I have Ubuntu MATE 24.04.2 LTS installed in a bootable partition. I have 2 24-inch monitors, 1920x1200. The mate-panel is only displayed on one monitor, on the bottom. mate-panel version is from the repo, 1.27.1-2build3.
Every time I boot, the panel is sized way too small. It looks like just a gray sliver along the bottom. I can right-click that sliver and select Properties. The size reported is 28. If I simply click the + (plus) button once, the panel is then shown correctly, now with size 29. I can then click the - (minus) button to return the size to 28, and the panel is displayed correctly for the remainder of the session. At next boot, the issue is back.
I've tried setting it to size other than 28, e.g., 30. Doesn't seem to make any difference; at the next boot, again, only a sliver of the panel is shown
I have the exact same Ubuntu MATE version in a VirtualBox VM, and do not experience this problem. Any ideas for how I can permanently correct this? I'm willing to do some debugging if that would be helpful. Thanks.
I can't help with your issue sorry, but I'll provide my thoughts
VMs are influenced by settings within the virtualization software itself, thus different results can occur especially when it relates to hardware
you mention 24.04 or a LTS release, so I've assumed you're comparing the same kernel stack on both installs (VM vs on-metal), as Ubuntu-MATE have released 3 ISOs of 24.04 thus far, two using the GA kernel stack (6.8) & one using the HWE kernel stack (6.11), thus if different install media was used for each of your two installs, you could be contrasting two different package sets (GA vs HWE kernel,the difference is really just updated packages on later ISOs PLUS different kernel package being included at .2)
You could try starting afresh, e.g. open MATE Tweak -> Panel, then select one of the default layouts. Make your modifications/customisations again, then go back to MATE Tweak -> Panel -> Save As with a new name.
I run on dual monitors (laptop display + external) and I don't see this behaviour - but obviously your setup is a bit different.
Here are two screenshots, the first demonstrating the problem and the second how it should look. Because I have a dual monitor setup, the screenshot includes both monitors. I cut the screenshots down in size to save space, so I'm only including a small portion where the displays meet.
Got it!
The problem came from mismatch resolution with your setup. Fix it to change resolution of each monitor. Try to set standard resolution on each, not 1900x1200 on one.
Thanks for the reply, Philippe. I have two Dell 2412 IPS monitors, both 24" with native resolution 1920x1200. I set the resolution to that on both. This has worked fine (for years) up until about a month ago. So, I'm suspecting that some component changed to cause this break. My preferred window manager is Compiz for the transparency effects. I tried some of the other window managers. With both marco and picom, this problem doesn't seem to occur, but I can't get the transparency effects I'd like.
I wonder if it's just a race condition. Compiz seemed notorious (long ago) for throwing windows around after it starts/crashes. The panel is technically some kind of window, but docked at the bottom. The screenshot looks like it got pushed down.
A workaround might be to restart the panel after login (using Start-up Applications), maybe after a second or two, so it is drawn after Compiz is loaded:
lah7, thank you! This did the trick. I first tried it manually after the system booted, and the panel was correctly placed and rendered. So, I then added it to Startup Applications (System-Preferences-Personal-Startup Applications.)
However, for the sake of anyone who might find this discussion via search, after implementing this solution, I figured out it wasn't necessary. My problem was caused by another startup application for picom. I had installed that one when I was trying different window managers to see which ones offered the effects I was looking for. I didn't want to modify the Mate Tweak scripts for picom, so I added a startup application for picom and created a script for it in my home directory. When I deactivated the picom startup application in Startup Applications, then the panel in Compiz is rendered correctly.
This was a painful learning experience. I appreciate everyone here who helped me. Hopefully my detailed comments will help someone else in a similar situation.
