Conky Staying On Top of All Windows

[Jmadero]

Binary package hint: conky

In Conky 1.4.9 if the program is added to startup with Ubuntu Gutsy it stays on top of all windows. I have seen this on my personal computer as well as my roomates desktop and his business laptop. If we "killall conky" and then restart conky the window no longer stays on top of windows. Thanks

[Cesare Tirabassi (norsetto)]

Try the version from our repositories (should be available today or tomorrow) and see if it makes any difference.

[Jmadero (jmadero)]

My roomate actually found out the problem. The sample .conkyrc file had something that was interfering with it and keeping it on top if added to the boot. Here is my .conkyrc file just in case anyone else is having the same problem:

# UBUNTU-CONKY
# A comprehensive conky script, configured for use on
# Ubuntu / Debian Gnome, without the need for any external scripts.
#
# Based on conky-jc and the default .conkyrc.
# INCLUDES:
# - tail of /var/log/messages
# - netstat connections to your computer
#
# -- Pengo (<email address hidden>)
#

# Create own window instead of using desktop (required in nautilus)
own_window yes
own_window_type override
own_window_transparent yes
own_window_hints undecorated,below,sticky,skip_taskbar,skip_pager

# Use double buffering (reduces flicker, may not work for everyone)
double_buffer yes

# fiddle with window
use_spacer yes
use_xft no

# xftfont Aberration:size=8

# Update interval in seconds
update_interval 3.0

# Minimum size of text area
# minimum_size 250 5

# Draw shades?
draw_shades no

# Text stuff
draw_outline no # amplifies text if yes
draw_borders no
font arial
uppercase no # set to yes if you want all text to be in uppercase

# Stippled borders?
stippled_borders 3

# border margins
border_margin 9

# border width
border_width 10

# Default colors and also border colors, grey90 == #e5e5e5
default_color white

own_window_colour brown
own_window_transparent yes

# Text alignment, other possible values are commented
#alignment top_left
alignment top_right
#alignment bottom_left
#alignment bottom_right

# Gap between borders of screen and text
gap_x 10
gap_y 60

# stuff after 'TEXT' will be formatted on screen

TEXT

${color orange}SYSTEM ${hr 2}$color
$nodename $sysname $kernel on $machine ${alignr}$color${time %l:%M}
${color orange}Uptime:$color $uptime ${color orange} Load:$color $loadavg

${color orange}BATTERY${hr 2}$color
${color orange}Plug/battery status:${color #FFFFFF} $acpiacadapter
${color orange}Percent Remaining: $color$battery
${color orange}Time Remaining: $color${battery_time}
${color white}${battery_bar BAT0}$color
$color
${color orange}CPU ${hr 2}$color
${freq}MHz Load: ${loadavg} Temp: ${acpitemp}C ${acpitempf}F
$cpubar
CPU
${cpugraph 000000 ffffff}
CORE 1
${cpugraph cpu1}
CORE 2
${cpugraph cpu2}

NAME PID CPU% MEM%
${top name 1} ${top pid 1} ${top cpu 1} ${top mem 1}
${top name 2} ${top pid 2} ${top cpu 2} ${top mem 2}
${top name 3} ${top pid 3} ${top cpu 3} ${top mem 3}
${top name 4} ${top pid 4} ${top cpu 4} ${top mem 4}
${top name 5} ${top pid 5} ${top cpu 5} ${top mem 5}
${top name 6} ${top pid 6} ${top cpu 6} ${top mem 6}
${top name 7} ${top pid 7} ${top cpu 7} ${top mem 7}
${top name 8} ${top pid 8} ${top cpu 8} ${top mem 8}
${top name 9} ${top pid 9} ${top cpu 9} ${top mem 9}

${color orange}MEMORY ${hr 2}$color
RAM: $memperc% ${membar 8}$color
Swap: $swapperc% ${swapbar 8}$color
$color
${color orange}FREE SPACE ${hr 2}$color
Linux: ${fs_free_perc /}% ${alignr}${fs_free /} / ${fs_size /}
${fs_bar 20 /}
Windows: ${fs_free_perc /media/sda2}% ${al...

[Dave Vree (hdave)]

I can confirm this behavior on Gutsy when conky uses "own_window_type override".

The window looks fine until after a reboot at which time the conky window is above all others. If you kill conky and restart it behaves properly.

I wrote a script to start conky after a 10 second delay and it had no effect.

window_type override is an important setting in conky because both normal and desktop window types will result in conky minimizing after a "show desktop" command. A common problem reported in the forums.

[Dave Vree (hdave)]

I can re-confirm this behavior on Hardy.

[Cesare Tirabassi (norsetto)]

I don' t see what we can do about this, an overridden window is simply not under the control of the window manager.

[lessfield (d-n-lamont)]

After a reboot, a kill and a (conky) restart is needed to obtain desired behavior.
Delayed startup scripts do not have no effect.

Conky 1.5.1 compiled Tue Apr 15 on kernel 2.6.24-19-generic

[lessfield (d-n-lamont)]

Ignore above comment.
After increasing conky startup lag via start-script expected behavior obtained

[Dave Vree (hdave)]

@ lessfield -- what was your delay...I had 10 seconds and it didn't make a difference?

[Hephaestus Malleus (hephaestus-malleus)]

I can also confirm this problem in Ubuntu v8.10. I am using conky v1.6.1-0ubuntu3 and even with a 30 second delay script, conky is still above everything on the desktop. Is there any other way to fix this problem?

[Jmadero (jmadero)]

have you looked at my code a bit more? I haven't had this problem in a long time with the script I have posted here...I actually have several instances of conky running with no problems at all

[Hephaestus Malleus (hephaestus-malleus)]

Jmadero,

I'm using the same .conkyrc template that you are using (# UBUNTU-CONKY, A comprehensive conky script), but I still keep getting the "above all windows/desktop" problem whenever I restart. I have the 'own_window_transparent' var set to 'yes' just like in yours.

The strangest part is that conky was working fine 2 days ago. It was only recently when it was starting to have this bizarre problem. I increased the startup delay to 30 seconds, but to no avail.

Here is the start up script that is called on every reboot:
#!/bin/bash
sleep 30 && conky;

Could the startup script be the problem?

[Mike McD (mcdade)]

Try this:

#!/bin/bash
/usr/bin/conky &
sleep 10
killall conky &
sleep 10
/usr/bin/conky &

That fixed the issue for me.

[Hephaestus Malleus (hephaestus-malleus)]

Mike, that idea worked great!

Here is my syntax in the new conky startup script:
#!/bin/bash
conky &
sleep 10
killall conky &
sleep 10
conky;

[Hephaestus Malleus (hephaestus-malleus)]

Mike,

It looks like I spoke too soon. The "always on top of all windows" conky problem has come back again after another restart.

In my startup scripts I have tried:
#!/bin/bash
conky &
sleep 10
killall conky &
sleep 10
conky;

I also tried:
#!/bin/bash
/usr/bin/conky &
sleep 10
killall conky &
sleep 10
/usr/bin/conky &

But still for some reason conky is still above everything, and I always have to use the 'killall' command to stop conky and then manually restart it again. Is there any other way to fix this problem?

[Derek White (d-man97)]

I have been experiencing this problem since I activated compiz.

It starts after a restart (probably on login) and stays after suspend/resume.

conky 1.6.1-0ubuntu4
See attached screen-shot.

[Derek White (d-man97)]

Worked perfectly fine under metacity.
Startup Applications command:
sh -c "sleep 20 && /home/derek/.bin/startup.sh"

Is this a problem with conky loading prior to compiz taking over control? And, when it does take control, it adds the border shadow & does not put it back how it should go.

[Nils-Werner Claesson (nwclaesson)]

Confirming this issue. Compiz activated, ATI drivers directly from ATI website.

[kit (kitrule)]

1. sudo apt-get install compizconfig-settings-manager
2. click [system][preferences][compizconfig settings manager]
3. under category select [window management]
4. check the box next to [window rules]
5. click on [window rules]
6. type "class=Conky" excluding the quotes in the text box next to [below]
7. click [back]
8. click [close]
9. hold the [alt] key down and press the [f2] key
10. type in "compiz --replace" and click [run]

see if it helps

[labinnsw (labinnsw)]

This did not solve the problem. (Using Hardy)

[labinnsw (labinnsw)]

I was successful in working around the problem with this script.
(another take on the ones found here.

[godsource (source-lite)]

Had the same problem with conky staying on top of all windows. I checked System Monitor - Processes tab and found out it was running twice for some reason. So I killed the bottom conky and it fixed the problem. Don't know if that's anyone elses problem, but you might want to check out to see if it is running twice... if it is, it runs on top of all windows. :P

[Michele Angrisano (darksun)]

Try to edit this line:

own_window_type override

with:

own_window_type normal

After this, reboot gdm.

It should fix the issue.

[Roch Delsalle (mnml)]

background no
own_window yes
own_window_type normal

[RyuRabbit (ryurabbit)]

@Kit (Comment #18),

This fix worked for me. :3 thanks very much. I didn't have to change anything in my .conkyrc file :3

[Victor Mendonça (victorbrca)]

Hi all,

Not really looking for a fix, only reporting what I have found.

I have the issue in Ubuntu 12.10. The change from post #22 worked for me:

#own_window_type override
own_window_type normal

Here's some info on my system:

Conky 1.9.0
Ubuntu 12.10
Compiz 0.9.8.5

Cheers,
Vic.