}${sysname} ${kernel}
${color2}Uptime ${uptime}
${color1}Processes ${hr 2}
${color2}${alignr}CPU%
${color2}${top name 1}${alignr}${top cpu 1}
${color2}${top name 2}${alignr}${top cpu 2}
${color2}${top name 3}${alignr}${top cpu 3}
${color2}${top name 4}${alignr}${top cpu 4}
#${color2}${top name 5}${alignr}${top cpu 5}
#${color2}${top name 6}${alignr}${top cpu 6}
#${color}2${top name 7}${alignr}${top cpu 7}
${color2}${alignr}MEM
${color2}${top_mem name 1}${alignr}${top_mem mem_res 1}
${color2}${top_mem name 2}${alignr}${top_mem mem_res 2}
${color2}${top_mem name 3}${alignr}${top_mem mem_res 3}
${color2}${top_mem name 4}${alignr}${top_mem mem_res 4}
#${color2}${top_mem name 5}${alignr}${top_mem mem_res 5}
#${color2}${top_mem name 6}${alignr}${top_mem mem_res 6}
#${color2}${top_mem name 7}${alignr}${top_mem mem_res 7}

${color1}Resources ${hr 2}
${color2}CPU0 ${cpu cpu0}%${alignr}${color1}${cpubar cpu0 10,120}
${color2}CPU1 ${cpu cpu0}%${alignr}${color1}${cpubar cpu1 10,120}
${color2}CPU2 ${cpu cpu0}%${alignr}${color1}${cpubar cpu2 10,120}
${color2}CPU3 ${cpu cpu0}%${alignr}${color1}${cpubar cpu3 10,120}
#${color2}CPU4 ${cpu cpu0}%${alignr}${color1}${cpubar cpu4 10,120}
#${color2}CPU5 ${cpu cpu0}%${alignr}${color1}${cpubar cpu5 10,120}
#${color2}CPU6 ${cpu cpu0}%${alignr}${color1}${cpubar cpu6 10,120}
${color2}Mem  
${color2}${mem} / ${memmax}${alignr}${color1}${membar 10,60}
${color2}Swap: $swap / $swapmax
$swapperc% ${alignr}${color1}${alignr}${swapbar 10,120}

${color1}File Systems ${hr 2}
#${color2}sda1 ${fs_used /mnt/sda1}/${fs_size /mnt/sda1}${alignr}${color1}${fs_bar 10,60 /mnt/sda1}
${color2}home ${fs_used /initrd/mnt/dev_save}/${fs_size /initrd/mnt/dev_save}${alignr}${color1}${fs_bar 10,60 /initrd/mnt/dev_save}
#${color2}sda2 ${fs_used /mnt/sda2}/${fs_size /mnt/sda2}${alignr}${color 15DF76}${fs_bar 10,60 /mnt/sda2}
#${color2}sdb1 ${fs_used /mnt/home}/${fs_size /mnt/home}${alignr}${color 15DF76}${fs_bar 10,60 /mnt/home}

#${color2}Incoming ${downspeedf eth0} KB/s ${alignr}${color1}${downspeedgraph eth0 10,60}
#${color2}Total Received${alignr}${totaldown eth0}
#${color2}Sending   ${upspeedf eth0} KB/s ${alignr}${color1}${upspeedgraph eth0 10,60}
#${color2}Total Sent${alignr}${totalup eth0}
${color2}NET: EXT: ${alignr}  ${execi 3600 wget -O - -q icanhazip.com} ${if_up eth0}
#eth0
IP (eth0):$alignr${addr eth0}
${color2} Up: ${color2}${upspeed eth0} k/s
${color1}${alignr}${upspeedgraph eth0 10,170 000000}
${color2} Down: ${color2}${downspeed eth0}k/s${color}
${color1}${alignr}${downspeedgraph eth0 10,170 000000}
${color2}TDown:${totaldown eth0} ${alignr}TUp:${totalup eth0}${endif}${if_up eth1}
#eth1
IP (eth1):$alignr${addr eth1}
${color2} Up: ${color2}${upspeed eth1} k/s
${color}${upspeedgraph eth1 10,170 000000}
${color2} Down: ${color2}${downspeed eth1}k/s${color}
${downspeedgraph eth1 10,170 000000}
${color2}TDown:${totaldown eth1} ${alignr}TUp:${totalup eth1}${endif}${if_up wlan0}
#wlan0
IP (wlan0):$alignr${addr wlan0}
${color2} Up: ${color2}${upspeed wlan0} k/s
${color1}${alignr}${upspeedgraph wlan0 10,170 000000}
${color2} Down: ${color2}${downspeed wlan0}k/s${color}
${color1}${alignr}${downspeedgraph wlan0 10,170 000000}
${color2}TDown:${totaldown wlan0}${alignr}TUp:${totalup wlan0}${endif}${if_up eth2}
#eth2
IP (eth2):$alignr${addr eth2}
${color2} Up: ${color2}${upspeed eth2} k/s
${color1}${alignr}${upspeedgraph eth2 10,170 000000}
${color2} Down: ${color2}${downspeed eth2}k/s${color}
${color1}${alignr}${downspeedgraph eth2 10,170 000000}
${color2}TDown:${totaldown eth2} ${alignr}TUp:${totalup eth2}${endif}${if_up wlan1}
#wlan1
IP (wlan1):$alignr${addr wlan1}
${color2} Up: ${color2}${upspeed wlan1} k/s
${color1}${alignr}${upspeedgraph wlan1 10,170 000000}
${color2} Down: ${color2}${downspeed wlan1}k/s${color}
${color1}${alignr}${downspeedgraph wlan1 10,170 000000}
${color2}TDown:${totaldown wlan1}${alignr}TUp:${totalup wlan1}${endif}${if_up ath0}
#ath0
IP (ath0):$alignr${addr ath0}
${color2} Up: ${color2}${upspeed ath0} k/s
${color1}${alignr}${upspeedgraph ath0 10,170 000000}
${color2} Down: ${color2}${downspeed ath0}k/s${color}
${color1}${alignr}${downspeedgraph ath0 10,170 000000}
${color2}TDown:${totaldown ath0}${alignr}TUp:${totalup ath0}${endif}${if_up ath1}
#ath1
IP (ath1):$alignr${addr ath1}
${color2} Up: ${color2}${upspeed ath1} k/s
${color1}${alignr}${upspeedgraph ath1 10,170 000000}
${color2} Down: ${color2}${downspeed ath1}k/s${color}
${color1}${alignr}${downspeedgraph ath1 10,170 000000}
${color2}TDown:${totaldown ath1}${alignr}TUp:${totalup ath1}${endif}
####don't write below this line as used for conky gui weather
${color1}${voffset 2}${hr 2}
${font Dejavu Sans Mono:size=9}${alignc}${color}${execpi 300 curl wttr.in/23456?T0 --silent --max-time 3}
${color1}${voffset 2}${hr 2}

[jp734]

I just discovered something interesting. Changing wallpaper turns my conky transparent. To test, I prepared the wallpaper setter where all I have to do is click on "apply". Made a change to the conky.conf and save. When it restarts, I immediately clicked on apply wallpaper and sure enough, I got the transparency.

Make a change to conky.conf file again, save to restart and wait....black background

[bigpup]

Bionicpup64 8.0 has an update feature you need to first do.

Even if it does not help with this issue, it will make Bionicpup64 work better.

Quickpet program icon on desktop.

Run quickpet ->Info ->Bionicpup updates

Update the save and reboot so this new stuff is being used.

[rockedge]

Made a change to the conky.conf and save. When it restarts, I immediately clicked on apply wallpaper and sure enough, I got the transparency.

That is the workaround for pseudo transparency at work. When "Apply" is selected the wallpaper gets added to the conky instance background using the right area of the wallpaper. So basically the function looks at the coordinates of the conky display and adds the right area of the wallpaper to the conky background.

In the end the piece of wallpaper that the conky instance covers up is added to the conky instance background.

Hopefully I explained that well enough.....

Sometimes other activity will trigger the function and it will appear transparent on it's own. In Fossapup64 conky sometimes behaves the same way.

[jp734]

Made a change to the conky.conf and save. When it restarts, I immediately clicked on apply wallpaper and sure enough, I got the transparency.

That is the workaround for pseudo transparency at work. When "Apply" is selected the wallpaper gets added to the conky instance background using the right area of the wallpaper. So basically the function looks at the coordinates of the conky display and adds the right area of the wallpaper to the conky background.

In the end the piece of wallpaper that the conky instance covers up is added to the conky instance background.

Hopefully I explained that well enough.....

Sometimes other activity will trigger the function and it will appear transparent on it's own. In Fossapup64 conky sometimes behaves the same way.

I see. Now I understand how it works (except not how it's done... )

It's still not transparent but it's okay. Can live with it.

[radky]

@jp734

In /root/Startup do you have a script named conkystart (or similar) with contents like the following:

Code: Select all

#!/bin/sh

wallp=`cat /root/.config/wallpaper/bg_img`
sleep 1
conky -c /root/conkyrc 2>/dev/null &
sleep 5
set_bg "$wallp" &

Make sure this script is executable so it will run each time X starts or restarts.

Typically, a 5-second sleep interval is sufficient time for conky to activate before /usr/sbin/set_bg is called to reset the current Rox desktop wallpaper, at which point the conky background matches the Rox desktop background and conky appears transparent (pseudo-transparency).

However, in some scenarios the 5-second delay is insufficient. For example, there may be competing delays associated with other startup processes which interfere with timely starting of conky. In such cases, you might try increasing the 5-second delay to a higher value such as 10 seconds or greater.

[jp734]

Thanks @radky

No script in startup folder but I created one and it did work, got the transparency after a few seconds, but it changed back to black background after a minute or so.

[rockedge]

Is the conkyrc from the earlier post the configuration file you are using now?

There might be a line or two that are incorrect. Look at the block that resembles the one below (which works)

Code: Select all

    -- Create own window instead of using desktop (required in nautilus)
    own_window = true,
    own_window_class = 'Conky',
    own_window_transparent = true,
    own_window_argb_visual = false,
    own_window_argb_value = 255,
    own_window_type = 'override',
    own_window_hints = 'undecorated,sticky,below,skip_taskbar,skip_pager',

Notice on the one you are using has 2 lines commented out that might be key to your issue.

[jp734]

With the script, I get the transparency now +- 10 seconds after it started but the back and forth between transparency and black background still happens. Most of the time when I'm changing window sizes (maximize/minimize). This is with the config file edited and removed the '#' on the two lines and changed 'true' to 'false'

Correct me if I'm wrong but from what I understand, you can only set conky to use either 'own_window_type override' OR 'own_window_argb_visual'. Not both. And if own_window_argb_visual is set to false, then own_window_argb_value is ignored

So this entry:

Code: Select all

    own_window_argb_visual = false,
    own_window_argb_value = 255,
    own_window_type = 'override',

is pretty much the same as this, correct?

Code: Select all

    #own_window_argb_visual = false,
    #own_window_argb_value = 255,
    own_window_type = 'override',

And if I want to use the own_window_argb lines, then my entry should look like this:

Code: Select all

    own_window_argb_visual = true,
    own_window_argb_value = 255,
    #own_window_type = 'override',

[radky]

No script in startup folder but I created one and it did work, got the transparency after a few seconds, but it changed back to black background after a minute or so.

@jp734

Many Puppy distros use a ROX pinboard/background for the icons and wallpaper that we see on the desktop. Typically, the ROX background hides the underlying background provided by the host window/desktop manager (such as JWM). In this case, JWM provides the underlying (hidden) background which is black by default in BW64.

In the above scenario, when X start or restarts, we launch conky via the conkystart script (which initially grabs the JWM background). After a 5-second delay we reset the overlying ROX desktop background (wallpaper). At this point conky grabs and synchronizes with the ROX background and pseudo-transparency is established.

Unfortunately, an unreliable internet connection that intermittently disconnect/reconnects can be problematic for conky's pseudotransparency. When the internet connection drops out even momentarily, conky may reset and lose synchrony with the ROX desktop background, in which case conky will grab the underlying background provided by JWM (black in this example).

Consequently, we must reset the ROX background again to re-establish conky pseudo-transparency. This reset is automatic when we run /root/Startup/conkyrestart by restarting X. Alternatively, we can manually call a similar script on demand. For example, the accessory Utility menu of BW64 (blue icon right side of jwm tray) provides an option to restart conky and reset pseudotransparency.

This conky restart script could look something like this:

Code: Select all

#!/bin/sh

if [ "`pidof conky 2>/dev/null`" ]; then
	killall conky &
fi
sleep 1
wallp=`cat /root/.config/wallpaper/bg_img`
conky -c /root/conkyrc 2>/dev/null &
sleep 2
set_bg "$wallp" &

[jp734]

Well, I've been having intermittent internet connection lately. That will explain it and we can consider this case closed. Thanks again.