Doesn't really work...

Asked by Paul Merrill

I've installed on Mint 14 KDE. I get one wallpaper but I can't get it to change. In addition, the clock does not get updated neither do quotes work. I'm running Variety 0.4.12.

Ideas?

I created a log file, this is what I'm seeing

ERROR:variety: do_set_wp() 'Error while setting wallpaper'
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/opt/extras.ubuntu.com/variety/variety/VarietyWindow.py", line 946, in do_set_wp
    QuoteWriter.write_quote(self.quote["quote"], self.quote["author"], to_set, quote_outfile, self.options)
  File "/opt/extras.ubuntu.com/variety/variety/QuoteWriter.py", line 27, in write_quote
    surface = QuoteWriter.load_cairo_surface(infile, w, h)
  File "/opt/extras.ubuntu.com/variety/variety/QuoteWriter.py", line 36, in load_cairo_surface
    Gdk.cairo_set_source_pixbuf(context, pixbuf, 0, 0)
  File "/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages/gi/types.py", line 47, in function
    return info.invoke(*args, **kwargs)
KeyError: 'could not find foreign type Context'

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Peter Levi (peterlevi) said :
#1

Regarding this error: You're the first to report it, probably something that I use in the quotes-related drawing code is not supported on KDE (it is based on GDK/Cairo). Please turn off quotes for now and you shouldn't see this error. I'll have to test it, to be fair I am not sure of the state of Cairo/Pango on a KDE system. Clock is drawn by ImageMagick so it should be OK.

Not changing the wallpaper: You've probably not noticed the red message for KDE users that shows on the first run :-) Anyway: in KDE it is not possible to change the wallpaper using a shell command, you have to use KDE-specific libraries - this is a major stupidity on their side, if you ask me, but anyway. That's why Variety uses the following workaround: you manually set the file ~/.config/variety/wallpaper-kde.jpg as your wallpaper and keep it that way. When changing wallpapers later on, Variety will update this file and KDE will automatically refresh the wallpaper.

I hope this helps. Unfortunately KDE is the most badly supported DE of all because of this limitation for changing the wallpaper, and also since it has a built-in wallpaper slideshow, fewer people are using alternatives like Variety, so I suppose it is also the least tested by far.

Revision history for this message
Peter Levi (peterlevi) said :
#2

Hm, actually Variety 0.4.12 does have a bug on XFCE that behaves exactly the same as you describe when quotes or clock are used and the reason is that XFCE does not refresh the wallpaper image when Variety modifies it and runs the command to update the wallpaper setting, as the file path actually remains the same.

But on Ubuntu's KDE when I modify the wallpaper image file, KDE updates the wallpaper, I don't even have to run a command. Can you try to set some temporary image as a wallpaper and then change it by copying another image on top of it (so that the file path is the same) - does KDE update the wallpaper?

Revision history for this message
Peter Levi (peterlevi) said :
#3

Installing python-gi-cairo should fix the quotes-related error, it fixed it in my test KDE VM and quotes now work here.

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Paul Merrill (paul-a-merrill) said :
#4

Great! Worked like a charm. It appears that quotes was the culprit.

Lovely!!!

Regards,

Paul Merrill
*Mob: 0403 753 553** *
My profiles: [image: LinkedIn] <http://au.linkedin.com/in/pmerrill>[image:
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On 10 January 2013 00:50, Peter Levi
<email address hidden>wrote:

> Your question #218715 on Variety changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/variety/+question/218715
>
> Peter Levi proposed the following answer:
> Installing python-gi-cairo should fix the quotes-related error, it fixed
> it in my test KDE VM and quotes now work here.
>
> --
> If this answers your question, please go to the following page to let us
> know that it is solved:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/variety/+question/218715/+confirm?answer_id=2
>
> If you still need help, you can reply to this email or go to the
> following page to enter your feedback:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/variety/+question/218715
>
> You received this question notification because you asked the question.
>

Revision history for this message
Peter Levi (peterlevi) said :
#5

This is solved