compiz+gedit mouse curser disappearing

[Erlenmayr]

After typing some text in gedit, the mouse curser does not appear. After switching to another window and back, everything is normal again.

I use Ubuntu 14.04 with Unity, with the included free driver for AMD video cards. No related costumized packages installed. I have no idea whether it is gedit or compiz or Xorg, I could not reproduce the bug with other programs (text boxes in browser, libreoffice etc.). My other computer (Thinkpad X60 with Intel video card) does not show this behavior.

I made a screencast to demonstrate the phenomenon:
- First few seconds: Curser is fine
- After typing some characters: Curser hardly visible
- After switching windows: Everything fine again

Please try to reproduce the behavior.

The bug has been around for some months, not only the latest version, but now I got really annoyed by not being able to use the mouse to select text.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
Package: xorg 1:7.7+1ubuntu8
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.13.0-33.58-generic 3.13.11.4
Uname: Linux 3.13.0-33-generic x86_64
.tmp.unity.support.test.0:

ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.3
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: No value set for `/apps/compiz-1/general/screen0/options/active_plugins'
CompositorRunning: compiz
CompositorUnredirectDriverBlacklist: '(nouveau|Intel).*Mesa 8.0'
CompositorUnredirectFSW: true
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Thu Aug 14 13:32:23 2014
DistUpgraded: 2014-04-23 10:07:08,892 DEBUG enabling apt cron job
DistroCodename: trusty
DistroVariant: ubuntu
DkmsStatus:
 virtualbox, 4.3.10, 3.13.0-26-generic, x86_64: installed
 virtualbox, 4.3.10, 3.13.0-32-generic, x86_64: installed
 virtualbox, 4.3.10, 3.13.0-33-generic, x86_64: installed
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
ExtraDebuggingInterest: Yes
GraphicsCard:
 Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] Barts PRO [Radeon HD 6850] [1002:6739] (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: PC Partner Limited / Sapphire Technology Device [174b:e174]
InstallationDate: Installed on 2011-10-18 (1030 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.10 "Oneiric Ocelot" - Release amd64 (20111012)
MachineType: System manufacturer System Product Name
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-33-generic root=UUID=427dcfbf-6f4e-49e5-abe1-1b50a9d37e88 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: xorg
Symptom: display
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to trusty on 2014-04-23 (113 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 08/09/2012
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 2301
dmi.board.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: M4A88TD-V EVO/USB3
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
dmi.board.version: Rev X.0x
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Asset-1234567890
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Chassis Manufacture
dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr2301:bd08/09/2012:svnSystemmanufacturer:pnSystemProductName:pvrSystemVersion:rvnASUSTeKComputerINC.:rnM4A88TD-VEVO/USB3:rvrRevX.0x:cvnChassisManufacture:ct3:cvrChassisVersion:
dmi.product.name: System Product Name
dmi.product.version: System Version
dmi.sys.vendor: System manufacturer
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.11.2+14.04.20140714-0ubuntu1
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs N/A
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.52-1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 10.1.3-0ubuntu0.1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 10.1.3-0ubuntu0.1
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:1.15.1-0ubuntu2.1
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1:2.8.2-1ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:7.3.0-1ubuntu3.1
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.99.910-0ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:1.0.10-1ubuntu2
xserver.bootTime: Thu Aug 14 13:12:17 2014
xserver.configfile: default
xserver.errors:

xserver.logfile: /var/log/Xorg.0.log
xserver.version: 2:1.15.1-0ubuntu2.1
xserver.video_driver: radeon

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Tito (tito-webtito)]

I knew I wasn't the only one! Very annoying bug

[Erlenmayr (erlenmayr)]

BTW, the bug is still the same in Ubuntu 14.10. It also affects systems with i915 video driver (13" Macbook Pro with Intel Iris Graphics).

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Erlenmayr, this bug was reported a while ago and there hasn't been any activity in it recently. We were wondering if this is still an issue? If so, could you please test for this with the latest development release of Ubuntu? ISO images are available from http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/daily-live/current/ .

If it remains an issue, could you please run the following command in the development release from a Terminal as it will automatically gather and attach updated debug information to this report:

apport-collect -p xorg 1356840

Please ensure you have xdiagnose installed, and that you click the Yes button for attaching additional debugging information.

As well, given the information from the prior release is already available, testing a release prior to the development one would not be helpful.

Thank you for your understanding.

Helpful bug reporting tips:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ReportingBugs

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for xorg (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]