Quickly restore multi-monitor settings

[Ankhwatcher]

My Kubuntu install is virtualised through VirtualBox.

VirtualBox does a good job of outputting to both screens (It generates two windows and runs them in fullscreen, convincing the OS that it has two monitors), but the OS keeps forgetting its settings (or twigging that it's not the same monitor), when it is booted so what is the best way to reapply my settings?

The default is duplicated screens and every taskbar I have created defaults to that screen.
Could I write a script to reapply my settings on launch?
How would I do that?

Thanks,
ANkh

[Ankhwatcher]

Re: Quickly restore multi-monitor settings

Hi,

I found the command line tool to change screen settings: xRandR

I should be able to write a script from that to restore my dual-screen configuration.

Now I just need the commands which which I can find, move, create. destroy and set width for KDE Plasma Taskbars.

Thanks,
ANkh

[oshunluvr]

Re: Quickly restore multi-monitor settings

Usually xrandr commands can be put in /etc/X11/Xsession or one of the other scripts already in that location.

I can't help you with the other because I can't actually figure out what you're trying to do...

[NoWorries]

Re: Quickly restore multi-monitor settings

I currently have KDE 4.6 installed and it was supposed to remember the dual monitor settings which it does not do to my satisfaction. So I have returned to what I was using with KDE 4.5.5. In this case I have my laptop set as the primary display and I do the following:

Edit /etc/kde4/kdm/Xsetup and add the line: 
xrandr --output LVDS --primary; xrandr --output LVDS --auto --output VGA-0 --auto --left-of LVDS

Here LVDS is my laptop and VGA-0 is my second display which I have to the left of my laptop. You can change the arrangement quite easily. This command sets up the display on KDE startup.

Hope this is of use to you.

[Ankhwatcher]

Re: Quickly restore multi-monitor settings

I currently have KDE 4.6 installed and it was supposed to remember the dual monitor settings which it does not do to my satisfaction. So I have returned to what I was using with KDE 4.5.5. In this case I have my laptop set as the primary display and I do the following:

Edit /etc/kde4/kdm/Xsetup and add the line: 
xrandr --output LVDS --primary; xrandr --output LVDS --auto --output VGA-0 --auto --left-of LVDS

Here LVDS is my laptop and VGA-0 is my second display which I have to the left of my laptop. You can change the arrangement quite easily. This command sets up the display on KDE startup.

Hope this is of use to you.

xrandr output:
[code=xrandr output (with both screens connected)]ankh@ankh-VirtualBox:~$ xrandr
Screen 0: minimum 64 x 64, current 1024 x 768, maximum 32000 x 32000
VBOX0 connected 1024x768+0+0 0mm x 0mm
1280x800 60.0 +
1024x768 60.0*
800x600 60.0
640x480 60.0
VBOX1 connected
1280x1024 60.0 +
1024x768 60.0
800x600 60.0
640x480 60.0[/code]

I've tried a command I would hope would format one of my screens:
[code=screen format input]ankh@ankh-VirtualBox:~$ xrandr -d VBOX0 -s 1024x768
Can't open display VBOX0[/code]
But it doesn't work.

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks,
ANkh

[NoWorries]

Re: Quickly restore multi-monitor settings

I got all my settings for the xrandr command from the System Settings>Size & Orientation. On my system I found that the settings that I was wanting had (Auto) at the end of the size, hence I used --auto instead of the actual size. You will also notice that on the System Settings, the primary output monitor is defined. If this is not what you want, then this is the place to change it. With the xrandr command, the screen size ending with "+" is the auto setting which is used in my command.

I do not profess to be an expert on xrandr commands, but regarding the command that you used, I would not use "-d VBOX0" but "--output VBOX0". Also, if you need to issue multiple xrandr commands then these should be separated by ";" as in my example where the primary monitor was defined first.

I hope that this helps you get your system working as you want.