Unity does not play well with VNC servers

[msp3k]

Binary package hint: unity

Attempting to use a VNC server, I have discovered that some menus and compiz effects do not work well. Specifically, sometimes Unity's drop-down menus from the top panel do not show up at all, or are incorrectly cropped, as can be seen here:

http://i.imgur.com/GStSt.png

Other compiz effects are rendered incorrectly, as can be seen below, where the top panel's drop shadow is rendered over a terminal window's title:

http://i.imgur.com/hYEYz.png

Both Vinagre and x11vnc have been tested and found to suffer from the same effects, regardless of the settings used. (Many options to x11vnc have been tried, including the -noxdamage option, which is known to be a required option for using a VNC service to a session running Comiz.)

These effects are not seen in the "Ubuntu Classic (No Effects)" session, where VNC service operates perfectly and as expected.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.04
Package: unity 3.8.12-0ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.38-8.42-generic 2.6.38.2
Uname: Linux 2.6.38-8-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia wl
.proc.driver.nvidia.gpus.0: Error: [Errno 21] Is a directory: '/proc/driver/nvidia/gpus/0'
.proc.driver.nvidia.registry: Binary: ""
.proc.driver.nvidia.version:
 NVRM version: NVIDIA UNIX x86_64 Kernel Module 270.41.06 Mon Apr 18 14:53:56 PDT 2011
 GCC version: gcc version 4.5.2 (Ubuntu/Linaro 4.5.2-8ubuntu4)
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: No value set for `/apps/compiz-1/general/screen0/options/active_plugins'
CompositorRunning: compiz
Date: Tue May 10 10:09:30 2011
DistUpgraded: Fresh install
DistroCodename: natty
DistroVariant: ubuntu
DkmsStatus:
 bcmwl, 5.100.82.38+bdcom, 2.6.38-8-generic, x86_64: installed
 blcr, 0.8.2: added
 nvidia-173, 173.14.30, 2.6.38-8-generic, x86_64: installed
 virtualbox-ose, 4.0.4, 2.6.38-8-generic, x86_64: installed
 nvidia-current, 270.41.06, 2.6.38-8-generic, x86_64: installed
GraphicsCard:
 nVidia Corporation C79 [GeForce 9400] [10de:0867] (rev b1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: Apple Computer Inc. Device [106b:00ad]
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-Server 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Release amd64 (20110426)
InstallationMedia_: Ubuntu-Server 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Release amd64 (20110426)
InstallationMedia__: Ubuntu-Server 11.04 "Natty Narwhal" - Release amd64 (20110426)
JockeyStatus:
 xorg:nvidia_173 - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (Proprietary, Disabled, Not in use)
 kmod:wl - Broadcom STA wireless driver (Proprietary, Enabled, In use) [auto-install]
 xorg:nvidia_current - NVIDIA accelerated graphics driver (Proprietary, Enabled, Not in use)
MachineType: Apple Inc. iMac9,1
ProcEnviron:
 SHELL=/bin/bash
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 LANGUAGE=en_US:
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic root=UUID=e5def63e-8d4b-4e16-9656-6c85765db403 ro
ProcVersionSignature_: Ubuntu 2.6.38-8.42-generic 2.6.38.2
ProcVersionSignature__: Ubuntu 2.6.38-8.42-generic 2.6.38.2
Renderer: Unknown
SourcePackage: unity
UnitySupportTest:
 Error: command ['/usr/lib/nux/unity_support_test', '-p'] failed with exit code 1: X Error of failed request: BadRequest (invalid request code or no such operation)
   Major opcode of failed request: 138 (NV-GLX)
   Minor opcode of failed request: 39 ()
   Serial number of failed request: 20
   Current serial number in output stream: 20
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
XorgConf:
 Section "Device"
  Identifier "Default Device"
  Option "NoLogo" "True"
 EndSection
dmi.bios.date: 04/27/09
dmi.bios.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.bios.version: IM91.88Z.008D.B08.0904271717
dmi.board.asset.tag: Base Board Asset Tag
dmi.board.name: Mac-F2218FA9
dmi.board.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Asset Tag#
dmi.chassis.type: 13
dmi.chassis.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: Mac-F2218FA9
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAppleInc.:bvrIM91.88Z.008D.B08.0904271717:bd04/27/09:svnAppleInc.:pniMac9,1:pvr1.0:rvnAppleInc.:rnMac-F2218FA9:rvr:cvnAppleInc.:ct13:cvrMac-F2218FA9:
dmi.product.name: iMac9,1
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: Apple Inc.
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.4+bzr20110415-0ubuntu2
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs 20090808ubuntu13
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.23-1ubuntu6
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 7.10.2-0ubuntu2
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 7.10.2-0ubuntu2
version.nvidia-graphics-drivers: nvidia-graphics-drivers N/A
version.xserver-xorg: xserver-xorg 1:7.6+4ubuntu3
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.14.0-0ubuntu4
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.14.0-4ubuntu7.1
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:0.0.16+git20110107+b795ca6e-0ubuntu7

[msp3k (peek-nimbios)]

Attached is a screenshot of a cropped drop-down menu.

[msp3k (peek-nimbios)]

Attached is a screenshot of incorrect drop shadow rendering.

[jbaron (john-baron)]

I see this as well, but on 32-bit natty. It makes vnc use a sort of guessing game where you have to assume the reason you see no response is that you just haven't found the right spot to rub the cursor over. Moving the cursor over an area tends to bring out at least pieces of missing dialogs and menus.

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

the issue is not really an unity one, rather a vnc with compositing activated bug...

[Alberto Salvia Novella (es20490446e)]

Are you still experiencing this bug in any current supported Ubuntu release? (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Releases)

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for Unity because there has been no activity for 60 days.]