Small window in the top-left of the screen called InputOutput is being shown sometimes as garbage pixels

[krisives]

Your system information

• Steam client version (build number or date): 1532458786 - Jul 24, 2018, at 18:27:28 v018 API
• Distribution (e.g. Ubuntu): Kubuntu 18.04
• Opted into Steam client beta?: [Yes/No] No
• Have you checked for system updates?: [Yes/No] Yes

Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible:

There is a window in the top-left of the desktop that sometimes appears with the class InputOutput

Running xwininfo on it gives:

xwininfo: Please select the window about which you
          would like information by clicking the
          mouse in that window.

xwininfo: Window id: 0x600078 (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: 0x13b
  Visual Class: TrueColor
  Border width: 0
  Class: InputOutput
  Colormap: 0x600077 (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

Describe what you expected should happen and what did happen. Please link any large code pastes as a Github Gist

Steps for reproducing this issue:

1. Run Steam
2. Launch a full screen game
3. Sometimes the window will appear above the game
4. Exit game
5. Sometimes the window will stay on screen until Steam exits

[krisives]

I tested this after opting into the Steam Client Beta but the window still appears sometimes.

[krisives]

Appears this may be a regression from #2997

[krisives]

About Steam dialog:

[krisives]

Here is a screenshot of it when running Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (csgo)

[ghost]

I've been having a similar issue since the new steam chat system was released. Opting into the beta version does not fix the issue.

• Steam client version (build number or date): 1532651410 - Jul 26 2018 at 23:22:09
• Distribution (e.g. Ubuntu): Manjaro 17.1.11
• Opted into Steam client beta?: [Yes/No] Yes
• Have you checked for system updates?: [Yes/No] Yes
• Window Manager: Xfwm4
• Video Driver: NVIDIA Proprietary 390.77

xwininfo: Window id: 0x2a0003b (has no name)

  Absolute upper-left X:  100
  Absolute upper-left Y:  32
  Relative upper-left X:  100
  Relative upper-left Y:  32
  Width: 240
  Height: 142
  Depth: 24
  Visual: 0x27
  Visual Class: TrueColor
  Border width: 0
  Class: InputOutput
  Colormap: 0x2a0003a (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:  +100+32  -3500+32  -3500-1026  +100-1026
  -geometry 240x142+100+32

I have been able to reproduce this by

• Launching Steam Client
• Clicking Friends>View Friends List

[rLy07]

I have the same issue since the new chat. Only happens randomly when I open the friend list.

Your system information

Steam client version (build number or date): 1532744228 /Jul 28, 2018, 01:51:35
Distribution (e.g. Ubuntu): Arch Linux
Desktop Environment: KDE
Opted into Steam client beta?: [Yes/No] Yes
Have you checked for system updates?: [Yes/No] Yes

Steps for reproducing this issue:
Opening friend list

[krisives]

It's worth noting that if you launch steam with the -nofriendsui flag you don't get this problem or the new friends interface.

[jpleau]

Also have the same issue, on Ubuntu 18.04 (gnome)

The workaround suggested by @krisives (running steam with the old friends UI with -nofriendsui)

Hopefully this can get fixed so we can use the new UI on Linux!

[gandalf3]

I was able to hide the window with xdotool; could be a preferable workaround to disabling the new friend interface.

1. Query the window id with xwininfo or similar.
2. xdotool set_window --overrideredirect 0 $window_id
3. xdotool windowunmap $window_id

For some reason unmapping only worked for me after setting the override, not sure why. I'm running bspwm, I imagine things may behave differently with other window managers.

I first tried to close the window with xdotool windowclose $window_id, and it seemed a new window spawned immediately (with a different id). However, closing it after unmapping seemed to work just fine, and I haven't been able to get a new window to spawn since. When it does come back I'll try closing it again; it could be the respawning behavior was just a fluke.

EDIT: Thinking back, it seems more likely there were two windows stacked on top of each other.

---

Oh, also, here's the output of xprop on the window in question:

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"

Nothing very useful looking there, but I'd thought I'd share just in case. I am somewhat mystified why the reported class seems different between xwininfo and xprop. For the record, my window's xwininfo output is as follows:

xwininfo: Window id: 0x42001fa (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: 0x42001f9 (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  -4416+0  -4416-1416  +0-1416
  -geometry 64x24+0+0

[kisak-valve]

Top left 64x32 rectangle (from 2013) appears again

Issue transferred from #5807.
@pttoth posted on 2018-10-02T13:11:15:

Your system information

• Steam client version (build number or date): latest version at 2018, oct 2.
• Distribution (e.g. Ubuntu): Linux Mint - Cinnamon
• Opted into Steam client beta?: No
• Have you checked for system updates?: No

Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible:

• Phantom 64x32 window appears in the top left corner of the screen, when auto-login to friends is disabled and the signed-out Friends window is opened first.
• It doesn't appear if I open another steam window first (e.g.: Library) and then Friends
• Disappears, when I close Steam.
  the rectangle looks to be the same from this issue: [BUG] Leaking unused X windows, visible even in fullscreen games (steam -silent)  #2170

Steps for reproducing this issue:

1. set favorite steam window to Friends
2. set steam to not sign-in automatically to Friends on startup
3. restart Steam
   note here, that Friends window doesn't automatically appear (it does, when auto sign-in is enabled)

4a. open Friends window first through the Steam icon in system tray.
note here, that when the signed-out Friends window appears, the phantom window also appears in the top left corner

4b1. open Library window first
note here, that the phantom rectangle doesn't appear
4b2. open signed-out Friends window second
note here, that the phantom rectangle still doesn't appear

---

@kisak-valve commented on 2018-10-02T13:31:43

Hello @pttoth, can you check if the uninitialized window has the same properties as is described in #5584?

---

@pttoth commented on 2018-10-02T14:58:26

• xwininfo :

xwininfo: Please select the window about which you
          would like information by clicking the
          mouse in that window.

xwininfo: Window id: 0x520006d (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: 0x9f
  Visual Class: TrueColor
  Border width: 0
  Class: InputOutput
  Colormap: 0x520006c (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  -1536+0  -1536-876  +0-876
  -geometry 64x24+0+0

• xprop :

_GTK_EDGE_CONSTRAINTS(CARDINAL) = 170
_NET_WM_STATE(ATOM) = _NET_WM_STATE_SKIP_PAGER, _NET_WM_STATE_SKIP_TASKBAR
_NET_WM_ALLOWED_ACTIONS(ATOM) = _NET_WM_ACTION_CHANGE_DESKTOP, _NET_WM_ACTION_ABOVE, _NET_WM_ACTION_BELOW
WM_PROTOCOLS(ATOM): protocols  WM_DELETE_WINDOW
WM_TRANSIENT_FOR(WINDOW): window id # 0x5200043
WM_HINTS(WM_HINTS):
\t\tClient accepts input or input focus: True
_NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE(ATOM) = _NET_WM_WINDOW_TYPE_MENU
_MOTIF_WM_HINTS(_MOTIF_WM_HINTS) = 0x2, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0
WM_CLASS(STRING) = "Steam", "Steam"

[ryad-eldajani]

I can confirm this bug.
xdotool selectwindow windowunmap and clicking on the window makes it disappear.

Config: Steam 1539393410 (built Oct 13 2018 00:47:32, not beta), Arch Linux x64 (updated), Xfce4 4.12, xf86-video-amdgpu-git 18.1.0, mesa-git 18.3.0

[Cytomax55]

I too have this bug started like a month ago or possibly longer

My Specs

My system setup

Kubuntu 18.04.1

CPU: Ryzen 1600

RAM: 16 Gigs DDR 4

GPU: AMD RX 580

Mesa: 18.2.3 Padoka Stable PPA

https://launchpad.net/~paulo-miguel-dias/+archive/ubuntu/pkppa/

Steam Latest BETA

[undeference]

Since the last update, -nofriendsui no longer works and I still see this bug.

[Cytomax55]

This is close to a show stopping bug... computer doesn't freeze or anything but the top left hand side of your screen has garbled pixels and is very distracting as well as inhibits some in game information... this needs to be marked critical or some variant of that and needs to be prioritized

[undeference]

It is completely unacceptable that a user program would block parts the "system" UI without explicitly informing the user of that and them accepting it. Forcing users to install updates to programs that then block parts of the "system" UI without giving users any way to disable that is very unprofessional and effectively makes your program malware. What makes matters worse is that people have paid money for products they cannot use without that malware.

I wrote a new workaround using xwininfo and xdotool but obviously it does nothing to fix the new UI
for id in $(xwininfo -root -children | awk '$0~/\(has no name): \("Steam" "Steam") 64x24\+0\+0/{print $1}'); do xdotool windowunmap $[id]; done

It's not a one-time thing where you do it once when Steam makes these windows. Steam keeps making the windows and you have to keep unmapping them.

[kode54]

I had this problem today, possibly related to opening the Friends list at some point to send a message to a friend about something. After closing the Friends window and the message window, then the Steam window, there appeared to be a completely invisible window that was stealing clicks away from my Chromium browser window, almost making me think that my mouse button had stopped working.

System info

[SpookySkeletons]

Affected by this issue as well. The new steam friend's list is responsible upon opening. This is very frustrating as I can't throw any quick fixes at this but I can stave it off by not opening the friend's list or reverting to the old UI.

[zachjord]

I've had this same issue for over 2 years now.

[Cytomax55]

My work around has been to open up friends list when inside a game... For some reason this works for me...

[Tynach]

I can usually avoid this issue by making sure that the main Steam window is open any time I close the friends UI. If the Steam window itself is not open when I close the friends list, this seems more likely to happen.

That said, I rarely ever chat with people through Steam's chat (I mostly use Telegram these days since its client is open source, though I appreciate Steam properly implementing /me once more), so this could be coincidence.

[reddog357]

So I had started a forum tread here asking about this very thing back in Dec 2018. I totally forgot about it and found it again yesterday.

@ghost your picture looks exactly like what I was getting.

Here's the thing, I haven't gotten the issue in so long that I don't think its happening anymore for me. The only thing I can think of that could have "fixed" it is that I switched from the native linux client to the runtime client for an issue I was having for a game. I've only run the runtime client since I switched. So maybe its a weird error from a missing lib for the native client.

Hope this helps.

Oh and here's what I'm running Artix (Arch with OpenRC) and my DE is XFCE and was at the time. Also I now have Qt running alongside GTK+ but I'm pretty sure that I only had GTK+ at the time.

[Cytomax55]

I am pretty sure valve fixed this issue but my "Trick" was simply not logging into the friends list until AFTER i was in the game already...i havent had to use this trick in a while and i am using the same client as before

[Pointedstick]

I'm pretty sure this was a Plasma bug that just got fixed: https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=357443

If anyone affected here can check again to confirm this theory once they've upgraded to Plasma 5.17.4 (which will be released in two days), that would be lovely.

[undeference]

I'm pretty sure this was a Plasma bug that just got fixed…

That looks like a similar bug in Plasma. This bug is not related to Plasma:

• Window Manager: Xfwm4

• Distribution (e.g. Ubuntu): Linux Mint - Cinnamon

Config: Steam 1539393410 (built Oct 13 2018 00:47:32, not beta), Arch Linux x64 (updated), Xfce4 4.12, xf86-video-amdgpu-git 18.1.0, mesa-git 18.3.0

[Pointedstick]

The original bug was reported against Kubuntu, a Plasma distro. Maybe other DEs have the same issue, yeah. ...In which case, it's an issue for them to fix, not Steam. :)

[kisak-valve]

Hello, is anyone still experiencing this issue on an up to date system?

[zachjord]

@kisak-valve Not here. Not real sure when it went away, but it has been months it feels.

[Cytomax55]

Nope .. I'm running Manjaro kde and no issues

[kode54]

I haven't experienced this issue in ages, the times I'm still in Linux and gaming. Either using Gnome/Xorg, or Wayfire, which is a Wayland compositor.

[jpleau]

Not experiencing this anymore. Gnome on Ubuntu 20.04

[sazonische]

Hello, is anyone still experiencing this issue on an up to date system?

The problem still exists (ubuntu 20.04/20.10)