Xfce Forum

hpp3

Member

Registered: 2004-03-17

Posts: 27

[Solved] Two monitors, one desktop; Workspace switcher doesn't show full area

Hi all,

Version: Xfce 4.8.0.3 on Debian testing.
Situation: Two monitors configured for extended desktop.
Problem: Workspace switcher w/two workspaces doesn't show full desktop area.

To make a long story short, I borked my ATI Catalyst driver install due to some upgrade shenanigans, so now I'm running on just the radeon drivers with no xorg.conf, which does just fine as I don't do games much anyways, AND it runs with a realtime kernel, but I digress...

Problem is, when I was running the Catalyst driver, Workspace Switcher picked up on the extended desktop size (both monitors) and sized itself accordingly.
Now, the panes are sized proportionately for one monitor (half the full desktop), so when I drag a window from the left monitor to the right monitor, the mini-window in Workspace Switcher sort of disappears to the side of the pane.

I've tried all sorts of xrandr tricks, edited ~/.config/xfce4/xfconf/xfce-perchannel-xml/displays.xml (to set xrandr straight on how my monitors were oriented), logged out, rebooted, all to no avail.
Not having the full desktop size available in the Workspace Switcher is a bit more than an annoyance.

Question: Can this be fixed?
Where does Workspace Switcher get it's desktop size information?

Reference: Xrandr settings -> http://pastebin.com/A66ApSDP

hpp3

Member

Registered: 2004-03-17

Posts: 27

Re: [Solved] Two monitors, one desktop; Workspace switcher doesn't show full area

OK, I figured it out.

With further experimentation (and some old xorg.conf's I had hanging around) a minimal xorg.conf straightened everything out:

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier   "Mon1"
	Option	    "Position" "0 0"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier   "Mon0"
	Option	    "Position" "1024 0"
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier  "Card0"
	Driver      "radeon"
	Option	    "Monitor-CRT1" "Mon1"
	Option	    "Monitor-CRT2" "Mon0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier "Screen0"
	Device     "Card0"
	SubSection "Display"
		Viewport   0 0
		Virtual   3200 3200
		Depth     24
	EndSubSection
EndSection

I could probably take out the "Position" options, as xrandr handles that, and the "Virtual" setting was from a previous xorg.conf I dug up, so don't know if it matters (xrandr reports my maximum is 8192x8192).

Either way, plugged that in to xorg.conf, logout/login and my Workspace Switcher panes are sized just right...

hpp3

Member

Registered: 2004-03-17

Posts: 27

Re: [Solved] Two monitors, one desktop; Workspace switcher doesn't show full area

OK, a few bits of fiddling later and it stopped working, but I've done 2 things that fixed it, one or both of them may be correct.

1- Substitue "DVI-0" and "DVI-1" for "Mon0" and "Mon1" in the xorg.conf above.
I have an ATI card, and those names are what xrandr gives me, your configuration will be different per card and driver.
EDIT: Just disabled xorg.conf and rebooted, and all is well, proceed to step 2...

2- Change login manager resolution
First, use Arandr to make an xrandr script, or craft your own that works.
Then, follow one of these instructions to change the resolution of the login screen (I use LightDM):

LightDM -> Put the xrandr script somewhere convenient (/usr/bin, /usr/share/lightdm).
Open /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf, uncomment the line that says "display-setup-script=" and paste in the path to your xrandr script after the "=".
Source: http://www.sudo-juice.com/lightdm-resolution/

GDM -> Paste the xrandr instruction line from your Arandr script to /etc/gdm/Init/Default, just above the "/sbin/initctl" line.
Source: http://askubuntu.com/questions/12998/ho … gin-screen

KDM -> Same as above, but it goes in /etc/kde4/kdm/Xsetup instead.

XDM -> Same as above, but use /usr/lib/X11/xdm/Xsetup.

SLiM -> Put the xrandr instruction line just before the "exit 0" statement in /etc/X11/Xsession.
Source: http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions … on-896263/

Actually, the SLiM option might be more global, as in applicable to all Login managers.
Perhaps rename the script to 10xrandr and put it in /etc/X11/Xsession.d so it doesn't get lost when you upgrade.

I've been doing a lot of talking to myself in this thread, anybody else have any experiences?

Last edited by hpp3 (2012-02-15 18:43:22)

FAT_TONI

Member

Registered: 2012-03-08

Posts: 1

Re: [Solved] Two monitors, one desktop; Workspace switcher doesn't show full area

Had the same Problem, thanks a lot for your great solution!

I did the gdm thing, ( didn't want to mess with xorg.conf again, like http://xkcd.com/963/ ).

my xrandr solution looked like this:

xrandr --output LVDS1 --auto --output VGA1 --right-of LVDS1 --auto

Last edited by FAT_TONI (2012-03-08 09:57:59)

hpp3

Member

Registered: 2004-03-17

Posts: 27

Re: [Solved] Two monitors, one desktop; Workspace switcher doesn't show full area

Glad I could help.
Rather an obscure problem, glad I'm not the only one

lundgren

Member

Registered: 2012-07-11

Posts: 3

Re: [Solved] Two monitors, one desktop; Workspace switcher doesn't show full area

I am having the same problem, but...  I have a laptop that I use in one of three modes:
Docked with two external monitors on one display port and one DVI port.
Undocked with one monitor
Undocked with one monitor on a DisplayPort and one on a VGA port.

Also, I undock my laptop and go to meetings and then return and re-dock it...

I am not sure how to use your solution in this situation.  It seems like this solution will only work for one mode... Is that correct?

Thanks!

OK, a few bits of fiddling later and it stopped working, but I've done 2 things that fixed it, one or both of them may be correct.

1- Substitue "DVI-0" and "DVI-1" for "Mon0" and "Mon1" in the xorg.conf above.
I have an ATI card, and those names are what xrandr gives me, your configuration will be different per card and driver.
EDIT: Just disabled xorg.conf and rebooted, and all is well, proceed to step 2...

2- Change login manager resolution
First, use Arandr to make an xrandr script, or craft your own that works.
Then, follow one of these instructions to change the resolution of the login screen (I use LightDM):

LightDM -> Put the xrandr script somewhere convenient (/usr/bin, /usr/share/lightdm).
Open /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf, uncomment the line that says "display-setup-script=" and paste in the path to your xrandr script after the "=".
Source: http://www.sudo-juice.com/lightdm-resolution/

GDM -> Paste the xrandr instruction line from your Arandr script to /etc/gdm/Init/Default, just above the "/sbin/initctl" line.
Source: http://askubuntu.com/questions/12998/ho … gin-screen

KDM -> Same as above, but it goes in /etc/kde4/kdm/Xsetup instead.

XDM -> Same as above, but use /usr/lib/X11/xdm/Xsetup.

SLiM -> Put the xrandr instruction line just before the "exit 0" statement in /etc/X11/Xsession.
Source: http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions … on-896263/

Actually, the SLiM option might be more global, as in applicable to all Login managers.
Perhaps rename the script to 10xrandr and put it in /etc/X11/Xsession.d so it doesn't get lost when you upgrade.

I've been doing a lot of talking to myself in this thread, anybody else have any experiences?

hpp3

Member

Registered: 2004-03-17

Posts: 27

Re: [Solved] Two monitors, one desktop; Workspace switcher doesn't show full area

Yes, my solution is rather geared toward static setups.
If you're constantly switching between setups, I would recommend setting it up as one monitor by default, and write up a few scripts to trigger the multi-monitor modes you want, and hit them when needed.  Use one of the Xrandr GUI front-ends to do the heavy lifting for you (script writing, that is; I prefer Arandr, but you might like something different).

Since the difference between the states depends on whether the DVI port or VGA port is active, you could then make one script with a 'case' or 'if-then-else' that will trigger a state based on which one you have hooked up (see post #8, here).  Then, you could hook up your external monitors and hit the xrandr script from a terminal, or make a .desktop file and put it in ~/.local/share/applications so you can trigger it from the menu.

Post the output of the xrandr command in each of the configurations you commonly use; we may be able to help.

lundgren

Member

Registered: 2012-07-11

Posts: 3

Re: [Solved] Two monitors, one desktop; Workspace switcher doesn't show full area

Yes, my solution is rather geared toward static setups.
If you're constantly switching between setups, I would recommend setting it up as one monitor by default, and write up a few scripts to trigger the multi-monitor modes you want, and hit them when needed.  Use one of the Xrandr GUI front-ends to do the heavy lifting for you (script writing, that is; I prefer Arandr, but you might like something different).

Since the difference between the states depends on whether the DVI port or VGA port is active, you could then make one script with a 'case' or 'if-then-else' that will trigger a state based on which one you have hooked up (see post #8, here).  Then, you could hook up your external monitors and hit the xrandr script from a terminal, or make a .desktop file and put it in ~/.local/share/applications so you can trigger it from the menu.

Post the output of the xrandr command in each of the configurations you commonly use; we may be able to help.

And the workspace switcher will detect the changes?  I have been using nvidia settings and the built in display applet, but it doesn't notice the changes.

hpp3

Member

Registered: 2004-03-17

Posts: 27

Re: [Solved] Two monitors, one desktop; Workspace switcher doesn't show full area

My workspace switcher notices the changes immediately.
Don't know about using nVidia settings manager (for the proprietary drivers, I assume?).
I'm using the open-source Radeon driver for my ATI 2600HD, and it works well.
I've heard that the nvidia driver doesn't play nice with Xrandr, have you tried the open-source Nouveau drivers?

lundgren

Member

Registered: 2012-07-11

Posts: 3

Re: [Solved] Two monitors, one desktop; Workspace switcher doesn't show full area

The newest nvidia 300 series drivers actually do work with Xrandr.  That is probably the biggest feature I have noticed.   HUGE improvement.  The opensource drivers don't do power management as well as the binary driver.   For a laptop that is also important.  I might try the opensource drivers though to see if it is an nvidia issue.

Thanks!

hpp3

Member

Registered: 2004-03-17

Posts: 27

Re: [Solved] Two monitors, one desktop; Workspace switcher doesn't show full area

The newest nvidia 300 series drivers actually do work with Xrandr.

Now that's cool, glad to hear it.  I was under the impression that nVidia still used the Twinview function exclusively.
Found news here: http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=n … px=MTA5NTY