[BUG] Leaking unused X windows, visible even in fullscreen games (steam -silent)

[MightyPork]

I originally commented this to #1519, but it got no reply, so I am starting it as a new issue.

PLEASE READ, BEFORE MARKING AS DUPLICATE BY MISTAKE

What happens

Steam creates a 64x24 transparent window fixed to top left corner of the screen when started in silent mode. It is fixed to top left of the screen, and it seems window manager has no control over it. There may be multiple of these stacked, though.

Since the window never redraws, it keeps showing the pixels that were under it when steam started - which is usually part of the main panel, desktop wallpaper or part of some application that was there.

The window is shown also in fullscreen games!

This window is afaik not used for anything, it seems that someone forgot to unmap it.

This window can't be killed with xkill command, and it also blocks access to things under it. The only way how to get rid of it is to kill steam and start without -silent.

Screenshot

Here is an example, the thing in corner is what i am referring to. The "window" is displaying part of terminal's main menu, which is the app I had there when the window was created.

Conditions

It happens every time Steam is started with the "-silent" option.

System configuration

I am experiencing this in KDE 4.10.1, Kubuntu 12.04.2. Steam beta updates are enabled, package is up to date.

Logs and technical info

This may help you solve the problem - output of xprop and xwininfo:

xwininfo: Window id: 0x2a00075 (has no name)

  Absolute upper-left X:  0
  Absolute upper-left Y:  0
  Relative upper-left X:  0
  Relative upper-left Y:  0
  Width: 64
  Height: 24
  Depth: 24
  Visual: 0x27
  Visual Class: TrueColor
  Border width: 0
  Class: InputOutput
  Colormap: 0x2a00074 (not installed)
  Bit Gravity State: NorthWestGravity
  Window Gravity State: NorthWestGravity
  Backing Store State: NotUseful
  Save Under State: yes
  Map State: IsViewable
  Override Redirect State: yes
  Corners:  +0+0  -1856+0  -1856-1056  +0-1056
  -geometry 64x24+0+0

WM_PROTOCOLS(ATOM): protocols  WM_DELETE_WINDOW
WM_TRANSIENT_FOR(WINDOW): window id # 0x2a0003f
WM_HINTS(WM_HINTS):
        Client accepts input or input focus: True
_NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE(ATOM) = _NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_MENU, _KDE_NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_OVERRIDE
_MOTIF_WM_HINTS(_MOTIF_WM_HINTS) = 0x2, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0
WM_CLASS(STRING) = "Steam", "Steam"

• that is, of course, only the topmost window you have in that corner. Others may be under it.

What windows does Steam launcher use, one may ask. The list is really surprising, and shows that something has clearly gone wrong - on your side:

ondra@Penguin:~$ xwininfo -root -tree | grep -i steam
     0x42000d4 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x42000d2 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x42000d0 "Správce snímků": ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x42000ce (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x42000cc (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x42000ca (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x42000c8 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x42000c6 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x42000c4 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x42000c2 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x42000c0 "Nastavení": ("Steam" "Steam")  540x586+690+247  +690+247
     0x4200075 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x4200073 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x4200071 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x420006f (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x420006d (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x420006b (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x4200069 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x4200067 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x4200065 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x4200063 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x4200061 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x420005f (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x420005d (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x420005b (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x4200059 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x4200057 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x4200055 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x4200053 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x4200051 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x420004f (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x420004d (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x420004b (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x4200049 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x4200047 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x4200045 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x4200043 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x4200041 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x420003f "Servery": ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x420003d (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x420003b (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x4200039 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x4200037 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x4200035 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x4200033 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x4200031 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x420002f (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x420002d (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x420002b (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x4200029 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x4200027 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x4200025 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x4200023 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x4200021 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x420001f "Steam": ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x420001d (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x420001b (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x4200014 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x4200012 "Přátelé – MightyPork": ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x420000c (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x420000a "Steam": ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x4200008 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x4200005 (has no name): ("Steam" "Steam")  64x24+0+0  +0+0
     0x4400001 "steam": ("steam" "Steam")  10x10+10+10  +10+10

(Note: steam was launched in silent mode, and has currently no visible windows!)

[gdrewb-valve]

I can't repro this, so we'll have to try and see if it's something influenced by the window-manager. We did just find one source of misplaced windows and that'll be fixed in the next beta, but I can't say if that'll help you or not.

[MightyPork]

Did you use the "-silent" command line option? It does not happen otherwise. I checked multiple window managers, and it was present in most of them.

[gdrewb-valve]

Yes, I used -silent. I'm running on Unity and it all seemed fine.

[MightyPork]

Try KWin (default in KDE) or OpenBox. I didn't test it with Compiz or whatever you have there (is unity really a wm?)

[Majkl578]

is unity really a wm?

No. It's an user interface on top of Compiz. It's like Gnome Shell on top of Mutter.

[mx-moth]

I can confirm this bug. You can see the black window poking out from behind the panel there.

I am also using Kubuntu with the KWin window manager. My specs from Help -> System Information are below

Processor Information:
    Vendor:  GenuineIntel
    Speed: 1600 Mhz
    8 logical processors
    4 physical processors
    HyperThreading:  Supported
    FCMOV:  Supported
    SSE2:  Supported
    SSE3:  Supported
    SSSE3:  Supported
    SSE4a:  Unsupported
    SSE41:  Supported
    SSE42:  Supported

Network Information:
    Network Speed:  

Operating System Version:
    Ubuntu 12.10 (64 bit)
    Kernel Name:  Linux
    Kernel Version:  3.5.0-25-generic
    X Server Vendor:  The X.Org Foundation
    X Server Release:  11300000
    X Window Manager:  KWin
    Steam Runtime Version:  steam-runtime-release-i386_2013-03-08

Video Card:
    Driver:  NVIDIA Corporation GeForce GT 230M/PCIe/SSE2

    Driver Version:  3.3.0 NVIDIA 310.14
    Desktop Color Depth: 24 bits per pixel
    Monitor Refresh Rate: 60 Hz
    VendorID:  0x10de
    DeviceID:  0xa28
    Number of Monitors:  1
    Number of Logical Video Cards:  1
    Primary Display Resolution:  1366 x 768
    Desktop Resolution: 1366 x 768
    Primary Display Size: 13.54" x 7.64"  (15.51" diag)
                                            34.4cm x 19.4cm  (39.4cm diag)
    Primary Bus: PCI Express 16x
    Primary VRAM: 1024 MB
    Supported MSAA Modes:  2x 4x 8x 16x 

Sound card:
    Audio device: IDT 92HD75B3X5

Memory:
    RAM:  3945 Mb

Miscellaneous:
    UI Language:  English
    LANG:  en_AU.UTF-8
    Microphone:  Not set
    Total Hard Disk Space Available:  442938 Mb
    Largest Free Hard Disk Block:  144767 Mb

Installed software:

Recent Failure Reports:
    Sun Mar 17 11:20:35 2013 GMT: file ''/tmp/dumps/assert_20130317222025_1.dmp'', upload yes: ''CrashID=bp-437f2bd2-fef7-48b3-8faa-33e202130317
    ''
    Tue Mar 19 10:46:54 2013 GMT: file ''/tmp/dumps/assert_20130319214647_2.dmp'', upload yes: ''CrashID=bp-b1e4348b-2e17-4bd8-8a11-dff702130319
    ''

[mx-moth]

The window is still visible when playing some games, such as Solar 2:

[MightyPork]

Yeah, just like here. This really needs to be fixed.

[patofet]

I can confirm this bug too, I use arch linux which KDE and NVIDIA 320m

[3vi1]

Yep, looks like my issue 2422 was a dupe of this. It's still present. I did not mention it in my original report, but I too am starting steam with the -silent option at login.

[g2p]

I'm also seeing this. I use gnome-shell. I've never passed flags to steam, I just launch a steam game without starting steam explicitly.

[MightyPork]

I can confirm @g2p 's observation, it happens also when a game is started via the desktop icon. Apparently if Steam does not show the splash window or what it is called, this bug appears.

[bitcars]

I am also experiencing it. On Ubuntu 12.04 with classic gnome, and on Archlinux with Xfce 4.10. I usually notice it after I quit a steam game, but not when I first launch steam. It could also appear to be "transparent", but blocks mouse click within its region. It disappears once I exit steam.

[mx-moth]

I changed to a whole new laptop, with Debian instead of Ubuntu this time. It still happens for me. I did not copy across any steam files at all; this is a completely fresh install.

I currently avoid the issue by just not supplying the -silent flag to Steam. The buggy window does not appear when I do that.

My system info for this machine is as follows:

Processor Information:
    Vendor:  GenuineIntel
    Speed: 2201 Mhz
    8 logical processors
    4 physical processors
    HyperThreading:  Supported
    FCMOV:  Supported
    SSE2:  Supported
    SSE3:  Supported
    SSSE3:  Supported
    SSE4a:  Unsupported
    SSE41:  Supported
    SSE42:  Supported

Network Information:
    Network Speed:  

Operating System Version:
    Debian GNU/Linux 7.0 (wheezy) (64 bit)
    Kernel Name:  Linux
    Kernel Version:  3.2.0-4-amd64
    X Server Vendor:  The X.Org Foundation
    X Server Release:  11204000
    X Window Manager:  KWin
    Steam Runtime Version:  steam-runtime-release-i386_2013-04-16

Video Card:
    Driver:  Tungsten Graphics, Inc Mesa DRI Intel(R) Ivybridge Mobile x86/MMX/SSE2

    Driver Version:  3.0 Mesa 8.0.5
    Desktop Color Depth: 24 bits per pixel
    Monitor Refresh Rate: 60 Hz
    VendorID:  0x10de
    DeviceID:  0xfd2
    Number of Monitors:  1
    Number of Logical Video Cards:  2
    Primary Display Resolution:  1920 x 1080
    Desktop Resolution: 1920 x 1080
    Primary Display Size: 13.54" x 7.60"  (15.51" diag)
                                            34.4cm x 19.3cm  (39.4cm diag)
    Primary VRAM Not Detected

Sound card:
    Audio device: Intel PantherPoint HDMI

Memory:
    RAM:  7883 Mb

Miscellaneous:
    UI Language:  English
    LANG:  en_AU.UTF-8
    Microphone:  Not set
    Total Hard Disk Space Available:  527783 Mb
    Largest Free Hard Disk Block:  435960 Mb

Installed software:

Recent Failure Reports:

[ghost]

I'm also having this bug in gnome-shell 3.8. I just start the game from the desktop, no flags or anything. It's not always reproducible for me. This is a big deal because gnome-shell will boost performance if the game is on top and full screen. This bug hinders optimization because the game is not on top.

[ikeofkc]

This happens to me when I launch a game from the launcher vs the client. No idea why, but it doesn't happen when I start a game from the client.

[timkerk]

I just started gettiing this last night. It's allways there whenever steam is open. Which setting in the GUI controls the --silent option, is it the one about the update notification? I think I might have flicked that last week.

[bericp1]

I'm also experiencing this issue on...

I'm on Arch Linux using the latest version of the steam package from the AUR and XFCE as my DE (with xfwm as my window manager`).

As others have said, this only occurs for me with the -silent flag, but not when I launch a game from its shortcut.

Unfortunately for me, this bug is crippling because the window completely covers my application launcher icon :(

[TazX]

This is still a thing. Running 64 bit Linux Mint 15 with the Cinnamon WM, Nvidia graphics card.

[momentary0]

Reproduced on Ubuntu 13.04, this window stays on top of others (even games) in XFCE, and I'm also using -silent. On Unity, it isn't static, it seems to be transparent but still exists, preventing the window controls from being interacted with.

[MightyPork]

I find it surprising how this issue is ignored for almost a year now.

One would think that Valve wants to give quality experience to their customers, but apparently they don't care at all.

[ghost]

Yeah, I have the latest Steam and it still happens here. Should have been fixed a long time ago.

[3vi1]

Considering the placement of the leaking window blocks the launcher button for a lot of people not using Unity, I too think this should get more priority.

This problem is still present in Ubuntu 14.04 (pre-alpha), using KDE4.11 and today's steam update:

[coteyr]

Confirming the issue still exists.

[bericp1]

Still having this issue, also. I've started playing steam games less so now I just don't have steam launch at startup.

[Canta]

Happens the same of #2919 on a friend's machine. Ubuntu 12.04.3, fully up to date, with an nVidia 9800 GT.

[gdrewb-valve]

The 11/5 beta client should improve this.

[ghost]

11/5 fixes the issue for me. Nicely done!

[gdrewb-valve]

Thanks, closing.

[Zachs-Kappler]

I'm using Elementary OS Luna with the latest Steam beta and I get that rectangle too.

Operating System Version: elementary OS Luna (64 bit) Kernel Name: Linux Kernel Version: 3.2.0-57-generic X Server Vendor: The X.Org Foundation X Server Release: 11103000 X Window Manager: Mutter(Gala) Steam Runtime Version: steam-runtime-release_2013-10-23

[crlsgms]

I still have the same issue. I was wondering if it was related to the family share I recently activated, but it seems to be on every client I have here. I use on my desktop linux mint debian, and made a fresh install with mint petra 16, and after the install just installed steam client via the .deb avaiable on the website, as follows the image:

I can reproduce the error on pure debian, ubuntu 13.04 and this recent install from mint 16 cinnamon. Im not using the -silent on neither of the 3 ambients, adding it wont resolve the issue also.

[MightyPork]

I can confirm that the issue is back. Yesterday my steam client updated and it's broken once more.

[johndrinkwater]

Ah! had spoke to @crlsgms before he posted and suggested he make a new bug for this incase its not related; will reopen then (it may still be better to have a new one, for management’s sake).

[gdrewb-valve]

The repro is still just to start Steam with -silent? That works fine for me.

[MightyPork]

I got the error when I clicked a link "play Serena" in the web store. It started opening Steam, but first it complained about some buffering mode, and then it went fullscreen, all screen was lime green and had this our glitch in top left corner.

I had to run killall steam from the terminal at tty1 to get back to my desktop.

[gdrewb-valve]

So you didn't have Steam running at all, you were just in a web browser and clicked play?

[MightyPork]

Yeah, that's right. But I am not able to reproduce it now, clicking the "play" button in browser, or starting steam with -silent, the artifact doesn't appear anymore.

Btw the game wasn't installed when I clicked "Play" last time, when I got the green screen and this glitch. Could be related, I'm not sure. I reckon the client updated since then, but it seems to be the same version as @crlsgms shows in screenshot, the About dialog has the same numbers.

It seems to be good now, maybe it was a false alarm.

[gdrewb-valve]

It's possible that it only occurs the first time after boot, as I saw one report of that. We'll try and get a consistent repro, but that pushes this into the 'long time away' bucket.

[johndrinkwater]

While looking for a bug to post on, found that this and #2997 need to be linked together.

[origintopleft]

hello from Plasma 5 on Gentoo

The "Friends" menu actually does pop up when I click that.

Guaranteed to come up with export STEAM_FRAME_FORCE_CLOSE=1, does not come up with export STEAM_FRAME_FORCE_CLOSE=0

[crlsgms]

I just made a new install of mint 18 with KDE, and the issue still happens. I changed steam to beta trying to remove it but yet still the tiny window is still created over anything on the desktop, including fullscreen games.

[flugsio]

This happens very rarely for me nowadays. Here a workaround, execute this and then click on the tiny window: xdotool selectwindow windowunmap

[RuudschMaHinda]

This is still happening here!

Ubuntu 16.04 .. it prevents the use of any part of the desktop in that area.

when run in silent it is not present, as soon as I pop up the steam window though it appears.

I don't want a workaround I have to do everytime I start steam. I WANT IT FIXED!

[notfood]

Started to happen everytime under steam beta now.

xdotool selectwindow windowunmap is a workaround

[ghost]

This has also been happening to me since the new chat update whenever -silent is used. The friends/chat window must be open to 'trigger' it. It doesn't appear visible at first, but if anything else is drawn within that area, it doesn't redraw, so I'm stuck seeing what was previously there. xdotool selectwindow windowunmap makes it go away after the fact, but I'd really like to see this fixed.

Even worse is that Steam will sometimes create an invisible box on my screen that I cannot click through -- there will be a portion of my screen where other programs (ie. Firefox) aren't receiving clicks from. An easy way to reproduce this is to open Steam (with any launch options), click the "Friends" menu dropdown button on the main Steam window, and then "View Friends List". Even though the dropdown is no longer visible after clicking, it will persist as an invisible box on the screen and prevent other programs from receiving clicks in that area. I feel this is likely a related issue.

Can we have a fix for these?

I am using the latest KDE Plasma on Arch.

[Grief]

@DougTy I believe that the issue with the invisible box is actually https://github.com/ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux/issues/5724

[Armasyll]

$ xprop WM_PROTOCOLS(ATOM): protocols WM_DELETE_WINDOW WM_HINTS(WM_HINTS): Client accepts input or input focus: True _NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE(ATOM) = _NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_MENU, _KDE_NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_OVERRIDE _MOTIF_WM_HINTS(_MOTIF_WM_HINTS) = 0x2, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0 WM_CLASS(STRING) = "Steam", "Steam"

Running $ xdotool selectwindow windowunmap makes it go away; thank you, @DougTy