Before i start, here's a screenshot of my system with xcompmgr running, so that you can get an idea of what it'll do, so you can better decide if it's worth it or not for you.
Step One
First, you need to add the debian experimental repos to your /etc/apt/sources.list and the best way to do that, is to go here and copy & paste the relevant line into your list. (I have also included it below for those that are foolhardy and dare to experiment blindly!)
You can also read a little more about xcompmgr and decide while you're doing so, whether you really want to "Dig in this Deep" or not!!
In a terminal, become root (su then your root password) then type (or copy & paste) the following:
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leafpad /etc/apt/sources.list
Once you have the apt sources list up, add the following then save the file & exit:
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deb http://ftp.de.debian.org/debian experimental main
You can leave this line "as is" or replace the de. for a server that's nearer to your physical location. Works fine for me just as it is.
Step Two
Once that's done, do the following:
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apt-get update
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apt-get install xcompmgr
Apt will throw up a few warnings asking you if you're "Of sound mind & Body" and if you really want to be doing this.... (You do though - don't you?)
Step Three
Once the above is completed, and xcompmgr is installed, su to root and do the following:
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leafpad /etc/X11/xorg.conf
That will bring up your xorg.conf file, where you can scroll down to the bottom and you should find this:
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Section "Extensions"
Option "Composite" "Enable"
EndSection
Underneath the Option "Composite" "Enable" (on a new line) add the following:
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Option "RENDER" "Enable"
So that it ends up being like this......
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Section "Extensions"
Option "Composite" "Enable"
Option "RENDER" "Enable"
EndSection
Then SAVE the file & exit.
Step Four (We're almost there..... promise)
Then (as a normal user, not root) it's to the fluxbox startup file, so in a terminal window type the following:
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cd ~/.fluxbox
and then this
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leafpad startup
Halfway (ish) down, where it has the lines about ivman, idesk, conky etc, add the following underneath the last of those entries but BEFORE the part where it says "And last but not least we start fluxbox."
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xcompmgr -c &
THAT's IT!! Now all you need to do is logout (CTRL-ALT-BACKSPACE) and then log back in again, and you should have some funky shadows and "Compiz-Like" eye-candy!!
IMPORTANT!! Once you have this working it's probably a good idea to DISABLE the debian experimental repos that you have just added, so that there's no confusion next time you run an update through either apt-get or synaptic. The easiest way to do this, is to just do the following......
In a termminal, type the following (as root)
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leafpad /etc/apt/sources.list
This will bring up the apt sources.list that you first added the extra repo line to. Either remove the line completely then "Save & Exit" or just place a hash symbol "#" in front of the line. That will disable it.
I've tried it on 2 (very different) machines here, both on antiX of course, and it works fine. If you want to take this further and get some transparency going on as well, then have a look here. Basically you'll have to get another file (transset) which you'll then compile, install, and play about with etc. There are also quite a few dependencies that will need installing if you decide to go along this path (xrender,xfixes etc) so it's not going to be for everyone.
The reason i didn't include it in this little "HowTo" was mainly because i assumed that (like me) many people running antiX will be doing so on older hardware, and although xcompmgr works well enough and isn't "too" heavy, the same cannot be said about transset, which really eats yer cycles.
Anyway, hope this has been helpful, have fun, and please let me know if you have any problems and i'll most certainly do my best to help.
DJiNN
