Compiz/Configuration

General

edge bindings

While there are many things you can do with the edge bindings (not wasting key combinations / mouse-buttons for short-cuts), the standard settings of some plug-ins might be rather annoying or confusing. If you notice any seemingly random view-port changes, plug-in activations or just "stuff moving away and around wtf!?", check your activated plug-ins for edge bindings.

Workspace

Desktop Plane

While many seem to switch to Compiz in the first place because of having seen the Desktop Cube, some might find the Plane more attractive, as it offers some work-flow enhancements like being able to drag windows up or down from the current Desktop to Desktop-2 / Desktop+2

Expo

Can be used to see all your Desktops at once. Also if you do not like using a window decorator, it is a good way to drag your windows around on a or between viewpoints (just put expo on a mouse button, if you got one to spare). Blends in especially good with Desktop plane, as 2x2 (/ 3x3) view-ports enable it to use to full screen without deforming them.

Widget Layer

As quite a few auto-hiding applications do not seem to work that well with compiz, the widget plug-in comes in handy. You can set it to show all windows you defined as widgets using the same screen border / mouse-over. Resizing (maximized) windows when adding/removing a dock seems to be more painless with widget layer than with built-in auto-hide for most docks / panels (well - the ones I tried).

Accessibility

Magnifier

The magnifier comes in especially handy if you use your Desktop from a bigger Desktop (p.E. as media-centre). Using the fish eye mode with a big radius might be most effective while trying to do minor "menu / file navigation" and setting zoom in/out to <TopEdge>Button4 / 5 lets you easily zoom with mouse only without wasting a mouse button (mouse wheel @ very top of screen).

window management

Grid

Part of the compiz-fusion unsupported plug-in package available from the AUR; use keys (standard: ctrl+alt+[numpad]) to resize and arrange windows to an imaginary grid. Works & looks best without window decorations as sort of "tiling window manager".

Scale

The scale Add-on lets you easily choose a window from thumbnails to switch to, to close, or to switch it to the current view-port (see utilities / scale extensions) offering an efficient window chooser if you do not have too many open at once (10 per screen work fine for me). This one might be especially useful on a mouse button, too, if you've got one to spare.

Sample Configurations

Compiz as tiling window manager without window decorations:

• ctrl+alt+[numpad] arranges the current window
• left and right bottom corner shows Taskbar
• mouse control for everything (but typing ;))
• some effects
• & more

[core]
as_active_plugins = core;session;glib;grid;notification;workarounds;place;put;wall;regex;blur;dbus;fs;inotify;widget;animation;resize;text;mousepoll;obs;expo;fade;move;staticswitcher;mag;scale;scaleaddon;
s0_hsize = 2
s0_vsize = 2

[wall]
as_show_switcher = false
s0_edgeflip_dnd = true
as_flip_down_edge = 

[expo]
as_reflection = false
as_vp_brightness = 100.000000
as_expo_edge = 
as_expo_button = Button9
as_mipmaps = true
as_zoom_time = 0.150000
as_vp_distance = 0.000000

[scale]
as_initiate_edge = 
as_initiate_all_button = Button8
s0_darken_back = false
s0_opacity = 100
s0_overlay_icon = 0
s0_multioutput_mode = 1
as_show_desktop = false
s0_hover_time = 100
s0_spacing = 4
s0_timestep = 0.100000
s0_speed = 2.615500

[scaleaddon]
s0_window_highlight = true
s0_highlight_color = #ffffff08
s0_window_title = 0

[mag]
as_zoom_in_button = <TopEdge>Button4
as_zoom_out_button = <TopEdge>Button5
s0_mode = 2
s0_radius = 600

[place]
s0_multioutput_mode = 3
s0_mode = 2

[workarounds]
as_notification_daemon_fix = true
as_firefox_menu_fix = true
as_legacy_fullscreen = true
as_qt_fix = true
as_convert_urgency = true

[move]
as_opacity = 85 

[blur]
s0_filter = 1
s0_independent_tex = true
s0_mipmap_lod = 1.700000
s0_gaussian_radius = 7
s0_alpha_blur_match = (any) & !(class=Conky)

[put]
as_put_next_output_button = Button10
s0_speed = 10.441400
s0_timestep = 0.100000 

[obs]
s0_opacity_matches = type=dock | Tooltip | Menu | PopupMenu | DropdownMenu;(any) & !(class=Whaawmp.py | class=Gimp | class=Inkscape | class=Xfdesktop | class=Ristretto);
s0_opacity_values = 70;90;

[animation]
s0_close_effects = animation:Dream;animation:Fade;animation:Fade;
s0_open_effects = animation:Magic Lamp;animation:Fade;animation:Fade;
s0_focus_effects = animation:Dodge;
s0_open_durations = 150;100;100;
s0_close_durations = 150;100;100;
s0_minimize_durations = 150;
s0_shade_durations = 150;
s0_focus_durations = 150;

[widget]
s0_bg_brightness = 100
s0_fade_time = 0.250000
s0_match = type=Dock
as_toggle_edge = BottomLeft|BottomRight
s0_end_on_click = false

[staticswitcher]
s0_highlight_mode = 2
s0_highlight_rect_hidden = 2
as_next_key = Disabled
as_next_no_popup_key = <Alt>Tab
as_prev_all_key = Disabled