MX-23.5 Xfce 32 bit wallpaper issue

[chrispop99]

When you select a new wallpaper, then close the dialogue, the wallpaper doesn't change. If you log out/in, the new wallpaper will appear.

NOTE - Only 32 bit affected!

Reported by a Facebook group member, and confirmed by me on this machine:

Code: Select all

System:
  Kernel: 6.1.0-28-686-pae [6.1.119-1] arch: i686 bits: 32 compiler: gcc v: 12.2.0
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-6.1.0-28-686-pae root=UUID=<filter> ro quiet splash
  Desktop: Xfce v: 4.20.0 tk: Gtk v: 3.24.38 info: xfce4-panel wm: xfwm v: 4.20.0 vt: 7
    dm: LightDM v: 1.32.0 Distro: MX-23.5_386 Libretto Jan 12  2025 base: Debian GNU/Linux 12
    (bookworm)
Machine:
  Type: Portable System: Dell product: Inspiron 1011 v: A06 serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: Dell model: CN0Y53 v: A06 serial: <superuser required> BIOS: Dell v: A06 date: 07/29/2009
Battery:
  ID-1: BAT1 charge: 43.9 Wh (99.8%) condition: 44.0/48.8 Wh (90.1%) volts: 12.2 min: 11.1
    model: Dynapack DELL F143M932 type: Li-ion serial: <filter> status: not charging
CPU:
  Info: model: Intel Atom N270 bits: 32 type: MT arch: Bonnell built: 2008-13 process: Intel 45nm
    family: 6 model-id: 0x1C (28) stepping: 2 microcode: 0x218
  Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 1 tpc: 2 threads: 2 smt: enabled cache: L1: 56 KiB
    desc: d-1x24 KiB; i-1x32 KiB L2: 512 KiB desc: 1x512 KiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 834 high: 848 min/max: 800/1600 scaling: driver: acpi-cpufreq
    governor: ondemand cores: 1: 821 2: 848 bogomips: 6383
  Flags: ht nx pae sse sse2 sse3 ssse3
  Vulnerabilities:
  Type: gather_data_sampling status: Not affected
  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 status: Not affected
  Type: reg_file_data_sampling status: Not affected
  Type: retbleed status: Not affected
  Type: spec_rstack_overflow status: Not affected
  Type: spec_store_bypass status: Not affected
  Type: spectre_v1 status: Not affected
  Type: spectre_v2 status: Not affected
  Type: srbds status: Not affected
  Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel Mobile 945GSE Express Integrated Graphics vendor: Dell driver: i915 v: kernel
    arch: Gen-3.5 process: Intel 90nm built: 2005-06 ports: active: LVDS-1 empty: VGA-1
    bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:27ae class-ID: 0300
  Device-2: Suyin Integrated Webcam type: USB driver: uvcvideo bus-ID: 1-2:2 chip-ID: 064e:a129
    class-ID: 0e02
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 1.21.1.7 compositor: xfwm v: 4.20.0 driver: X: loaded: intel
    unloaded: fbdev,modesetting,vesa dri: i915 gpu: i915 display-ID: :0.0 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1024x600 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 270x158mm (10.63x6.22") s-diag: 313mm (12.32")
  Monitor-1: LVDS-1 mapped: LVDS1 model: BOE Display 0x0587 built: 2009 res: 1024x600 hz: 60
    dpi: 118 gamma: 1.2 size: 220x130mm (8.66x5.12") diag: 256mm (10.1") ratio: 16:9 modes: 1024x600
  API: OpenGL v: 2.1 Mesa 22.3.6 renderer: i915 (: 945GME) direct-render: Yes
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel NM10/ICH7 Family High Definition Audio vendor: Dell driver: snd_hda_intel
    v: kernel bus-ID: 00:1b.0 chip-ID: 8086:27d8 class-ID: 0403
  API: ALSA v: k6.1.0-28-686-pae status: kernel-api tools: alsamixer,amixer
  Server-1: PipeWire v: 1.0.0 status: active with: 1: pipewire-pulse status: active
    2: wireplumber status: active 3: pipewire-alsa type: plugin 4: pw-jack type: plugin
    tools: pactl,pw-cat,pw-cli,wpctl
Network:
  Device-1: Broadcom BCM4312 802.11b/g LP-PHY vendor: Dell Wireless 1397 WLAN Mini-Card driver: wl
    v: kernel modules: ssb pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 bus-ID: 03:00.0 chip-ID: 14e4:4315
    class-ID: 0280
  IF: wlan0 state: dormant mac: <filter>
  Device-2: Realtek RTL810xE PCI Express Fast Ethernet vendor: Dell driver: r8169 v: kernel pcie:
    gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 port: 2000 bus-ID: 04:00.0 chip-ID: 10ec:8136 class-ID: 0200
  IF: eth0 state: down mac: <filter>
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 115.55 GiB used: 7.64 GiB (6.6%)
  SMART Message: Unable to run smartctl. Root privileges required.
  ID-1: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 vendor: Kingston model: SV300S37A120G size: 111.79 GiB block-size:
    physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: <unknown> type: SSD serial: <filter> rev: BBF0 scheme: MBR
  ID-2: /dev/sdc maj-min: 8:32 type: USB vendor: Generic model: Flash Disk size: 3.76 GiB
    block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B type: SSD serial: <filter> rev: 8.07 scheme: MBR
  SMART Message: Unknown USB bridge. Flash drive/Unsupported enclosure?
Partition:
  ID-1: / raw-size: 111.79 GiB size: 109.47 GiB (97.93%) used: 7.38 GiB (6.7%) fs: ext4
    dev: /dev/sda1 maj-min: 8:1
Swap:
  Kernel: swappiness: 15 (default 60) cache-pressure: 100 (default)
  ID-1: swap-1 type: file size: 1024 MiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) priority: -2 file: /swap/swap
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 45.0 C mobo: N/A
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A
Repos:
  Packages: pm: dpkg pkgs: 2125 libs: 1060 tools: apt,apt-get,aptitude,nala,synaptic pm: rpm
    pkgs: 0 pm: flatpak pkgs: 0
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-stable-updates.list
    1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-updates main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian.list
    1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
    2: deb http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mx.list
    1: deb http://mxlinux.mirrors.uk2.net/packages/mx/repo/ bookworm main non-free
Info:
  Processes: 193 Uptime: 4m wakeups: 2 Memory: 1.95 GiB used: 753.3 MiB (37.6%) Init: SysVinit
  v: 3.06 runlevel: 5 default: graphical tool: systemctl Compilers: gcc: 12.2.0 alt: 12
  Client: shell wrapper v: 5.2.15-release inxi: 3.3.26
Boot Mode: BIOS (legacy, CSM, MBR)

Chris

[dolphin_oracle]

I wonder if

xfdesktop —reload

Does anything.

[chrispop99]

I wonder if

xfdesktop —reload

Does anything.

Yes, it brings up the new wallpaper.

Chris

[dolphin_oracle]

try disabling the compositor in window manager tweaks, compositor tab. you may need to reboot afterwards.

on my test machine, disabling the compositor allowed wallpaper changes.

but then I re-enabled the compostor and I coudl still make wallpaper changes.

I will be comparing the default settings files. maybe there is a conflict, but if that works it is at least easy.

I did file an issue on Xfce though.

[T3KN05H4M4N]

I also posted about the same issue. However, it also affects 64 bit, as that is what my system is. I also thought about posting about this issue on Xfce forum. I'm sure others have posted about the same thing on there so I'll go have a look. Here's my post I made on this forum:

viewtopic.php?f=104&p=805356#p805356

[T3KN05H4M4N]

try disabling the compositor in window manager tweaks, compositor tab. you may need to reboot afterwards.

on my test machine, disabling the compositor allowed wallpaper changes.

but then I re-enabled the compostor and I coudl still make wallpaper changes.

I will be comparing the default settings files. maybe there is a conflict, but if that works it is at least easy.

I did file an issue on Xfce though.

I'll try that too thanks!

Update: That didn't work for me

[chrispop99]

On my test machines, turning the compositor off/on didn't survive a reboot, naturally. Whilst it was off I lost Conky transparency.

I discovered what I think is the easiest workaround, at least on the machine I am using; change the wallpaper, close the dialogue, then switch to an different workspace. The wallpaper will be replaced correctly on all workspaces.

Chris

[T3KN05H4M4N]

On my test machines, turning the compositor off/on didn't survive a reboot, naturally. Whilst it was off I lost Conky transparency.

I discovered what I think is the easiest workaround, at least on the machine I am using; change the wallpaper, close the dialogue, then switch to an different workspace. The wallpaper will be replaced correctly on all workspaces.

Chris

Hey that worked for me! I wonder though, will it remain the same after a reboot? Guess I'll have to see. I'll try that later. Thanks for the fix though!

Update: That was only a temp fix and once you reboot, it's right back to the same problem. So I set my wallpaper, removed the workspace switcher altogether from the panel, and rebooted. Now my issue is fixed. I haven't tried adding back the workspace switch yet to see if it reproduces the same problem. I'll do that next. So I re-added the workspace switcher upon reboot and my settings didn't change. I rebooted once more for good measure and now I my wallpaper isn't changing anymore. Not sure what that hiccup was about.

[dolphin_oracle]

On my test machines, turning the compositor off/on didn't survive a reboot, naturally. Whilst it was off I lost Conky transparency.

I discovered what I think is the easiest workaround, at least on the machine I am using; change the wallpaper, close the dialogue, then switch to an different workspace. The wallpaper will be replaced correctly on all workspaces.

Chris

ah, you know what I had enabled separate wallpapers without effect.

but taking your information, I can confirm that

1. in desktop settings, click on the option to apply to all workspaces.
2. close settings, and do a xfdesktop --reload in terminal
3. proceed as normal, as wallpapers for me changed normally after that.

[dolphin_oracle]

I think I've found the setting at fault, and I think its a migrated setting that for some reason on 32 bit is getting hosed up while Xfce migrates old config files to new format (we did not update config files).

Code: Select all

xfconf-query -c xfce4-desktop -p /backdrop/single-workspace-number -s 1

should do the trick, no logout required.

note this setting does not appear at all in the migrated settings on 64 bit. On 32 bit its present, but set to -1

**edit*** posssibly setting to 0 will work, as its supposed to be the workspace number for the wallpaper that gets applied to all other workspaces when you select "Apply to All workspaces" in the desktop settings. but I had better luck with "1".