[DC LoCo] Questions about video configuration

[Aaron M. Ucko]

[N.B.: I don't have any dual-headed systems either, so my understanding
is all theoretical.]

Kevin Cole <dc.loco at gmail.com> writes:

> 1. Is there a simple non-proprietary, user-friendly way to switch?

AIUI, you're supposed to use an XRandR client these days; in addition to
the command-line xrandr tool (in the x11-xserver-utils package, at least
on the Debian side; I'm not sure if Ubuntu split it out), there are also
various graphical clients, such as a gnome-xrandr-applet.

> 2. I went looking for my /etc/X11/xorg.conf ... which isn't there any
> more.  Shows how much attention I pay to stuff that "just works". So,
> where do the arcane incantations for video configuration hide now?

You can still create one if you need to; the server's just gotten smart
enough about autodetection that most installations can do without it.

> 3. Is there a not-too-threatening way to alter the default via one's editor
> of choice once said "book of spells" is found?

xorg.conf's manpage briefly explains how to specify systemwide XRandR
settings; I'm not sure whether any of the graphical clients supports
persistent per-user settings or the user would have to arrange to run
the command-line xrandr tool automatically upon login.

-- 
Aaron M. Ucko, KB1CJC (amu at alum.mit.edu, ucko at debian.org)
http://www.mit.edu/~amu/ | http://stuff.mit.edu/cgi/finger/?amu@monk.mit.edu