how replace dual monitor setup after KDE 6: monitors are mirrored with two cursors and no panel on dtdhe desktop

[pwrcul]

Where is the spot to intervene or replace items to get my two monitors working together again with separate info in a usable desktop with a panel?

I used to be able able to tweak Display and Monitor within System Settings and work with the monitors until recently.
And I created a main panel after KDE 6 arrived,

Is there a dot file that I can delete that will force the recreation of a working Display and Monitor section of System Settings?

Your help appreciated. I need basic guidance.

Or is "nuking and paving" the way to go?

[Schwarzer Kater]

As Plasma 6 itself is still buggy enough I would "nuke and pave" if I had upgraded from Plasma 5 = don't additionally use settings or cache files from 5 in 6 would be the most reasonable option IMHO.

[oshunluvr]

System Settings > Display and Monitor >

Both monitors should be listed in the "Device:" pull-down.

Verify both are "Enabled"

Select monitor 2 in the Device pull-down, then grab it with the mouse in the window where it says "Drag screens to re-arrange them" and slide it around until you get what you want. Click on "Apply" in the lower right corner of the window.

[claydoh]

Are you able to right-click on the desktop(s) and add a panel?

have you looked at the display settings from the System Tray? (once you add a panel)
I wonder if it is set to be mirrored, maybe?



Of course mine only has one screen here.



You could add the Display Settings widget to your desktop temporarily





Is this a laptop? these often have Fn keys that also can switch this, at the hardware level.




But, you might be better off starting by trying a new user account and see how that behaves
(open System Settings or other applications from Krunner /alt-spacebar)

[pwrcul]

Hello, Schwarzer Kater, oshunluvr, and claydoh.

Is there a guidebook to make dual monitors work with KDE 6? So far I stick as close I can with the advice of oshunluvr and claydoh.

To my surprise everything for dual monitors on my system almost appears to be working now and then after trial and error following oshunluvr's and claydoh's suggestions. (I could move a single cursor between two monitors instead of mirrored monitors and two cursors.)
But my setup is fragile, and I lost it again for awhile, (No panel, cursor trapped on one monitor or a monitor shut off.)
(I had played with Display Settings early in the day and lost my panel, got mirrored monitor displays and two cursors again. Now I am trying not to lose separate displays and a single cursor that moves between displays.)
I managed to get my setup working for the most part now. (two monitors are working but I have to do a dogleg with the cursor between them)

My dual monitors started working just before I was going to commit to nuke and pave--and I had a question for Schwarzer Kater about using backintime to preserve user files, e.g. with back in time.

The only thing now missing in Display Settings on my system is the ability to view the miniature images of both monitors at the same time.

I may try to live with what I have working now as I can get work done.

[Schwarzer Kater]

I don't think that there is a "guidebook" - the best "guidebooks" would probably be claydoh and oshunluvr.

Did you try a new user account and did this change the remaining problems?


What is your question about preserving user files and Back In Time?

-> By the way: I am not sure if I would use Back In Time at all in KDE neon…(KDE neon has always only been a mere test installation for myself):

See these excerpts from the KDE neon FAQ (!):
"Users are encouraged not to use [apps from the main repositories], and to instead get apps from Snap or Flatpak using KDE's Discover app store. In neon, Discover is set up to only show apps from these sources, filtering out apps from the repositories."
and
"KDE neon focuses on KDE software, most other software is not supported and you should not be surprised if you can not install it or it stops working at any point in time due to an update."

Perhaps it would be better to use KUP instead in KDE neon…?

[pwrcul]

Thanks for Schwarzer Kater's note confirming the lack of a guidebook or formal documentation and the endorsement of claydoh and odhunluvr on dual monitors.

I appreciate your citing the limitations of using Neon as a working distribution.
Perhaps you meant to say use KUP instead of backintime as well as recommending perhaps Kubuntu instead of Neon.
What if I switched to Kubuntu for my KDE environment. I think backintime might be something you'd recommend then.

I did not yet try a new user account. I did not yet pursue straightening the dogleg path of the cursor.

I will have a little more time today but most of the time will go for a trip to a memorial for a colleague.

[Schwarzer Kater]

[…]
Perhaps you meant to say use KUP instead of backintime as well as recommending perhaps Kubuntu instead of Neon.
What if I switched to Kubuntu for my KDE environment. I think backintime might be something you'd recommend then.
[…]

Correct: if I should give recommendations I would go for KDE neon and KUP or Kubuntu and Back In Time (but use the Back In Time PPA for Kubuntu 22.04 - IIRC there was some bug regarding rsync in the version from Ubuntu 22.04's repositories…).

I did not say to ditch KDE neon, though - only you can decide if it meets your purposes.

[pwrcul]

Thanks to comments and suggestions from Schwarzer Kater, claydoh, and oshunluvr.

I think I will use Kubuntu as my main system along with Back in Time from the PPA for backup.
I will copy my data files to an external drive to save my files (ones that I did not destroy awhile back) and restore them to the Kubuntu system.

My current Neon system has lots of overhead in the form of a 465 GB dd.image from an attempt, I believe--I am not certain--to recover SSD data I inadvertently trashed while playing/working with image recovery software and multiple numerically named files from runs of Back in Time and Time Shift.

The dual monitors are kind of working but not perfectly.

I could buy and install a 2 TB NVMe drive to make sure to have enough room both for Kubuntu with backup and KDE Neon.

I am also considering paying Mega (uploads the New Zealand firm created originally by Dot.Com (Sp.) for two TB of storage for $107/year. If anyone has insight into that kind of cloud storage, I would appreciate it.)

So I will be doing nuke and pave in terms of my current system and trying to gain stability.

[Schwarzer Kater]

OT:

[…]
I am also considering paying Mega (uploads the New Zealand firm created originally by Dot.Com (Sp.) for two TB of storage for $107/year. If anyone has insight into that kind of cloud storage, I would appreciate it.)
[…]

Why? Do you need to access 2TB of data from anywhere via the internet and want to be dependent on a working internet connection and decent internet speed?
If not I think it could be better to consider a local storage upgrade - perhaps one extra internal NVMe and an additional external device to backup your data and to carry with you or to put somewhere else.

And if I were a malicious actor one of my primary targets would always be "cloud" storage and not individual private systems or small companies…

[pwrcul]

Let me try this on you; get NextCloud on a Raspberry Pi as a local redundant backup?

[Schwarzer Kater]

OT:

This is of course a more complicated solution but also more versatile than a local backup with e.g. Kup.
If you have to access your backup data from anywhere via the internet it also depends heavily on your upstream speed and the reliability of your local internet whether this is an appropriate solution.

[pwrcul]

I tried Nextcluoud on the Pi some years ago but it quickly got beyond my abilities.
If would have to be more supported now. I doubt the level of support is still rough.

A fresh install of Kubuntu along with Backintime may be a better option for me.

[claydoh]

Something like Kup backup, or Backintime to an external USB is a good way to do this,.
Or to a NAS or some other computer with shared directories on your network.

I personally use Kup, as it allows for multiple unique plans and schedules, as well as syncing and versioned backups. So I can sync my documents directory every hour, for example, and have versioned backups for my $HOME every day, and weekly backups of my Steam files.
(Not everyone wants or needs this much control)
Timeshift is another option.

I also have nextcloud installed on my NAS (using Docker containers), which can be a pita to set up, but after that, you basically forget about it, like I have for at least year now. It is NOT really ideal for backups, imo. It is more like Google Docs and Google Photos, etc. I use it for document access/editing across multiple machines and locations. IF you were still going to try this route, the Snap for this is an excellent option for this use case.

[pwrcul]

I think most of what I have in the way of storage for my Neon system is waste.
On the other hand that waste may contain stuff I can recover from when I did an inadequate backup before nuking and paving.

Consider the screenshot of my home directory imaged by QDirStat



I believe image.dd was made in a failed effort with recovery software.

I plan to back it all up on an offline drive, then install Kubuntu and either Backintime or Kup.

Meanwhile, I have been able to use my Neon system and installed Lilbreoffice via the PPA for short reports..