Conkys not transparent

Issues & Assistance i3wm
1

Hi Folks,

One thing I noticed about the conkys provided by Garuda is they have a black background. This may be fine for the default wallpaper, but I change wallpaper via a script.

I also installed the picom compositor (as I like translucent inactive windows) and when that is running, the conkys are transparent. But I know on my Debian machines I have conkys transparent without picom (the Debian conky configs don't work on Garuda- likely a different version or default settings).

I did check the configs and stack overflow, and it looks like the Garuda settings are right for transparent conkys. Not sure why mine are not. Its no biggie as I do run picom and that fixes the issue, but curious nonetheless. Thanks.

garuda-inxi
System:
  Kernel: 5.19.6-zen1-1-zen arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 12.2.0
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/@/boot/vmlinuz-linux-zen
    root=UUID=91f29d57-8423-442e-a227-98363728a986 rw rootflags=subvol=@
    quiet quiet splash rd.udev.log_priority=3 vt.global_cursor_default=0
    loglevel=3
  Desktop: i3 v: 4.20.1 info: i3bar vt: 7 dm: LightDM v: 1.32.0
    Distro: Garuda Linux base: Arch Linux
Machine:
  Type: Mini-pc System: Fanless Mini PC product: Quieter 3 v: N/A
    serial: <superuser required> Chassis: type: 35 serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: Fanless Mini PC model: Rev JSL1 1.10 serial: <superuser required>
    UEFI: American Megatrends LLC. v: ML_JPL1V3.2 date: 06/16/2022
Battery:
  Device-1: hidpp_battery_7 model: Logitech MX Vertical Advanced Ergonomic
    Mouse serial: <filter> charge: 55% (should be ignored) rechargeable: yes
    status: discharging
CPU:
  Info: model: Intel Celeron N5105 bits: 64 type: MCP arch: Tremont
    built: 2019 process: Intel 10nm family: 6 model-id: 0x9C (156) stepping: 0
    microcode: 0x24000023
  Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 4 smt: <unsupported> cache: L1: 256 KiB
    desc: d-4x32 KiB; i-4x32 KiB L2: 1.5 MiB desc: 1x1.5 MiB L3: 4 MiB
    desc: 1x4 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 770 high: 792 min/max: 800/2900 scaling:
    driver: intel_pstate governor: powersave cores: 1: 787 2: 792 3: 718 4: 786
    bogomips: 15974
  Flags: ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx
  Vulnerabilities:
  Type: itlb_multihit status: Not affected
  Type: l1tf status: Not affected
  Type: mds status: Not affected
  Type: meltdown status: Not affected
  Type: mmio_stale_data mitigation: Clear CPU buffers; SMT disabled
  Type: retbleed status: Not affected
  Type: spec_store_bypass mitigation: Speculative Store Bypass disabled via
    prctl
  Type: spectre_v1 mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer
    sanitization
  Type: spectre_v2 mitigation: Enhanced IBRS, IBPB: conditional, RSB
    filling, PBRSB-eIBRS: Not affected
  Type: srbds status: Vulnerable: No microcode
  Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel JasperLake [UHD Graphics] driver: i915 v: kernel
    arch: Gen-11 process: Intel 10nm built: 2019-21 ports: active: HDMI-A-2
    empty: DP-1,HDMI-A-1,HDMI-A-3 bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:4e61
    class-ID: 0300
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 21.1.4 driver: X: loaded: modesetting
    alternate: fbdev,intel,vesa gpu: i915 display-ID: :0 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 3440x1440 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 910x381mm (35.83x15.00")
    s-diag: 987mm (38.84")
  Monitor-1: HDMI-A-2 mapped: HDMI-2 model: LG (GoldStar) ULTRAWIDE
    serial: <filter> built: 2016 res: 3440x1440 hz: 60 dpi: 109 gamma: 1.2
    size: 800x335mm (31.5x13.19") diag: 867mm (34.1") modes: max: 3440x1440
    min: 640x480
  Message: Unable to show GL data. Required tool glxinfo missing.
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel Jasper Lake HD Audio vendor: Realtek driver: snd_hda_intel
    v: kernel alternate: snd_sof_pci_intel_icl bus-ID: 00:1f.3
    chip-ID: 8086:4dc8 class-ID: 0403
  Sound Server-1: ALSA v: k5.19.6-zen1-1-zen running: yes
  Sound Server-2: PulseAudio v: 16.1 running: no
  Sound Server-3: PipeWire v: 0.3.56 running: yes
Network:
  Device-1: Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 160MHz driver: iwlwifi v: kernel
    bus-ID: 00:14.3 chip-ID: 8086:4df0 class-ID: 0280
  IF: wlp0s20f3 state: up mac: <filter>
  Device-2: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet
    driver: r8169 v: kernel pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 port: 3000
    bus-ID: 01:00.0 chip-ID: 10ec:8168 class-ID: 0200
  IF: enp1s0 state: down mac: <filter>
  IF-ID-1: tun0 state: unknown speed: 10 Mbps duplex: full mac: N/A
Bluetooth:
  Device-1: Intel AX201 Bluetooth type: USB driver: btusb v: 0.8
    bus-ID: 1-8:5 chip-ID: 8087:0026 class-ID: e001
  Report: bt-adapter ID: hci0 rfk-id: 0 state: down
    bt-service: enabled,running rfk-block: hardware: no software: yes
    address: <filter>
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 230.47 GiB used: 35.67 GiB (15.5%)
  SMART Message: Required tool smartctl not installed. Check --recommends
  ID-1: /dev/mmcblk1 maj-min: 179:0 model: A3A444 size: 230.47 GiB
    block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B type: SSD serial: <filter>
    rev: 0x8 scheme: GPT
Partition:
  ID-1: / raw-size: 158.14 GiB size: 158.14 GiB (100.00%) used: 14.32 GiB
    (9.1%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/mmcblk1p4 maj-min: 179:4
  ID-2: /boot/efi raw-size: 300 MiB size: 299.4 MiB (99.80%) used: 608 KiB
    (0.2%) fs: vfat dev: /dev/mmcblk1p1 maj-min: 179:1
  ID-3: /home raw-size: 158.14 GiB size: 158.14 GiB (100.00%) used: 14.32
    GiB (9.1%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/mmcblk1p4 maj-min: 179:4
  ID-4: /var/log raw-size: 158.14 GiB size: 158.14 GiB (100.00%) used: 14.32
    GiB (9.1%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/mmcblk1p4 maj-min: 179:4
  ID-5: /var/tmp raw-size: 158.14 GiB size: 158.14 GiB (100.00%) used: 14.32
    GiB (9.1%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/mmcblk1p4 maj-min: 179:4
Swap:
  Kernel: swappiness: 133 (default 60) cache-pressure: 100 (default)
  ID-1: swap-1 type: zram size: 7.52 GiB used: 857.5 MiB (11.1%)
    priority: 100 dev: /dev/zram0
  ID-2: swap-2 type: partition size: 8.8 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%)
    priority: -2 dev: /dev/mmcblk1p3 maj-min: 179:3
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 37.0 C mobo: N/A
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A
Info:
  Processes: 286 Uptime: 2d 3h 21m wakeups: 5294 Memory: 7.52 GiB used: 3.7
  GiB (49.2%) Init: systemd v: 251 default: graphical tool: systemctl
  Compilers: gcc: 12.2.0 Packages: pacman: 1282 lib: 326 Shell: Bash
  v: 5.1.16 running-in: alacritty inxi: 3.3.20
Garuda (2.6.6-1):
  System install date:     2022-08-27
  Last full system update: 2022-09-03
  Is partially upgraded:   No
  Relevant software:       NetworkManager
  Windows dual boot:       Probably (Run as root to verify)
  Snapshots:               Snapper
  Failed units:            systemd-vconsole-setup.service
2

It differs on each PC :wink:

2 Likes
3

Same was true for me til i used Chris Titus' setup. He mentioned some transparency issues in KDE that he had to futz with to fix.

2 Likes
4

OP use

but … every help may help. :slight_smile:

Check difference, my conky is transparent

conky.config = {
  background = true,
  update_interval = 1,

  cpu_avg_samples = 2,
  net_avg_samples = 2,
  temperature_unit = 'celsius',
  if_up_strictness = 'address',

  double_buffer = true,
  no_buffers = true,
  text_buffer_size = 2048,

  own_window = false,
  own_window_class = 'conky',
  own_window_type = 'override',
  own_window_hints = 'undecorated,sticky,skip_taskbar,skip_pager,below',

  --own_window_colour = '#555555',
  own_window_transparent = true,
  own_window_argb_visual = true,
  own_window_argb_value = 0,

  draw_shades = false,
  draw_outline = false,
  draw_borders = false,
  draw_graph_borders = false,

  alignment = 'top_left',
	gap_x = 0,
	gap_y = 0,
	minimum_height = 700,

  maximum_width = 425,
  border_inner_margin = 0,
  border_outer_margin = 20,
  --xinerama_head = 0,

  override_utf8_locale = true,
  use_xft = true,
  font = 'monospace:size=8',
  xftalpha = 0.5,
  uppercase = false,
2 Likes
5

Thanks @SGS,

Difference was my settings

own_window = true

You had false. This fixed the problem on conky1 (shortcuts), but when I set it for my second conky, both started flickering. I'll do a bit more digging, and may even try the conky config by Chris Titus.

As I mentioned before, picom was the solution and is always running (when I need to read windows side by side, handy i3 keybindings kill/start picom), so I have something working.