How To - VirtualBox KDE 4 Effects with Slackware 13 Guest

Erik_FL · 09-30-2009, 08:31 PM

Here is how to get most of the 3D effects of KDE 4 working with a Slackware 13 Guest OS in VirtualBox 3.0.6.

First, create this small shell script or type in these commands.

Code:

#! /bin/sh
# Set compositing type to "XRender". Click "Apply" on "All Effects" tab.
ln -s /usr/lib/modules/dri /usr/lib/dri
ln -s /usr/lib/VBoxOGL.so /usr/lib/xorg/modules/dri/vboxvideo_dri.so

The comment is just to remind you later about how to enable the effects in KDE.

Install the VirtualBox Guest Additions for Linux normally.

Run the shell script or type in the two "ln" commands.

Next, Click on "System Settings" in KDE 4.2. Double click the "Desktop" icon. On the "General" tab check the box next to "Enable desktop effects" but DO NOT CLICK "Apply" yet. Click the "Advanced" tab, and for the "Compositing type" select "XRender". Click the "All Effects" tab. Enable the effects that you want. I have not been able to get the Desktop Cube to work. You must click the "Apply" button on the "All Effects" tab (not other tabs).

Wobbly Windows seems way too slow to use but at least the fade effect seems to work well.

Any suggestions about how to improve the performance or enable more effects will be appreciated.

Credit to "geep" (Peter) and "JesperW" for posting the information in VirtualBox forums.

http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=3&p=100671

http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=16244

ppr:kut · 10-01-2009, 01:58 AM

Well, XRender is software based rendering. It worked also before vbox introduced 3d acceleration. Apparently VirtualBox doesn't support KDE's desktop effects yet.
If you take a look at Xorg.0.log inside your VM, there should be an error message from AIGLX about the dri module.

The link to the dri module is a mistake of mine and will be fixed in the next update to SBo (in case you used the SlackBuilds. If this is the binary installer please report upstream)

Erik_FL · 10-01-2009, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ppr:kut

Well, XRender is software based rendering. It worked also before vbox introduced 3d acceleration. Apparently VirtualBox doesn't support KDE's desktop effects yet.
If you take a look at Xorg.0.log inside your VM, there should be an error message from AIGLX about the dri module.

The link to the dri module is a mistake of mine and will be fixed in the next update to SBo (in case you used the SlackBuilds. If this is the binary installer please report upstream)

VirtualBox has quite a few bugs. I usually just work around them. I'm not complaining about a few mistakes. Those are inevitable, even in Slackware

Thanks for your efforts to help Slackware users. Slackware contributors and users are a big reason why I stick with Slackware.

Erik_FL · 10-01-2009, 11:48 AM

It seems that 3D acceleration in VirtualBox is not going to work with KDE 4.2. If I find some solution that works I'll post that. So far VirtualBox has been my main frustration using KDE 4.2.