upgrade 16.04 > 16.04.1 = unable to move windows (even though move windows is checked in ccsm) and other gui issues

unity 16.04 virtualbox

5,199

You need to disable the ccsm "window decoration" as it conflicts with the newest unity plugin.

Also, you need to enable the unity plugin in ccsm.

When using unity, all you need to do is click and drag down from the top panel to grab a window to move it.

I have found that alt button1 is a good option for the move plugin that works. Just press alt and hold down left click to move a window.

5,199

Sean

Product guy learning Python and JavaScript.

Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

Sean over 1 year
Very new ubuntu user here.

I just updated ubuntu (running on virtualbox on windows) from 16.04 to 16.04.1.

When I rebooted my vm - all of the menus, panels, minimise/maximise/close elements were not visible. I have since managed to get the menus to appear as per screenshot below. I am able to right-click and open a terminal session and run programs (as per pgadmin3 running on the right-hand side of the desktop). If I right-click and open an additional terminal session, it is superimposed on the first, and I cannot alt-tab or alt-~ to any other terminal session.

In addition, I am unable to move windows, yet move windows is checked in ccsm.

I have tried the top-rated answers for the following questions without success:
Any help would be really appreciated!
- Sergiy Kolodyazhnyy almost 8 years
  
  Is Desktop Wall checked in CCSM ?
- Sean almost 8 years
  
  no - should it be?
- Sergiy Kolodyazhnyy almost 8 years
  
  Yes. Check it. See if it allows you move windows
- Sean almost 8 years
  
  checked it, couldn't move windows. rebooted, checked that it was still checked (it was) couldn't move windows :-/
- Sergiy Kolodyazhnyy almost 8 years
  
  See my screenshot. imgur.com/a/Z9ssR Typically issues with moving windows or workspaces come from compiz plugins not being checked. Unity plugin is the most important one - without it there's no decorations or launcher . It doesn't show in the main panel, but if you click on it, the right panel has option for checking it.
- Sean almost 8 years
  
  thanks for uploading that - I've made sure that unity is checked (it wasn't) and checked viewport switcher (because it was checked in the screenshot you added) (it wasn't checked on my machine). Since making these changes - I've rebooted - still the same issues.
- Sergiy Kolodyazhnyy almost 8 years
  
  How about any of these ? imgur.com/a/DS3O3
- Sean almost 8 years
  
  place and resize were unchecked (now checked - rebooted - no effect). Maximumize is not even there to check...
- Sergiy Kolodyazhnyy almost 8 years
  
  Very odd. I don't have many more ideas. Let me know if no-one finds a solution in a few days, ok ?
- Sean almost 8 years
  
  sure thing, thanks for your help! one last question - I've found out that metacity is not installed - does this matter?
- Sergiy Kolodyazhnyy almost 8 years
  
  That shouldn't matter. IIRC metacity is another window manager, just like compiz
- Sean almost 8 years
  
  yeah - you are correct - just finished doing some reading about it
Sean almost 8 years

window decoration is (was already) disabled. Unity is currently selected as the profile for ccsm. I'll do some googling now to work out how to find out if it is enabled or not.
mchid almost 8 years

@Sean In 16.04 there is a unity plugin. Enable this plugin.
Sean almost 8 years

sorry for this - but to clarify - if unity is running - does this mean that it is enabled? (please see my screenshot in the question) On a separate note, I can't move the windows at all (either click-hold or using alt...)
mchid almost 8 years

@Sean No, I don't think so. I believe compiz is running and unity is simply a compiz plugin. I have added some photos. Also, disable gnome compatibility if it is enabled.
Sean almost 8 years

ah, thanks for adding those - unity wasn't enabled (I swear that it was before, but regardless - it definitely is now). I've since rebooted to no avail.
Sergiy Kolodyazhnyy almost 8 years

Unity in reality is nothing more but a compiz plugin. Compiz is the actual window manager. If it doesn't have Unity enabled , windows wont have decorations or any shortcuts for moving, alt-tabing, no workspaces either. Time to time compiz crashes ( that just happens for whatever reason ) and i found over and over that you need Unity plugin checked. That's 99% of cases
Sean almost 8 years

gnome compatibility is unchecked.
mchid almost 8 years

@Sean Take a look here, and you may have to install the dconf-editor askubuntu.com/a/290376/167115
Sean almost 8 years

thanks for the link. I had tried that before, but I just tried it again (after the changes that I've made following your suggestions) - and it still hasn't changed the situation :-/
mchid almost 8 years

@Sean Make sure 3d acceleration is enabled in your virtual machine options.
Sean almost 8 years

okay cool. I did install mate (to see if the issue went away) - but it didn't make a difference. I might try i3 and see if that is any different :-)