Dual monitors using twinview question

acid7711 · n00b Joined: 07 Dec 2005 Posts: 55 Location: Chicago

Hello.

I've searched around a lot, not just here, and still not found what I'v been looking for. Maybe this is just how it is and it can't be changed. I've configured everything for Kde using Nvidia's TwinView, and recompiled world with the xinerama use flag. Everything looks great now and works perfect. I have only 2 questions regarding this that I still can't seem to figure out:

1.) My icons are "stuck" on the left side screen. I can move them around on there, but I can not get them over to the right side screen. In fact, I can't even make any icons on the right screen. If I click make new whatever, it will make whatever I'm trying to, but it will do so on the left hand screen. Is there any way that I can have icons whever I want on both sides?

2.) This is the more important question in my mind. I see that I kinda have two desktops, but is there any way to kind of make them literally, two desktops? What I mean here is each side has it's own taskbar with it's own system tray, running apps, and Kde button. I know this sounds a little stupid, but I think that would make everything a lot more efficient. I realize that I can have a single taskbar on either monitor, or one large that goes across both monitors, but this isn't exactly what I want. I fiddled with the settings, and made multiple areas on each side with a single taskbar that spanned both monitors, but this didn't work how I wanted it.

Thanks in advance

elpollodiablo · Tux's lil' helper Joined: 20 Mar 2003 Posts: 141

Here you go: http://gentoo-wiki.com/HOWTO_Dual_Monitors#Non-TwinView

Happy dual-monitor, :-)

Tlaloc · Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2006 4:50 pm Post subject:

For point 2: Since kde 3.5 I think a taskbar with window list and K-Menu is possible for additioal screens, just right-click on the existing taskbar and look in the menu you get for it. You can then position it via the control center module (Desktop). An extra system tray is not possible atm I think.

Bye, Val.

acid7711 · n00b Joined: 07 Dec 2005 Posts: 55 Location: Chicago

Thank you all for your replies.

I'll try that non TwinView later. If I switcted my main monitor to the one on the right and did the second one 'left of' instead of 'right of', would that just toss my icons on my right screen? That's really all I want. Other than that I like the TwinView setup.

Ahh thank you, that got me eactly what I was looking for as far as the taskbar goes. Thanks so much

Tlaloc · Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2006 8:20 pm Post subject:

That with the icons stuck on one screen seems weird...
I don't have the problem, but then I use ATIs xinerama. One question though. Have you tried if it is the same problem is there with a new clean user account in kde? If there it works then maybe it is has to do with the desktop configuration file for kde. When I played around with dual head/single head I also noticed some strange behaviour. Deleting /home/[your_account_name]/.kde/share/config/kdesktoprc and letting kde create a new one let me get started again.

Bye, Val.

acid7711 · n00b Joined: 07 Dec 2005 Posts: 55 Location: Chicago

Hey thanks! It works perfect now!

I still have that damn align to grid problem.

But in either case, thanks again!

Admiral_Trigger_Happy · Guru Joined: 05 Sep 2004 Posts: 337 Location: Australia

Ok, I didn't quite undertand what is wrong so I have some questions and suggestions.

Can you move anything between the 2 screens other than you mouse?
If not you are not using twinview with the Xinerama extension, and you have 2 seperate instances of KDE running on each. I haven't used an Nvidia setup in a while (not since I went from my old GF 2 MX200 to my R9600XT), but from previous experince you can get twinview to offer the option of the xinerama extension (well at least nvidias version of it).

ATI used to have no Xinerama like extension, but now they do and its very similar to the way I remember nvidia used to do things.

If what I suggested is the case, I may be able to assist further.
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acid7711 · n00b Joined: 07 Dec 2005 Posts: 55 Location: Chicago

Ok, oddly enough as soon as I rebooted, the icon thing started happening again.

No, I can move windows between the screens, and I got my taskbar setup perfectly. It's just now my icons are stuck back on the left hand screen again. Align Icons to Grid mysteriously started working again too. I can move them around on the left side, but I can't put any icons on the right screen.

Anytime I try to make an icon on the right screen, it will make it, but it will do so on the left screen.

In Xorg.conf
--------------
Screen 0 "Screen0" LeftOf "Screen1"
Screen 1 "Screen1" 0 0

I tried:
--------
Screen 0 "Screen0" 0 0
Screen 1 "Screen1" RightOf "Screen0"

But that gave me the same results.

Tlaloc · Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 3:28 pm Post subject:

I think you are mixing things in your xorg.conf (dual head/nvidia twinview). If I am not mistaken in the ServerLayout section
"Screen "[fill in here identifier for your Screen]" is enough, no LeftOf or RightOf necessary for twinview. This is the section for a box I had a nvidia twinview setup on:

acid7711 · n00b Joined: 07 Dec 2005 Posts: 55 Location: Chicago

Setting "default screen" doesn't allow X to start. It claims no screens found. However, just having Screen 0 "Screen0" 0 0 it works. Icons are still trapped on the left hand screen. One thing I've noticed is that when the "align icons to grid" is working, it seems to lock them on the left screen. It drives me crazy when the icons don't align to the grid. However, when they aren't alligned to the grid, they seem to be able to be moved over to either screen.

I'm curious if I need two Screen sections and two Monitor sections. I have:

Tlaloc · Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 5:51 pm Post subject:

I would say that with

acid7711 · n00b Joined: 07 Dec 2005 Posts: 55 Location: Chicago

Hmm, odly enough, it says my screen size is "2560 x 1024" under KDesktop config.

alex3683 · n00b Joined: 23 May 2005 Posts: 41 Location: Germany, NRW

Hi
I have the same problem with the icons being stuck to one screen. For me it's the right one they are stuck to. I have an Nvidia Geforce GT6600 with TwinView Setup.
The problem appeared after the last stable KDE update (from 3.4.3 to 3.5.2). I haven't found a solution until now and just wanted to let you know, that you are not alone ;-)

If you want to have some information about my system (e.g. xorg.conf to compare with yours), then just ask me.

boris64 · Posted: Tue Jun 27, 2006 3:21 pm Post subject:

Is there any progress yet?
I seem to have similar problems here:
I can move Icons between my two screens and place them
wherever i want them to, but after doing a KDE restart,
they're all back on my left monitor (stuck together on the
right side of my left screen).

Damned, that's quite uncool, isn't it?
_________________
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alex3683 · n00b Joined: 23 May 2005 Posts: 41 Location: Germany, NRW

It really sounds like you have the same problem. I tried several things to fix it like going through most of the kde-config files in my home dir by hand but didn't succeed. So the problem still remains and will annoy us ...
But in my opinion it must have something to do with KDE and not X.org or something. Because when you move them to the other screen and restart you can see them on the screen where you left them for a short time but then they autonomously move back to the one they seem to be stick to. By the why, mine seem to be stick to the CRT and not the TFT Monitor (TFT is screen 2 and CRT is screen 1, but I use screen 2 as main screen).

boris64 · Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2006 1:56 am Post subject:

Btw., i just tried the option "align icons to grid" and guess what?
Yeah, you're right, suddenly all icons are being moved
to my left screen (which is numbered as first screen or "screen0").

err...
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alex3683 · n00b Joined: 23 May 2005 Posts: 41 Location: Germany, NRW

This sounds all really familiar.
By the way there comes another behaviour into my mind. When the icons are on the screen they are stuck to and you add a new icon to the other screen then after a restart the old icons are located on top of each other just at the right border and the new icon is on the outer left on the same screen. So the screen seems to be compressed somehow to the half of the horizontal resolution.