Linux: image viewer with transparent window?











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2
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I would like to display a fully opaque image (e.g. PNG RGB8) on the desktop in an image viewer - but such that I can set the window (showing the image) to be, say, 50% transparent (so I could see through and compare with other windows below). It would be even better if the viewer just shows a "panel" instead of a "window" (i.e. I'd prefer just the image shown, possibly with a border - instead of a full blown window with menubar, titlebar etc).



I'm aware that in Compiz, it should be possible to run a plugin, and have any window you want transparent - but I was hoping for a solution (viewer) that would not be Compiz-specific (and even more preferred, if it is neither Gnome nor KDE specific - but I'm not sure that is possible). ...



Any suggestions for an image viewer like this?










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  • 1




    Considering that most programs want to be "well-integrated" there isn't going to be a DE/WM-agnostic solution that doesn't look as ugly as Squidward's head.
    – digitxp
    Aug 18 '11 at 2:43










  • Thanks for the comment @digitxp - I was suspecting that was the case, but good to have it confirmed...
    – sdaau
    Aug 22 '11 at 9:06















up vote
2
down vote

favorite












I would like to display a fully opaque image (e.g. PNG RGB8) on the desktop in an image viewer - but such that I can set the window (showing the image) to be, say, 50% transparent (so I could see through and compare with other windows below). It would be even better if the viewer just shows a "panel" instead of a "window" (i.e. I'd prefer just the image shown, possibly with a border - instead of a full blown window with menubar, titlebar etc).



I'm aware that in Compiz, it should be possible to run a plugin, and have any window you want transparent - but I was hoping for a solution (viewer) that would not be Compiz-specific (and even more preferred, if it is neither Gnome nor KDE specific - but I'm not sure that is possible). ...



Any suggestions for an image viewer like this?










share|improve this question




















  • 1




    Considering that most programs want to be "well-integrated" there isn't going to be a DE/WM-agnostic solution that doesn't look as ugly as Squidward's head.
    – digitxp
    Aug 18 '11 at 2:43










  • Thanks for the comment @digitxp - I was suspecting that was the case, but good to have it confirmed...
    – sdaau
    Aug 22 '11 at 9:06













up vote
2
down vote

favorite









up vote
2
down vote

favorite











I would like to display a fully opaque image (e.g. PNG RGB8) on the desktop in an image viewer - but such that I can set the window (showing the image) to be, say, 50% transparent (so I could see through and compare with other windows below). It would be even better if the viewer just shows a "panel" instead of a "window" (i.e. I'd prefer just the image shown, possibly with a border - instead of a full blown window with menubar, titlebar etc).



I'm aware that in Compiz, it should be possible to run a plugin, and have any window you want transparent - but I was hoping for a solution (viewer) that would not be Compiz-specific (and even more preferred, if it is neither Gnome nor KDE specific - but I'm not sure that is possible). ...



Any suggestions for an image viewer like this?










share|improve this question















I would like to display a fully opaque image (e.g. PNG RGB8) on the desktop in an image viewer - but such that I can set the window (showing the image) to be, say, 50% transparent (so I could see through and compare with other windows below). It would be even better if the viewer just shows a "panel" instead of a "window" (i.e. I'd prefer just the image shown, possibly with a border - instead of a full blown window with menubar, titlebar etc).



I'm aware that in Compiz, it should be possible to run a plugin, and have any window you want transparent - but I was hoping for a solution (viewer) that would not be Compiz-specific (and even more preferred, if it is neither Gnome nor KDE specific - but I'm not sure that is possible). ...



Any suggestions for an image viewer like this?







linux images window transparency image-viewer






share|improve this question















share|improve this question













share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited Aug 18 '11 at 1:54









3498DB

15.6k114762




15.6k114762










asked Aug 17 '11 at 18:06









sdaau

2,39543657




2,39543657








  • 1




    Considering that most programs want to be "well-integrated" there isn't going to be a DE/WM-agnostic solution that doesn't look as ugly as Squidward's head.
    – digitxp
    Aug 18 '11 at 2:43










  • Thanks for the comment @digitxp - I was suspecting that was the case, but good to have it confirmed...
    – sdaau
    Aug 22 '11 at 9:06














  • 1




    Considering that most programs want to be "well-integrated" there isn't going to be a DE/WM-agnostic solution that doesn't look as ugly as Squidward's head.
    – digitxp
    Aug 18 '11 at 2:43










  • Thanks for the comment @digitxp - I was suspecting that was the case, but good to have it confirmed...
    – sdaau
    Aug 22 '11 at 9:06








1




1




Considering that most programs want to be "well-integrated" there isn't going to be a DE/WM-agnostic solution that doesn't look as ugly as Squidward's head.
– digitxp
Aug 18 '11 at 2:43




Considering that most programs want to be "well-integrated" there isn't going to be a DE/WM-agnostic solution that doesn't look as ugly as Squidward's head.
– digitxp
Aug 18 '11 at 2:43












Thanks for the comment @digitxp - I was suspecting that was the case, but good to have it confirmed...
– sdaau
Aug 22 '11 at 9:06




Thanks for the comment @digitxp - I was suspecting that was the case, but good to have it confirmed...
– sdaau
Aug 22 '11 at 9:06










4 Answers
4






active

oldest

votes

















up vote
1
down vote



accepted










To my knowledge, window transparency is the job of the window manager. I'm pretty sure--but someone please correct me if I'm wrong--that the only way to accomplish this is by using a window manager, such as Compiz, that supports transparency.



How come you don't want to use Compiz? If you're just trying to avoid Gnome and KDE, you can use Compiz independently of your desktop environment.






share|improve this answer





















  • Thanks for that @strangeronyourtrain - I was suspecting that is the case, but good to have it confirmed... I actually like the Compiz method, worked quite nice for me - but a lot of times, I'd have to boot into a USB-key based OS, which may not necessarily have Compiz.. In such cases, it would be nice to have a WM agnostic solution. Thanks again - cheers!
    – sdaau
    Aug 22 '11 at 9:09


















up vote
1
down vote













I use transset, you can make any window whatever level of opacity you want. Since it is command line you can write scripts that call it.



example:



transset -n "Window Title" 0.5





share|improve this answer





















  • granted, you do need to have compositing enabled first. I use MATE as my desktop, and just use the simple compositor built into it.
    – LaXDragon
    Jan 27 '15 at 17:08


















up vote
0
down vote













qiv with the -p flag will show an image over the desktop that can work like an overlay.



See also this question.






share|improve this answer




























    up vote
    -1
    down vote













    Compiz is a bit overkill for this usage, since it's a window manager as well as a compositing manager. You only need to compositing part.



    The classic standalone compositing manager is xcompmgr, which will happily run alongside an existing window manager and should be in most distros' package managers. More recently it's been forked into Compton, to fix a few bugs.



    See https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/xcompmgr for more info (it's not Arch-specific).






    share|improve this answer





















    • This isn't really an answer. The user seems to know how to use compositing, but seems to interested in an image viewer with a minimal edge that can be overlaid against another window of like type.
      – killermist
      Jan 27 '15 at 17:13











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    4 Answers
    4






    active

    oldest

    votes








    4 Answers
    4






    active

    oldest

    votes









    active

    oldest

    votes






    active

    oldest

    votes








    up vote
    1
    down vote



    accepted










    To my knowledge, window transparency is the job of the window manager. I'm pretty sure--but someone please correct me if I'm wrong--that the only way to accomplish this is by using a window manager, such as Compiz, that supports transparency.



    How come you don't want to use Compiz? If you're just trying to avoid Gnome and KDE, you can use Compiz independently of your desktop environment.






    share|improve this answer





















    • Thanks for that @strangeronyourtrain - I was suspecting that is the case, but good to have it confirmed... I actually like the Compiz method, worked quite nice for me - but a lot of times, I'd have to boot into a USB-key based OS, which may not necessarily have Compiz.. In such cases, it would be nice to have a WM agnostic solution. Thanks again - cheers!
      – sdaau
      Aug 22 '11 at 9:09















    up vote
    1
    down vote



    accepted










    To my knowledge, window transparency is the job of the window manager. I'm pretty sure--but someone please correct me if I'm wrong--that the only way to accomplish this is by using a window manager, such as Compiz, that supports transparency.



    How come you don't want to use Compiz? If you're just trying to avoid Gnome and KDE, you can use Compiz independently of your desktop environment.






    share|improve this answer





















    • Thanks for that @strangeronyourtrain - I was suspecting that is the case, but good to have it confirmed... I actually like the Compiz method, worked quite nice for me - but a lot of times, I'd have to boot into a USB-key based OS, which may not necessarily have Compiz.. In such cases, it would be nice to have a WM agnostic solution. Thanks again - cheers!
      – sdaau
      Aug 22 '11 at 9:09













    up vote
    1
    down vote



    accepted







    up vote
    1
    down vote



    accepted






    To my knowledge, window transparency is the job of the window manager. I'm pretty sure--but someone please correct me if I'm wrong--that the only way to accomplish this is by using a window manager, such as Compiz, that supports transparency.



    How come you don't want to use Compiz? If you're just trying to avoid Gnome and KDE, you can use Compiz independently of your desktop environment.






    share|improve this answer












    To my knowledge, window transparency is the job of the window manager. I'm pretty sure--but someone please correct me if I'm wrong--that the only way to accomplish this is by using a window manager, such as Compiz, that supports transparency.



    How come you don't want to use Compiz? If you're just trying to avoid Gnome and KDE, you can use Compiz independently of your desktop environment.







    share|improve this answer












    share|improve this answer



    share|improve this answer










    answered Aug 18 '11 at 8:08









    strangeronyourtrain

    126129




    126129












    • Thanks for that @strangeronyourtrain - I was suspecting that is the case, but good to have it confirmed... I actually like the Compiz method, worked quite nice for me - but a lot of times, I'd have to boot into a USB-key based OS, which may not necessarily have Compiz.. In such cases, it would be nice to have a WM agnostic solution. Thanks again - cheers!
      – sdaau
      Aug 22 '11 at 9:09


















    • Thanks for that @strangeronyourtrain - I was suspecting that is the case, but good to have it confirmed... I actually like the Compiz method, worked quite nice for me - but a lot of times, I'd have to boot into a USB-key based OS, which may not necessarily have Compiz.. In such cases, it would be nice to have a WM agnostic solution. Thanks again - cheers!
      – sdaau
      Aug 22 '11 at 9:09
















    Thanks for that @strangeronyourtrain - I was suspecting that is the case, but good to have it confirmed... I actually like the Compiz method, worked quite nice for me - but a lot of times, I'd have to boot into a USB-key based OS, which may not necessarily have Compiz.. In such cases, it would be nice to have a WM agnostic solution. Thanks again - cheers!
    – sdaau
    Aug 22 '11 at 9:09




    Thanks for that @strangeronyourtrain - I was suspecting that is the case, but good to have it confirmed... I actually like the Compiz method, worked quite nice for me - but a lot of times, I'd have to boot into a USB-key based OS, which may not necessarily have Compiz.. In such cases, it would be nice to have a WM agnostic solution. Thanks again - cheers!
    – sdaau
    Aug 22 '11 at 9:09












    up vote
    1
    down vote













    I use transset, you can make any window whatever level of opacity you want. Since it is command line you can write scripts that call it.



    example:



    transset -n "Window Title" 0.5





    share|improve this answer





















    • granted, you do need to have compositing enabled first. I use MATE as my desktop, and just use the simple compositor built into it.
      – LaXDragon
      Jan 27 '15 at 17:08















    up vote
    1
    down vote













    I use transset, you can make any window whatever level of opacity you want. Since it is command line you can write scripts that call it.



    example:



    transset -n "Window Title" 0.5





    share|improve this answer





















    • granted, you do need to have compositing enabled first. I use MATE as my desktop, and just use the simple compositor built into it.
      – LaXDragon
      Jan 27 '15 at 17:08













    up vote
    1
    down vote










    up vote
    1
    down vote









    I use transset, you can make any window whatever level of opacity you want. Since it is command line you can write scripts that call it.



    example:



    transset -n "Window Title" 0.5





    share|improve this answer












    I use transset, you can make any window whatever level of opacity you want. Since it is command line you can write scripts that call it.



    example:



    transset -n "Window Title" 0.5






    share|improve this answer












    share|improve this answer



    share|improve this answer










    answered Jan 27 '15 at 17:07









    LaXDragon

    1113




    1113












    • granted, you do need to have compositing enabled first. I use MATE as my desktop, and just use the simple compositor built into it.
      – LaXDragon
      Jan 27 '15 at 17:08


















    • granted, you do need to have compositing enabled first. I use MATE as my desktop, and just use the simple compositor built into it.
      – LaXDragon
      Jan 27 '15 at 17:08
















    granted, you do need to have compositing enabled first. I use MATE as my desktop, and just use the simple compositor built into it.
    – LaXDragon
    Jan 27 '15 at 17:08




    granted, you do need to have compositing enabled first. I use MATE as my desktop, and just use the simple compositor built into it.
    – LaXDragon
    Jan 27 '15 at 17:08










    up vote
    0
    down vote













    qiv with the -p flag will show an image over the desktop that can work like an overlay.



    See also this question.






    share|improve this answer

























      up vote
      0
      down vote













      qiv with the -p flag will show an image over the desktop that can work like an overlay.



      See also this question.






      share|improve this answer























        up vote
        0
        down vote










        up vote
        0
        down vote









        qiv with the -p flag will show an image over the desktop that can work like an overlay.



        See also this question.






        share|improve this answer












        qiv with the -p flag will show an image over the desktop that can work like an overlay.



        See also this question.







        share|improve this answer












        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer










        answered Nov 28 at 23:32









        pbhj

        262210




        262210






















            up vote
            -1
            down vote













            Compiz is a bit overkill for this usage, since it's a window manager as well as a compositing manager. You only need to compositing part.



            The classic standalone compositing manager is xcompmgr, which will happily run alongside an existing window manager and should be in most distros' package managers. More recently it's been forked into Compton, to fix a few bugs.



            See https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/xcompmgr for more info (it's not Arch-specific).






            share|improve this answer





















            • This isn't really an answer. The user seems to know how to use compositing, but seems to interested in an image viewer with a minimal edge that can be overlaid against another window of like type.
              – killermist
              Jan 27 '15 at 17:13















            up vote
            -1
            down vote













            Compiz is a bit overkill for this usage, since it's a window manager as well as a compositing manager. You only need to compositing part.



            The classic standalone compositing manager is xcompmgr, which will happily run alongside an existing window manager and should be in most distros' package managers. More recently it's been forked into Compton, to fix a few bugs.



            See https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/xcompmgr for more info (it's not Arch-specific).






            share|improve this answer





















            • This isn't really an answer. The user seems to know how to use compositing, but seems to interested in an image viewer with a minimal edge that can be overlaid against another window of like type.
              – killermist
              Jan 27 '15 at 17:13













            up vote
            -1
            down vote










            up vote
            -1
            down vote









            Compiz is a bit overkill for this usage, since it's a window manager as well as a compositing manager. You only need to compositing part.



            The classic standalone compositing manager is xcompmgr, which will happily run alongside an existing window manager and should be in most distros' package managers. More recently it's been forked into Compton, to fix a few bugs.



            See https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/xcompmgr for more info (it's not Arch-specific).






            share|improve this answer












            Compiz is a bit overkill for this usage, since it's a window manager as well as a compositing manager. You only need to compositing part.



            The classic standalone compositing manager is xcompmgr, which will happily run alongside an existing window manager and should be in most distros' package managers. More recently it's been forked into Compton, to fix a few bugs.



            See https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/xcompmgr for more info (it's not Arch-specific).







            share|improve this answer












            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer










            answered Jan 27 '15 at 16:59









            Warbo

            1284




            1284












            • This isn't really an answer. The user seems to know how to use compositing, but seems to interested in an image viewer with a minimal edge that can be overlaid against another window of like type.
              – killermist
              Jan 27 '15 at 17:13


















            • This isn't really an answer. The user seems to know how to use compositing, but seems to interested in an image viewer with a minimal edge that can be overlaid against another window of like type.
              – killermist
              Jan 27 '15 at 17:13
















            This isn't really an answer. The user seems to know how to use compositing, but seems to interested in an image viewer with a minimal edge that can be overlaid against another window of like type.
            – killermist
            Jan 27 '15 at 17:13




            This isn't really an answer. The user seems to know how to use compositing, but seems to interested in an image viewer with a minimal edge that can be overlaid against another window of like type.
            – killermist
            Jan 27 '15 at 17:13


















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