fluxbox: no window decoration in firefox and thunderbird

mclien · 2023-01-07 11:10:55

I know this is mentioned elsewhere, but I fail to understand.

Best guess is, the solution is hidden (to me) somewhere here:
http://git.fluxbox.org/fluxbox.git/commit/?id=dcdde4d32c93d01df205bc06d7dfcbd356be031f

Do I understand this correctly, that I would have to compile my own fluxbox to get rid of it?

(I think @head_on_a_stick mentioned that in the debian forum)

EDIT:
I also can't get a focus on the firefox window, if any other window with decoration is on the same desktop.

I run chimaera on this machine and on a fresh install. My upgraded machine has the problem, the fresh install hasn't

Only difference I noticed so far is the not upgraded linux-image:

<upgraded machine>~# uname -a
Linux devuan 5.10.0-10-amd64 #1 SMP Debian 5.10.84-1 (2021-12-08) x86_64 GNU/Linux
<fresh installed machine>~# uname -a
Linux devuan 5.10.0-20-686 #1 SMP Debian 5.10.158-2 (2022-12-13) i686 GNU/Linux

(ok, second one is an old i386, but that should make the difference?)

Last edited by mclien (2023-01-07 11:43:27)

Head_on_a_Stick · 2023-01-07 11:55:11

mclien wrote:

My upgraded machine has the problem, the fresh install hasn't

Probably some stale configuration then.

Try moving the config stuff out of the way:

mv ~/.fluxbox{,.bak}

Then restart the desktop.

The chimaera live ISO works just fine with fluxbox:

mclien · 2023-01-07 12:02:28

I'm still digging, because I had some issues back with an upgrade already:
https://dev1galaxy.org/viewtopic.php?id=4759&p=1
But my there implemented fix to add this into about:config of ff:
gfx.webrender.force-disabled = true
Is, a) not entirely removable, b)doesn't fix the problem when changing to "false"
I'll try you suggestion (and a new profile on ff)

mclien · 2023-01-07 12:36:07

Rather by accident, then deliberately I fount this:
I use a Notebook in a dockingstation. In this setup I do not use the NB screen but 2 Monitors attached to the dock. Usually I disable the NB display with "arandr" and rearrange the 2 Monitors side-by-side.

If I keep all monitors untouched as they come up on systemstart (all 3 side-by-side) Firefox works fine. If I disable the NB screen, I get the initial problem. Regardless of the .fluxbox dir/ config.

EDIT/Summarized: Any FF window opened after I used arandr (regardless if kept running or not) FF misses the window decoration, any FF window opened before is fine.
Same for Thunderbird, btw.

Frankly no idea how to investigate further...

Last edited by mclien (2023-01-07 15:18:36)

mclien · 2023-01-08 07:41:23

It seems xrandr is the problem.
I set my monitors with arandr, from which I stored the xrandr command. (arandr generates a shellscript which contains the xrandr command). I stripped everything unnecessary (like turning off monitors, which aren't connected).

#!/bin/sh
xrandr --output eDP-1 --off  --output DP-3-1 --mode 1920x1080 --pos 0x0 --output DP-3-2 --mode 1920x1080 --pos 1920x0

Regardless if I use the shellscript or the command in a terminal, the windows of thunderbird and Firefox are missing afterwards.

mclien · 2023-01-08 11:49:03

Next investigation steps:
- Test on a different Notebook (fresh install). Used the .fluxbox from fresh install and the one from the one from the machine, which has the problem. Firefox works fine in both cases.
- did a "apt autoremove" in the problem machine: still the same problem.
I try to remember, if I ever did some manual config in the xorg files...

Guess I should try a live Devuan on the problem machine. Can I choose fluxbox directly from the live CD?

Head_on_a_Stick · 2023-01-08 12:04:05

mclien wrote:

Can I choose fluxbox directly from the live CD?

Yes. Just install the fluxbox package and then log out. Fluxbox should then be an <F1> option in the log in screen.

Pro tip: change the password first if you don't know what the live password is (I don't): sudo passwd devuan.

And in respect of multi-head X.Org configuration see https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/multih … _xorg.conf.

mclien · 2023-01-08 12:22:48

Thanks for that. Do I have to use the "load to RAM" option from the liveCD or will the install take place in RAM anyways?

/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/ is empty, so it seems I haven't messed around there. Neither is that an option, as I use the NB on the road from time to time.

(your avatar brings back old memories btw)

Head_on_a_Stick · 2023-01-08 12:53:16

mclien wrote:

Do I have to use the "load to RAM" option from the liveCD or will the install take place in RAM anyways?

The "load to RAM" option just copies squashfs to memory so you can remove the USB stick once the live desktop is running. That options does not affect the installer, at least as far as I know.

mclien · 2023-01-08 18:44:26

Thanks again (pw change tip). Here is my status with the live ISO:
->instaling firefox and arandr
-default XFCE: no problem in both cases (before and after using arandr/xrandr)
-additional install of fluxbox, logout and start fluxbox session: FF works fine. Using arandr -> same problem, FF without any windowframes (thus no moving/resizing/focus etc.)

fsmithred · 2023-01-08 19:31:29

Is this an issue with client-side decorations? If so, make sure gtk3-nocsd is installed.

For the live isos, root password is toor, user name is devuan and user's password is devuan.

Edit: It's not a CSD problem. I just got the same behavior. I added fluxbox, logged out and into fluxbox, changed the display with lxrandr from 1600x900 to 1360x768. Firefox lost its window border and controls. I changed back to 1600x900 using lxrandr and the window borders did not return.

I'm back in xfce now and everything is normal.

fsmithred · 2023-01-08 19:50:01

If I use lxrandr in xfce to change the resolution as described in my previous post, it does not cause the problem with firefox. It only happens in fluxbox.

mclien · 2023-01-08 19:51:43

fsmithred wrote:

Is this an issue with client-side decorations? If so, make sure gtk3-nocsd is installed.

Not sure how I would figure out if that is the problem.
I'll try that one on the live system. I'm a bit irritated, since it wasn't necessary before on chimaera.
EDIT:
1) glad I did that on the live system.. after installing gtk3-nocsd and using arandr every window has the problem, not just FF/Thunderbird
2) I can confirm to have the problem only with fluxbox, xfce has no problem (also using arandr there)
(sorry missed your edit of the previous post)

Last edited by mclien (2023-01-08 20:09:54)

mclien · 2023-01-08 20:12:19

I hadn't the problem before the update, tough.
Is there a way to get the previous versions of packages before the update? (like for gtk, fluxbox, xorg, Iguess)

EDIT:
I have 2 PC (both Thinkpads) installed pretty much the same. (chimaere with fluxbox).
a T43 (IBM), i386
a T460p (Lenovo), amd64

Only the amd64 machine has the problem, the i386 doesn't lose the framing/controls (the i386 has less packages installed)

Last edited by mclien (2023-01-08 20:22:16)

fsmithred · 2023-01-08 20:48:21

You might have older deb packages in /var/cache/apt/archives but if they're from beowulf, they're a lot less likely to work than if they are previous versions from chimaera.

I tested on a T450s, running amd64.

mclien · 2023-01-08 21:47:29

Maybe I got that wrong (or simply don't know enough about it).
My point is: the problem occurred after I updated from chimaera to chimaera and the question is, if that helps to find out, which package update causes the trouble, but I don't know if and how that is possible.

What I can say: with 2 up to date versions of chimaera, amd64 has the problem, i386 has not.

And: installing gtk3-nocsd makes the problem worse (as in all windows have the problem then, not only FF/thunderbird)

Last edited by mclien (2023-01-08 22:23:22)

mclien · 2023-01-09 18:01:50

Seems to be this:
https://sourceforge.net/p/fluxbox/bugs/1182/
So, fluxbox 1.4.0 seems to solve that issue.
Any suggestions which is the best path to choose with this?

fsmithred · 2023-01-09 21:26:09

Fluxbox-1.4 is not in sid/ceres yet, so I guess you'd have to compile it yourself. That might be easy or not. I don't know. It may not make it into sid in time for bookworm/daedalus.

Head_on_a_Stick · 2023-01-10 06:45:15

The transition freeze for bookworm starts the day after tomorrow so the chances of v1.4 making it into Debian 12 are zero.

mclien · 2023-01-11 07:43:45

So there are 3 ways, as far as I see it. (or at least for me.)
- there might be a bug fix for the fluxbox Version in bookworm/daedalus (bug fixing is still done after freeze, right?).
- compile v1.4 myself (might be a PITA)
- use another window manager

bgstack15 · 2023-01-25 15:20:41

I compile a dpkg of fluxbox from the [almost latest] upstream code. Here are my notes about why. Fluxbox package page (on Open Build Service)

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#1 2023-01-07 11:10:55

fluxbox: no window decoration in firefox and thunderbird

#2 2023-01-07 11:55:11

Re: fluxbox: no window decoration in firefox and thunderbird

#3 2023-01-07 12:02:28

Re: fluxbox: no window decoration in firefox and thunderbird

#4 2023-01-07 12:36:07

Re: fluxbox: no window decoration in firefox and thunderbird

#5 2023-01-08 07:41:23

Re: fluxbox: no window decoration in firefox and thunderbird

#6 2023-01-08 11:49:03

Re: fluxbox: no window decoration in firefox and thunderbird

#7 2023-01-08 12:04:05

Re: fluxbox: no window decoration in firefox and thunderbird

#8 2023-01-08 12:22:48

Re: fluxbox: no window decoration in firefox and thunderbird

#9 2023-01-08 12:53:16

Re: fluxbox: no window decoration in firefox and thunderbird

#10 2023-01-08 18:44:26

Re: fluxbox: no window decoration in firefox and thunderbird

#11 2023-01-08 19:31:29

Re: fluxbox: no window decoration in firefox and thunderbird

#12 2023-01-08 19:50:01

Re: fluxbox: no window decoration in firefox and thunderbird

#13 2023-01-08 19:51:43

Re: fluxbox: no window decoration in firefox and thunderbird

#14 2023-01-08 20:12:19

Re: fluxbox: no window decoration in firefox and thunderbird

#15 2023-01-08 20:48:21

Re: fluxbox: no window decoration in firefox and thunderbird

#16 2023-01-08 21:47:29

Re: fluxbox: no window decoration in firefox and thunderbird

#17 2023-01-09 18:01:50

Re: fluxbox: no window decoration in firefox and thunderbird

#18 2023-01-09 21:26:09

Re: fluxbox: no window decoration in firefox and thunderbird

#19 2023-01-10 06:45:15

Re: fluxbox: no window decoration in firefox and thunderbird

#20 2023-01-11 07:43:45

Re: fluxbox: no window decoration in firefox and thunderbird

#21 2023-01-25 15:20:41

Re: fluxbox: no window decoration in firefox and thunderbird

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