[kubuntu-users] check list of annoyances

[Simon Edwards]

On Wednesday 07 June 2006 18:15, Jonathan Riddell wrote:
> On Tue, Apr 04, 2006 at 07:24:44PM -0700, Albert wrote:
> > 10) There is no easy way to plug in an external monitor. I had to battle 
with 
> > xorg.conf to figure it out myself, with the help of the webpage 
> > http://vuxml.FreeBSD.org/83421018-b3ef-11da-a32d-000c6ec775d9.html . Still 
> > the system is less than ideal, since one has to have booted with the 
external 
> > monitor plugged in. Then the desktop does not resize back, unless one 
opens a 
> > new session. Logout/login doesn't work, because the session settings are 
> > somehow preserved in the login splash screen.
> This all depends on your graphics card.

From what I can tell, the rules of engagement are a bit more complex than 
that. Something like:

* Xorg (only) detects the presence of monitors and their capabilites (Plug n 
Play) when it starts up.

* If xorg can't detect a 2nd monitor, then no dual-head etc for you. (external 
VGA for a laptop is typically treated as a 2nd monitor).

* Some cards (nvidia I think) don't pass the monitor info on correctly.

* If xorg can't detect the capabilities of a Plug n Play monitor, then it 
assumes some safe low-end values which are almost always no what you want.

Best advice is to start Xorg (read: boot time, or manually restarting Xorg) 
with any external monitors plugged in and turned on. And to manually select 
the monitor type you have in system settings instead of relying on Plug n 
Play.

cheers,

-- 
Simon Edwards             | KDE-NL, Guidance tools, Guarddog Firewall
simon at simonzone.com       | http://www.simonzone.com/software/
Nijmegen, The Netherlands | "ZooTV? You made the right choice."