Announcement

**kubicle** · Feb 14, 2015, 03:56 AM

What's the output of "xrandr"?

**Rod J** · Feb 14, 2015, 05:34 AM

I wrote this little script a while back to toggle the second monitor on or off. I didn't like my videos being split between the monitors much like your game problem. This script worked perfectly in 12.04 but I haven't tested or modified it for 14.04 yet. You will need to modify it to suit your particular settings (screen resolution, 2nd monitor postition, etc). You need to look at the output of the xrandr program to determine what to change in the script below.

Code:

#!/bin/sh
# Toggle the second monitor On or Off depending on its current state.

if xrandr | grep -q "DVI-0 connected 1440x900+1680+0"
  then 
    xrandr --output DVI-0 --off
  else 
    xrandr --output DVI-0 --auto --right-of VGA-0
fi

**vinnywright** · Feb 14, 2015, 09:55 AM

system settings>display and monitor>uncheck (click) the second monitor and click apply ,,,,,,,ya 5 clicks ,,,,,but hay it's easy.

VINNY

**vsreeser** · Feb 14, 2015, 02:33 PM

Originally posted by kubicle View Post

What's the output of "xrandr"?

Code:

virgil@dads-kubuntu:~$ xrandr
Screen 0: minimum 8 x 8, current 1920 x 1080, maximum 16384 x 16384
DVI-I-0 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DVI-I-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DVI-I-2 connected primary 1920x1080+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 597mm x 336mm
   1920x1080      60.0*+   59.9     50.0     60.1     60.0     50.0  
   1680x1050      60.0  
   1600x1200      60.0  
   1440x900       59.9  
   1400x1050      60.0  
   1280x1024      75.0     60.0  
   1280x960       60.0  
   1280x720       60.0     59.9     50.0  
   1152x864       75.0  
   1024x768       75.0     70.1     60.0  
   800x600        75.0     72.2     60.3     56.2  
   720x576        50.0     50.1  
   720x480        59.9     60.1  
   640x480        75.0     72.8     59.9     59.9  
DVI-I-3 connected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
   1920x1080      60.0 +   59.9     50.0     60.1     60.0     50.0  
   1680x1050      60.0  
   1600x900       60.0  
   1280x1024      75.0     60.0  
   1280x960       60.0  
   1280x800       59.8  
   1280x720       60.0     59.9     50.0  
   1024x768       75.0     60.0  
   1024x576       60.0  
   800x600        75.0     60.3  
   720x576        50.0     50.1  
   720x480        59.9     60.1  
   640x480        75.0     59.9     59.9  
HDMI-0 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)

DVI-1-0 And DVI-1-1 ar from built in video. Horrid performance (aren't they all), so I put in a decent card. I'm running Nvidia 346 driver, so icon in system settings non-functional.

Tried modifying script from Rod J to

Code:

#!/bin/sh
# Toggle the second monitor On or Off depending on its current state.

if xrandr | grep -q "DVI-1-3 connected 1920x1020+1920+0"
  then 
    xrandr --output DVI-1-3 --off
  else 
    xrandr --output DVI-1-3 --auto --right-of VGA-0
fi

but got

Code:

virgil@dads-kubuntu:~$ sh monitorswitch.sh 
xrandr: cannot find output "VGA-0"

monitor on and off when testing, same result when using DFP-1 instead of VGA-0 and wether second monitor is on or off

What should I use in place of VGA-0 in the script? Nvidia settings calls left Monitor Viewsonic VC2753 Series(DFP-0), right is Benq GW2750H(DFP-1)

I think I try to automate too much, but something to work on, it keeps the kids off my computer because they can;t figure it out

**kubicle** · Feb 14, 2015, 03:02 PM

Try:

Code:

#!/bin/sh
# Toggle the second monitor On or Off depending on its current state.

if xrandr | grep -q "DVI-I-3 connected"
  then 
    xrandr --output DVI-I-3 --off
  else 
    xrandr --output DVI-I-3 --auto --right-of DVI-I-2
fi

1. This assumes DVI-I-3 is the monitor you wish to turn off/on, and
2. That the monitor DVI-I-3 is on the right side of DVI-I-2
Also note that in DVI-I-X, the bold character is a capital "i" not the number "1"

**vsreeser** · Feb 14, 2015, 03:09 PM

Originally posted by kubicle View Post

Try:

Code:

#!/bin/sh
# Toggle the second monitor On or Off depending on its current state.

if xrandr | grep -q "DVI-I-3 connected"
  then 
    xrandr --output DVI-I-3 --off
  else 
    xrandr --output DVI-I-3 --auto --right-of DVI-I-2
fi

1. This assumes DVI-I-3 is the monitor you wish to turn off/on, and
2. That the monitor DVI-I-3 is on the right side of DVI-I-2
Also note that in DVI-I-X, the bold character is a capital "i" not the number "1"

It turns it off. Halfway there. Tried changin --auto to --on. No effect. Back to research for a bit.

**kubicle** · Feb 14, 2015, 03:23 PM

Originally posted by vsreeser View Post

It turns it off. Halfway there. Tried changin --auto to --on. No effect. Back to research for a bit.

The if statement might match both cases (monitor on and off), so the script always turns the monitor off (rather than toggling).

First try if the command "xrandr --output DVI-I-3 --auto --right-of DVI-I-2" actually works and turns the monitor back on. If it does, post "xrandr" output from both states monitor on/off, so we can create a better if statement.

**vsreeser** · Feb 14, 2015, 04:06 PM

Originally posted by kubicle View Post

The if statement might match both cases (monitor on and off), so the script always turns the monitor off (rather than toggling).

First try if the command "xrandr --output DVI-I-3 --auto --right-of DVI-I-2" actually works and turns the monitor back on. If it does, post "xrandr" output from both states monitor on/off, so we can create a better if statement.

xrandr --output DVI-I-3 --auto --right-of DVI-I-2 does turn the monitor back on.

with monitor DVI-I-3 off

Code:

virgil@dads-kubuntu:~$ xrandr
Screen 0: minimum 8 x 8, current 1920 x 1080, maximum 16384 x 16384
DVI-I-0 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DVI-I-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DVI-I-2 connected primary 1920x1080+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 597mm x 336mm
   1920x1080      60.0*+   59.9     50.0     60.1     60.0     50.0  
   1680x1050      60.0  
   1600x1200      60.0  
   1440x900       59.9  
   1400x1050      60.0  
   1280x1024      75.0     60.0  
   1280x960       60.0  
   1280x720       60.0     59.9     50.0  
   1152x864       75.0  
   1024x768       75.0     70.1     60.0  
   800x600        75.0     72.2     60.3     56.2  
   720x576        50.0     50.1  
   720x480        59.9     60.1  
   640x480        75.0     72.8     59.9     59.9  
DVI-I-3 connected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
   1920x1080      60.0 +   59.9     50.0     60.1     60.0     50.0  
   1680x1050      60.0  
   1600x900       60.0  
   1280x1024      75.0     60.0  
   1280x960       60.0  
   1280x800       59.8  
   1280x720       60.0     59.9     50.0  
   1024x768       75.0     60.0  
   1024x576       60.0  
   800x600        75.0     60.3  
   720x576        50.0     50.1  
   720x480        59.9     60.1  
   640x480        75.0     59.9     59.9  
HDMI-0 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)

with DVI-I-3 on

Code:

virgil@dads-kubuntu:~$ xrandr
Screen 0: minimum 8 x 8, current 3840 x 1080, maximum 16384 x 16384                                                                                                                               
DVI-I-0 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)                                                                                                                                   
DVI-I-1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)                                                                                                                                   
DVI-I-2 connected primary 1920x1080+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 597mm x 336mm                                                                                                  
   1920x1080      60.0*+   59.9     50.0     60.1     60.0     50.0                                                                                                                               
   1680x1050      60.0                                                                                                                                                                            
   1600x1200      60.0                                                                                                                                                                            
   1440x900       59.9                                                                                                                                                                            
   1400x1050      60.0                                                                                                                                                                            
   1280x1024      75.0     60.0                                                                                                                                                                   
   1280x960       60.0                                                                                                                                                                            
   1280x720       60.0     59.9     50.0                                                                                                                                                          
   1152x864       75.0                                                                                                                                                                            
   1024x768       75.0     70.1     60.0                                                                                                                                                          
   800x600        75.0     72.2     60.3     56.2                                                                                                                                                 
   720x576        50.0     50.1                                                                                                                                                                   
   720x480        59.9     60.1                                                                                                                                                                   
   640x480        75.0     72.8     59.9     59.9                                                                                                                                                 
DVI-I-3 connected 1920x1080+1920+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 598mm x 336mm                                                                                                       
   1920x1080      60.0*+   59.9     50.0     60.1     60.0     50.0                                                                                                                               
   1680x1050      60.0                                                                                                                                                                            
   1600x900       60.0                                                                                                                                                                            
   1280x1024      75.0     60.0  
   1280x960       60.0  
   1280x800       59.8  
   1280x720       60.0     59.9     50.0  
   1024x768       75.0     60.0  
   1024x576       60.0  
   800x600        75.0     60.3  
   720x576        50.0     50.1  
   720x480        59.9     60.1  
   640x480        75.0     59.9     59.9  
HDMI-0 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)

They seem to look the same. I've been looking for some way to find the status, but haven't found anything yet

**vsreeser** · Feb 14, 2015, 04:10 PM

Guess I could put two short cuts in the panel and just use the right one for each situation. But if we can find the right if statement, that would be nicer.

**kubicle** · Feb 14, 2015, 04:29 PM

This should suffice:

Code:

#!/bin/sh
# Toggle the second monitor On or Off depending on its current state.

if xrandr | grep -q "DVI-I-3 connected 1920"
  then 
    xrandr --output DVI-I-3 --off
  else 
    xrandr --output DVI-I-3 --auto --right-of DVI-I-2
fi

**vinnywright** · Feb 14, 2015, 06:53 PM

Originally posted by vsreeser View Post

I'm running Nvidia 346 driver, so icon in system settings non-functional.

realy ,,,,,,I am running Nvidia-346.35 as well ,,,,,,and I can turn off the second display in system settings>display and monitor just fine ,,,,,,,,,,,, strange.

VINNY

**Rod J** · Feb 14, 2015, 08:14 PM

I just modified my original script to update it with my new system (same two monitors though, but xrandr gives different results). It's working fine here.

Toggle2ndMonitor.sh:

Code:

#!/bin/sh
# Toggle the second monitor On or Off depending on its current state.
# v1.1 changed to suit new system running Kubuntu 14.04

if xrandr | grep -q "HDMI1 connected 1440x900+1680+0"
  then 
    xrandr --output HDMI1 --off
  else 
    xrandr --output HDMI1 --auto --right-of VGA1
fi

**vsreeser** · Feb 14, 2015, 10:40 PM

Originally posted by kubicle View Post

This should suffice:

Code:

#!/bin/sh
# Toggle the second monitor On or Off depending on its current state.

if xrandr | grep -q "DVI-I-3 connected 1920"
  then 
    xrandr --output DVI-I-3 --off
  else 
    xrandr --output DVI-I-3 --auto --right-of DVI-I-2
fi

Also added
killall conky
conky
to get conky back in the right position.
That works. Now I'll just make it into a shortcut, find a light switch icon (have to figure out how to assign an icon to a script) and throw it onto the panel.

Looked everything over and I'm not sure how you figured that out. Would like to know as I might be able to apply to something in the future. If you would be so kind. Might help someone else too

**kubicle** · Feb 15, 2015, 01:42 AM

Originally posted by vsreeser View Post

That works. Now I'll just make it into a shortcut, find a light switch icon (have to figure out how to assign an icon to a script) and throw it onto the panel.

You can create a .desktop file your script (and put it in your menu) with kmenuedit. You can set the icon (and optionally a keyboard shortcut for even faster toggling), you can then add the icon to the panel from the menu.

Originally posted by vsreeser View Post

Looked everything over and I'm not sure how you figured that out. Would like to know as I might be able to apply to something in the future. If you would be so kind. Might help someone else too

If you look at your xrandr output when the monitor is on/off:
On: DVI-I-3 connected 1920x1080+1920+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 598mm x 336mm
Off: DVI-I-3 connected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
And we needed a grep match for only the "On" Status. "DVI-I-3 connected 1920" will match when the monitor is on, but not when it's off.

Announcement

quick monitor off/on

quick monitor off/on

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment