[HOWTO] Multiple Monitors: Extended Desktop using Open Source graphics

[lmilano]

As of Karmic, a bug in System Settings -> Display prevents users from managing an extended desktop from Kubuntu unless proprietary drivers are used. This will be fixed in Lucid (10.04), but for now, suffer no more, I found a workaround in the Launchpad bug report for this (see below). Here is my version:

1. Open konsole from the menu and type

sudo apt-get install --no-install-recommends gnome-control-center

2. Test it (from konsole)

gnome-settings-daemon && gnome-display-properties

3. If it works, add it to the KMenu (see screenshot below). Right click on it, choose Menu Editor, and add an Item in the System section (remember to save it). That's it.

Thanks to Vu Ngoc San for proposing this workaround in Launchpad
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+s...ce/+bug/403610

In the same bug report, Jan Schneider proposed using ARandR (I haven't tried that).

Enjoy!

[dagfinn]

Re: [HOWTO] Multiple Monitors: Extended Desktop using Open Source graphics

Thanks, that's a great relief.

For the record, the inability to set up an extended desktop is not a new problem in Karmic. When I first tested the problem, I found that the multiple monitors section was missing in both 8.10 and 9.04 when booting from a live distro CD.

[devnulljp]

Re: [HOWTO] Multiple Monitors: Extended Desktop using Open Source graphics

Thank you!
Works great, Thinkpad T500 with nasty ATI video card. I've spent whole frustrating days before trying to configure ATI cards for dual head in Linux. This was a piece of cake.

[Guest]

Re: [HOWTO] Multiple Monitors: Extended Desktop using Open Source graphics

Amazing just what I needed, Thanks 8)

[lmilano]

Re: [HOWTO] Multiple Monitors: Extended Desktop using Open Source graphics

Excellent, thank you all for the feedback!

[.46caliber]

Re: [HOWTO] Multiple Monitors: Extended Desktop using Open Source graphics

Your work around got me so close.

When I configure to test I get this message:

The installation of an additional component (screen-resolution-extra) is required in order to apply your settings. Would you like to install it now?

I click yes. Then:

The necessary applications to install the package could not be found.

I'm so close. Any advice?

[lmilano]

Re: [HOWTO] Multiple Monitors: Extended Desktop using Open Source graphics

Your work around got me so close.

When I configure to test I get this message:

The installation of an additional component (screen-resolution-extra) is required in order to apply your settings. Would you like to install it now?

I click yes. Then:

The necessary applications to install the package could not be found.

I'm so close. Any advice?

Hi! Let's do this How about:

sudo apt-get install --no-install-recommends screen-resolution-extra

(BTW, the only reason to install things in the command line is to use the --no-install-recommends so you avoid getting a million gnome packages that you may not need). If this doesn't help, we'll get it going, just let us know. Cheers!

[.46caliber]

Re: [HOWTO] Multiple Monitors: Extended Desktop using Open Source graphics

failure message in konsole:

(gnome-settings-daemon:2029): WARNING **: Connection failed, reconnecting...

(gnome-display-properties:2037): Gtk-WARNING **: Ignoring the separator setting

(gnome-display-properties:2037): Gtk-WARNING **: No object called:
Unable to find a synaptics device.

** (gnome-settings-daemon:2029): WARNING **: Grab failed for some keys, another application may already have access the them.

** (gnome-settings-daemon:2029): WARNING **: Connection failed, reconnecting...

** (gnome-settings-daemon:2029): WARNING **: Connection failed, reconnecting...
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/share/screen-resolution-extra/policyui.py", line 188, in on_button1_clicked
status = self.conf.setVirtual(self.resolution)
File "/usr/lib/pymodules/python2.6/dbus/proxies.py", line 68, in __call__
return self._proxy_method(*args, **keywords)
File "/usr/lib/pymodules/python2.6/dbus/proxies.py", line 140, in __call__
**keywords)
File "/usr/lib/pymodules/python2.6/dbus/connection.py", line 620, in call_blocking
message, timeout)
dbus.exceptions.DBusException: com.ubuntu.screenresolution.Mechanism.AccessDenied Exception: com.ubuntu.screenresolution.mechanism.configure

** (gnome-settings-daemon:2029): WARNING **: Connection failed, reconnecting...

[.46caliber]

Re: [HOWTO] Multiple Monitors: Extended Desktop using Open Source graphics

Kubuntu 9.10
Asus M4A785-M mobo with integrated ATI Radeon HD 4200 graphics

Using DVI and VGA connectors. This method is supported by mobo. I can get desktop mirrored on monitors, but I want desktop extended on second monitor.

[lmilano]

Re: [HOWTO] Multiple Monitors: Extended Desktop using Open Source graphics

All I can think of is that, even though this worked for many folks, you may be missing some dependencies for some reason. You could try uninstalling and then installing gnome-control-center, just from the gui (it will pull lots of packages though). I am not sure that this will fix it, but this would probably be my next step.

Note that if you are using the binary drivers for ATI you don;t really need this trick, as far as I know the AMD/ATI control panel allows to configure dual display.

[.46caliber]

Re: [HOWTO] Multiple Monitors: Extended Desktop using Open Source graphics

Is this something that I would check in the BIOS? I'm pretty new to the inner workings of computers.

[lmilano]

Re: [HOWTO] Multiple Monitors: Extended Desktop using Open Source graphics

Is this something that I would check in the BIOS? I'm pretty new to the inner workings of computers.

Nope, it is simply software. In the System Menu, there is a Hardware Drivers entry, did you activate that for your embedded graphics? It should activate the binary drivers provided by AMD for ATI cards. It is not as stable as the open source one, but when it works it gives better performance. And it comes with a utility called amdcccle that allows you to configure the monitors.

The purpose of this HOWTO is to configure extended desktop with the Open Source drivers.

HTH!

[.46caliber]

Re: [HOWTO] Multiple Monitors: Extended Desktop using Open Source graphics

I activated the embeded ATI/AMD driver that is in the card, but still no dice. I tried the RandR and KDE/System Settings/Display and still nothing that will let me extend.

[lmilano]

Re: [HOWTO] Multiple Monitors: Extended Desktop using Open Source graphics

I activated the embeded ATI/AMD driver that is in the card, but still no dice. I tried the RandR and KDE/System Settings/Display and still nothing that will let me extend.

Please see above, if you don't see ammdcccle in the menues, open the "konsole" application, and type "sudo ammdcccle" (you need to install that program if you still haven't). You should be able to adjust extended desktop from there.

[.46caliber]

Re: [HOWTO] Multiple Monitors: Extended Desktop using Open Source graphics

That did it. Thanks so much. I now have desktop extended across two displays.

However, my taskbar is now on my smaller VGA connected monitor, and I want it on my larger DVI connected monitor. I've messed around with settings and will continue to do so. If you have anything, please let me know.