dual screen and nvidia twinview works...but desktop configuration is like not...

[heinkel_111]

My desktop has an Nvidia 8600 GT graphics adapter servin g two samsung syncmaster 204B LCD displays. I prefere a twinview setup, where my desktop is stretched across both screens and I can drag windows across etc... (as opposed to the option where there are two desktops, one on each screen - I have never used that.)

After upgrading to intrepid on my desktop, I find that this basically works fine, but there is one exception. My K desktop background (that I set using plasma, right clicking on the desktop) seems impossible to stretch across both screens. This is more like the option with two separate desktops, and I am particularily interested in keeping it the old KDE3 way where I had one background stretched across both screens because I did a lot of work turning some of my best photos into 3200x1200 desktop backgrounds. (For peace of mind, nothing beats a GRAND panorama )

Does anyone know how I can fix the setup in KDE4 so I can have one background image stretched across both screens?

[heinkel_111]

Re: dual screen and nvidia twinview works...but desktop configuration is like not...

*bump*

anyone?

[g0es]

Re: dual screen and nvidia twinview works...but desktop configuration is like not...

I'm having the same issue, so your not alone. I'm not sure what is going on. I had the same problem before in 8.04 with KDE 4.1 and gave up on finding a resolution. I'm going to continue to mess around with it, but if anyone can provide some help it would be greatly appreciated.

Monitors
2 Dell 1704FPT, both connected VIA DVI.

Video
Nvidia Geforce 8800 GTS

xorg.conf

Section "ServerLayout"
  Identifier   "Default Layout"
  Screen   0 "Screen0" 0 0
  InputDevice  "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
  InputDevice  "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
EndSection

Section "Module"
  Load      "glx"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
  Option     "Xinerama" "0"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
  # generated from default
  Identifier   "Keyboard0"
  Driver     "keyboard"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
  # generated from default
  Identifier   "Mouse0"
  Driver     "mouse"
  Option     "Protocol" "auto"
  Option     "Device" "/dev/psaux"
  Option     "Emulate3Buttons" "no"
  Option     "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
  Identifier   "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
  Identifier   "Monitor0"
  VendorName   "Unknown"
  ModelName   "DELL 1704FPT"
  HorizSync    30.0 - 81.0
  VertRefresh   56.0 - 76.0
EndSection

Section "Device"
  Identifier   "Configured Video Device"
  Driver     "nvidia"
  Option     "NoLogo" "True"
EndSection

Section "Device"
  Identifier   "Videocard0"
  Driver     "nvidia"
  VendorName   "NVIDIA Corporation"
  BoardName   "GeForce 8800 GTS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
  Identifier   "Default Screen"
  Device     "Configured Video Device"
  Monitor    "Configured Monitor"
  DefaultDepth  24
EndSection

Section "Screen"

# Removed Option "metamodes" "DFP-0: nvidia-auto-select +1280+0, DFP-1: nvidia-auto-select +0+0"
# Removed Option "metamodes" "DFP-0: nvidia-auto-select +0+0, DFP-1: nvidia-auto-select +1280+0"
# Removed Option "metamodes" "DFP-0: 1280x1024 +0+0, DFP-1: 1280x1024 +1280+0"
  Identifier   "Screen0"
  Device     "Videocard0"
  Monitor    "Monitor0"
  DefaultDepth  24
  Option     "TwinView" "1"
  Option     "TwinViewXineramaInfoOrder" "DFP-0"
  Option     "metamodes" "DFP-0: 1280x1024 +1280+0, DFP-1: 1280x1024 +0+0"
  SubSection   "Display"
    Depth    24
    Modes   "nvidia-auto-select"
  EndSubSection
EndSection

[Guest]

Re: dual screen and nvidia twinview works...but desktop configuration is like not...

I have the same "issue" however, I suspect it's a problem with Plasma Desktop not supporting things correctly, and thus a kde 4.1 software issue. It may be possible to tweak the plasma settings somewhere to get the desired result, but I'm unsure as to where.

[g0es]

Re: dual screen and nvidia twinview works...but desktop configuration is like not...

I have the same "issue" however, I suspect it's a problem with Plasma Desktop not supporting things correctly, and thus a kde 4.1 software issue. It may be possible to tweak the plasma settings somewhere to get the desired result, but I'm unsure as to where.

I agree after playing around some more i noticed that i can not drag my plasmoids to the other screen, right click on that screen's desktop to see options, or set a wall paper. When I used dual monitors in 8.04 with KDE 4.1 I also noticed some strange things with how the desktop behaved with dual monitors. I found that sometimes dragging a plasmoid to the other desktop would cause a crash and i could not set a wall paper to span both monitors. I had to set a background for each screen's background.

I will post over in the software support and see if anyone has any ideas, I will link to this post.

[g0es]

Re: dual screen and nvidia twinview works...but desktop configuration is like not...

I found a temporary work around by adding the line below to my Device section

Option 	  "NoTwinViewXineramaInfo"

Now my device section looks like

Section "Device"
  Identifier   "Videocard0"
  Driver     "nvidia"
  VendorName   "NVIDIA Corporation"
  BoardName   "GeForce 8800 GTS"
  Option 	  "NoTwinViewXineramaInfo"
EndSection

It seems to be an issue with the way the desktop manager or plasma is handling what it receives through Xinerama.

Down side: Windows show up in the middle of the screen and when I maximse a windows it goes across both, but i can deal with that if it means that my plasmoids can be in either window and dual monitor wall papers look as they should.

Hope this helps