When using cairo-dock, vlc, smplayer, mythtv and possibly other qt-4 based applications display transparent user interfaces and totally transparent movie player window. Reproducible: Always Steps to Reproduce: 1.start cairo-dock -o (it could be that compiz is creating same effect) 2.start vlc/smplayer/mythtv tv output Actual Results: user interface partially transparent, only sound, movie is invisible (transparent as well) Expected Results: Normal UI, visible movie It seems there is a problem with how QT handles (or does not handle) OpenGL context. Some info is at http://www.x.org/archive/X11R6.8.0/doc/RELNOTES5.html Workaround is described at http://www.qtforum.org/article/26669/qt4-mess-up-the-opengl-context.html I can confirm that it works for above mentioned apps. Easy workaround implementation: make file /usr/local/bin/qt_alfa_problem with: #!/bin/bash export XLIB_SKIP_ARGB_VISUALS=1 exe=`basename $0` "/usr/bin/${exe}" $* and then make a link, in the same directory, cd /usr/local/bin ln -s qt_alfa_problem vlc ln -s qt_alfa_problem smplayer ln -s qt_alfa_problem mythfrontend
Is upstream aware of the issue?
You can make workaround easier: just create file /usr/local/bin/smplayer with: #!/bin/bash XLIB_SKIP_ARGB_VISUALS=1 /usr/bin/smplayer "$*" and make chmod +x for it
This issue must be fixed upstream.