Debian compiz + AIGLX HOWTO

First, you should verify if your video card is supported. Check the list of supported cards below (on other cards, Compiz would need Xgl):

 Intel i830 to i945 graphic cards

 ATI Radeon cards up to X800 series

 NVIDIA graphic cards are supported in the 9xxx-series proprietary driver

We will need to fetch some packages from testing or unstable, so point Debian official Unstable repository in your "/etc/apt/sources.list". (deb http://ftp.debian.org/debian unstable main) and "apt-get update".

Install the following packages:

 xorg compiz

Add the following options to the corresponding sections in the file /etc/X11/xorg.conf:

# Dedicated "Extensions" section (may not be present already)

Section "Extensions"

Option "Composite" "enable"

EndSection

# Section "Device" of you graphic card

Section "Device"

# Already contains

# ...

# Identifier "..."

# Driver "..."

# ...

# Add this option :

Option "XAANoOffscreenPixmaps" "true"

EndSection

Nvidia user may also need:

Section "Device"

Option "AllowGLXWithComposite" "true"

EndSection

Section "Screen"

Option "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "True"

EndSection

Section "Module"

#Load "dri"

#Load "GLcore"

EndSection

Restart your X.org server and login into GNOME. Open a terminal and issue the following command:

compiz --replace

If everything is correct you will be able to use all compiz resources.
You may want to start your compiz automatically with GNOME:
Add "compiz --replace" to "Desktop -> Preferences -> Sessions -> Startup Programs".

Limitations

The water effect uses GL_ARB_fragment_program, which not currently work properly with the open source ATI drivers under AIGLX in X.org 7.1.

Troubleshooting

If something fail you could check /var/log/Xorg.0.log and search for possible problems with DRI and GLX. You also should verify if AIGLX was successfully loaded.

Default hot keys

 Switch desktops on cube: Ctrl + Alt + Left/Right Arrow

 Switch desktops on cube - with active window following: Ctrl + Shift + Alt + Left/Right Arrow

 Rotate cube manually: Ctrl + Alt + left-click

 Zoom-in once: Super-key + right-click

 Zoom-in manually: Super-key + wheel mouse up

 Zoom-out manually: Super-key + wheel mouse down

 Move window: Alt + left-click

 Slow-motion: Shift + F10

 Transparency: Put mouse cursor over the window then press Alt + wheel mouse down

 Expose effect: Ctrl + Alt + Up Arrow or Point the mouse in top right at screen

 Take screenshot: Super-key + left-click drag