Simple script for Linux gamers - toggle desktop compositing in XFCE

A short script to toggle compositing on or off for XFCE Window Manager (XFWM).
Compositing improves desktop aesthetics and usability, but turning it off improves compatibility (and performance) for games.

At time of writing Team Fortress 2, Counter-Strike: Source and other games on the Source engine will break on startup if desktop compositing is turned on in XFCE.

  1. Download it here
  2. Make it the script executable with chmod u+x toggle-xfwm-compisiting.txt (or by changing permissions in your file manager).
  3. Then use the script with ./toggle-xfwm-compisiting.txt. If it's working, shadows and transparency on windows/panels/desktop will disappear/reappear.
  4. (optional) I added a keyboard shortcut in XFCE Settings Manager > Keyboard > Application Shortcuts. The command for the shortcut would have to be the full path, something like /home/ben/scripts/toggle-xfwm-compositing.txt
    Now I just hit that keyboard shortcut when want to play a game.
Attachment Size
toggle-xfwm-compositing.txt714 bytes 714 bytes

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