Xfce Forum

ellahav

Member

Registered: 2023-09-15

Posts: 4

External monitor woes

Long time fan of Xfce (switched from KDE around 2006), first time poster.

Ever since I switched laptops about a year ago I've had no luck convincing xfce to use only the external monitor when the laptop lid is closed (which it is 99% of the time). Every time the screen times out and locks it comes back with a mirrored display, which then needs to be changed to external only. On top of that, the external monitor never turns off completely, with the backlight visibly on even after the necessary timeout period. I found a few related posts (most recently this one https://forum.xfce.org/viewtopic.php?id=16608), but everyone's setup is so different it is hard to connect the dots.

One thing I suspect is different from my previous setup is that the laptop's native resolution (1920x1200) is different from that of the external monitor (1920x1080).

I am currently running Xubuntu 22.04, Linux kernel 5.15.0-83-generic, Xfce 4.16. The laptop is a ThinkPad X13 AMD Gen 3. The external monitor is connected via an HDMI cable, as the USB3 dock causes intermediate disconnects.

I can provide logs as needed.

Thanks,
--Elad

ellahav

Member

Registered: 2023-09-15

Posts: 4

Re: External monitor woes

For the external monitor not going to sleep problem, I tried the following:

1. Disabled screensaver (it is just going to blank anyway)
2. Ran xfce4-power-manager in debug mode

$ xfce4-power-manager --no-daemon --debug

** (xfce4-power-manager:157485): WARNING **: 22:00:55.557: Failed to get name owner: GDBus.Error:org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.NameHasNoOwner: Could not get owner of name 'org.freedesktop.PowerManagement': no such name


** (xfce4-power-manager:157485): WARNING **: 22:00:55.557: Failed to get name owner: GDBus.Error:org.freedesktop.DBus.Error.NameHasNoOwner: Could not get owner of name 'org.xfce.PowerManager': no such name

TRACE[xfpm-main.c:210] xfpm_start(): Starting the power manager
TRACE[xfpm-xfconf.c:679] xfpm_xfconf_init(): lock screen TRUE
TRACE[xfpm-xfconf.c:166] xfpm_xfconf_load(): Using default configuration for critical-power-level
TRACE[xfpm-xfconf.c:166] xfpm_xfconf_load(): Using default configuration for show-brightness-popup
TRACE[xfpm-xfconf.c:166] xfpm_xfconf_load(): Using default configuration for handle-brightness-keys
TRACE[xfpm-xfconf.c:166] xfpm_xfconf_load(): Using default configuration for brightness-step-count
TRACE[xfpm-xfconf.c:166] xfpm_xfconf_load(): Using default configuration for brightness-exponential
TRACE[xfpm-xfconf.c:166] xfpm_xfconf_load(): Using default configuration for critical-power-action
TRACE[xfpm-xfconf.c:166] xfpm_xfconf_load(): Using default configuration for hibernate-button-action
TRACE[xfpm-xfconf.c:166] xfpm_xfconf_load(): Using default configuration for sleep-button-action
TRACE[xfpm-xfconf.c:166] xfpm_xfconf_load(): Using default configuration for battery-button-action
TRACE[xfpm-xfconf.c:166] xfpm_xfconf_load(): Using default configuration for brightness-level-on-ac
TRACE[xfpm-xfconf.c:166] xfpm_xfconf_load(): Using default configuration for brightness-level-on-battery
TRACE[xfpm-xfconf.c:166] xfpm_xfconf_load(): Using default configuration for brightness-slider-min-level
TRACE[xfpm-xfconf.c:166] xfpm_xfconf_load(): Using default configuration for dpms-sleep-mode
TRACE[xfpm-xfconf.c:166] xfpm_xfconf_load(): Using default configuration for inactivity-on-ac
TRACE[xfpm-xfconf.c:166] xfpm_xfconf_load(): Using default configuration for inactivity-on-battery
TRACE[xfpm-xfconf.c:166] xfpm_xfconf_load(): Using default configuration for brightness-on-ac
TRACE[xfpm-xfconf.c:166] xfpm_xfconf_load(): Using default configuration for brightness-on-battery
TRACE[xfpm-xfconf.c:166] xfpm_xfconf_load(): Using default configuration for network-manager-sleep
TRACE[xfpm-xfconf.c:166] xfpm_xfconf_load(): Using default configuration for logind-handle-power-key
TRACE[xfpm-xfconf.c:166] xfpm_xfconf_load(): Using default configuration for logind-handle-suspend-key
TRACE[xfpm-xfconf.c:166] xfpm_xfconf_load(): Using default configuration for logind-handle-hibernate-key
TRACE[xfpm-xfconf.c:166] xfpm_xfconf_load(): Using default configuration for heartbeat-command

(xfce4-power-manager:157485): GLib-GObject-WARNING **: 22:00:55.571: ../../../gobject/gsignal.c:2613: signal 'Changed' is invalid for instance '0x556991263950' of type 'GDBusProxy'
TRACE[xfpm-polkit.c:284] xfpm_polkit_init_data(): Using unix session polkit subject
TRACE[xfpm-polkit.c:342] xfpm_polkit_check_auth_intern(): polkit request: (('unix-process', {'pid': <uint32 157485>, 'start-time': <uint64 22300551>}), 'org.freedesktop.login1.power-off', @a{ss} {}, uint32 0, '')
TRACE[xfpm-polkit.c:363] xfpm_polkit_check_auth_intern(): Action=org.freedesktop.login1.power-off is authorized=TRUE
TRACE[xfpm-polkit.c:342] xfpm_polkit_check_auth_intern(): polkit request: (('unix-process', {'pid': <uint32 157485>, 'start-time': <uint64 22300551>}), 'org.freedesktop.login1.reboot', @a{ss} {}, uint32 0, '')
TRACE[xfpm-polkit.c:363] xfpm_polkit_check_auth_intern(): Action=org.freedesktop.login1.reboot is authorized=TRUE
TRACE[xfpm-polkit.c:342] xfpm_polkit_check_auth_intern(): polkit request: (('unix-process', {'pid': <uint32 157485>, 'start-time': <uint64 22300551>}), 'org.freedesktop.login1.suspend', @a{ss} {}, uint32 0, '')
TRACE[xfpm-polkit.c:363] xfpm_polkit_check_auth_intern(): Action=org.freedesktop.login1.suspend is authorized=TRUE
TRACE[xfpm-polkit.c:342] xfpm_polkit_check_auth_intern(): polkit request: (('unix-process', {'pid': <uint32 157485>, 'start-time': <uint64 22300551>}), 'org.freedesktop.login1.hibernate', @a{ss} {}, uint32 0, '')
TRACE[xfpm-polkit.c:363] xfpm_polkit_check_auth_intern(): Action=org.freedesktop.login1.hibernate is authorized=FALSE
TRACE[xfpm-power.c:930] xfpm_power_get_power_devices(): Power device detected at : /org/freedesktop/UPower/devices/line_power_AC
TRACE[xfpm-power.c:889] xfpm_power_add_device(): 'line-power' device added
TRACE[xfpm-power.c:930] xfpm_power_get_power_devices(): Power device detected at : /org/freedesktop/UPower/devices/battery_BAT0
TRACE[xfpm-power.c:889] xfpm_power_add_device(): 'battery' device added
TRACE[xfpm-power.c:898] xfpm_power_add_device(): Battery device type 'battery' detected at: /org/freedesktop/UPower/devices/battery_BAT0
Gtk-Message: 22:00:55.607: Failed to load module "colorreload-gtk-module"
Gtk-Message: 22:00:55.607: Failed to load module "window-decorations-gtk-module"
TRACE[xfpm-button.c:180] xfpm_button_xevent_key(): Grabbed key 124 : ((XfpmButtonKey) BUTTON_POWER_OFF)

(xfce4-power-manager:157485): xfce4-power-manager-WARNING **: 22:00:55.608: could not map keysym 1008ffa8 to keycode

TRACE[xfpm-button.c:180] xfpm_button_xevent_key(): Grabbed key 213 : ((XfpmButtonKey) BUTTON_HIBERNATE)
TRACE[xfpm-button.c:180] xfpm_button_xevent_key(): Grabbed key 150 : ((XfpmButtonKey) BUTTON_SLEEP)
TRACE[xfpm-button.c:180] xfpm_button_xevent_key(): Grabbed key 233 : ((XfpmButtonKey) BUTTON_MON_BRIGHTNESS_UP)
TRACE[xfpm-button.c:180] xfpm_button_xevent_key(): Grabbed key 232 : ((XfpmButtonKey) BUTTON_MON_BRIGHTNESS_DOWN)
TRACE[xfpm-button.c:180] xfpm_button_xevent_key(): Grabbed key 244 : ((XfpmButtonKey) BUTTON_BATTERY)
TRACE[xfpm-button.c:180] xfpm_button_xevent_key(): Grabbed key 238 : ((XfpmButtonKey) BUTTON_KBD_BRIGHTNESS_UP)
TRACE[xfpm-button.c:180] xfpm_button_xevent_key(): Grabbed key 237 : ((XfpmButtonKey) BUTTON_KBD_BRIGHTNESS_DOWN)
TRACE[xfpm-power.c:210] xfpm_power_check_polkit_auth(): using logind suspend backend
TRACE[xfpm-polkit.c:342] xfpm_polkit_check_auth_intern(): polkit request: (('unix-process', {'pid': <uint32 157485>, 'start-time': <uint64 22300551>}), 'org.freedesktop.login1.suspend', @a{ss} {}, uint32 0, '')
TRACE[xfpm-polkit.c:363] xfpm_polkit_check_auth_intern(): Action=org.freedesktop.login1.suspend is authorized=TRUE
TRACE[xfpm-polkit.c:342] xfpm_polkit_check_auth_intern(): polkit request: (('unix-process', {'pid': <uint32 157485>, 'start-time': <uint64 22300551>}), 'org.freedesktop.login1.hibernate', @a{ss} {}, uint32 0, '')
TRACE[xfpm-polkit.c:363] xfpm_polkit_check_auth_intern(): Action=org.freedesktop.login1.hibernate is authorized=FALSE
TRACE[xfpm-power.c:1446] xfpm_update_blank_time(): Prev Timeout: 300 / New Timeout: 600
TRACE[xfpm-power.c:1446] xfpm_update_blank_time(): Prev Timeout: 600 / New Timeout: 600
TRACE[xfpm-manager.c:645] xfpm_manager_inhibit_sleep_systemd(): Inhibiting systemd sleep: handle-power-key:handle-suspend-key:handle-hibernate-key:handle-lid-switch

** (xfce4-power-manager:157485): WARNING **: 22:00:55.625: No outputs have backlight property
xfce4-power-manager-Message: 22:00:55.645: Set kernel brightness switch to 0
TRACE[xfpm-backlight.c:262] xfpm_backlight_brightness_on_ac_settings_changed(): Alarm on ac timeout changed 9
TRACE[xfpm-backlight.c:283] xfpm_backlight_brightness_on_battery_settings_changed(): Alarm on battery timeout changed 120
TRACE[xfpm-polkit.c:241] xfpm_polkit_free_data(): Destroying Polkit data
TRACE[xfpm-manager.c:492] xfpm_manager_alarm_timeout_cb(): Alarm inactivity timeout id 2

"No outputs have backlight property" seems suspicious. Is that enough to prevent the display from being turned off?

These are the settings I have:

$ xfconf-query -c xfce4-power-manager -lv
/xfce4-power-manager/blank-on-ac                        10
/xfce4-power-manager/blank-on-battery                   10
/xfce4-power-manager/brightness-switch                  0
/xfce4-power-manager/brightness-switch-restore-on-exit  1
/xfce4-power-manager/dpms-enabled                       true
/xfce4-power-manager/dpms-on-ac-off                     21
/xfce4-power-manager/dpms-on-ac-sleep                   20
/xfce4-power-manager/dpms-on-battery-off                30
/xfce4-power-manager/dpms-on-battery-sleep              15
/xfce4-power-manager/general-notification               false
/xfce4-power-manager/inactivity-sleep-mode-on-ac        1
/xfce4-power-manager/inactivity-sleep-mode-on-battery   1
/xfce4-power-manager/lid-action-on-ac                   0
/xfce4-power-manager/lid-action-on-battery              3
/xfce4-power-manager/lock-screen-suspend-hibernate      true
/xfce4-power-manager/logind-handle-lid-switch           false
/xfce4-power-manager/power-button-action                3
/xfce4-power-manager/show-panel-label                   0
/xfce4-power-manager/show-tray-icon                     false

ToZ

Administrator

From: Canada

Registered: 2011-06-02

Posts: 11,032

Re: External monitor woes

Have a read through this bug report. A "do nothing" option was recently added to the power manager for version 4.19 (development branch).

One other thing you could try is to set "HandleLidSwitch=ignore" in /etc/systemd/logind.conf. See if that helps.

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ellahav

Member

Registered: 2023-09-15

Posts: 4

Re: External monitor woes

Thanks for replying. I think it's not the same issue, though. The laptop lid is (almost) always closed and I want the system to keep running. It's just that the external monitor is not powered off. I disabled the screen saver and now it doesn't even go blank.

ellahav

Member

Registered: 2023-09-15

Posts: 4

Re: External monitor woes

Some more information. I tried the following command to turn off the display manually:

$ xset dpms force standby 

The monitor turns off, and then immediately on again. Same thing after killing xfce4-screensaver. But killing xfce4-power-manager makes it work. So for some reason it seems that xfce4-power-manager prevents the monitor from turning off.