X: two displays and switching between them

[jufoa]

Hey,
I've got nvidia videocard configured for two different devices and displays. I have picture in both displays but how can i get mouse to the other display?

[nempo]

[jufoa]

dows gentoo automatically include xinerama to compilation or do i have to use xinerama use flag. how can i found out how this works?

[meowsqueak]

You dont need xinerama to have two desktops serviced by the same mouse/keyboard, although xinerama is certainly a valid solution. The disadvantage of xinerama is, your wallpaper is stretched across both monitors (if you have it 'fullscreen') and not all window managers support the strange geometries you can end up with. Also, for multiple workspaces (like in Fluxbox) you'll find both monitors will switch to a new desktop.

If you set up two screens in your XF86Config-4 file (or whatever yours is called) you can have two independent screens, each with their own window manager, background, pager, etc, but sharing the same mouse/keyboard. The XF86Config file specifies how the two screens relate to each other (e.g. you can have one to the 'LeftOf' another). This is what I use and it also allows you to use Nvidia hardware acceleration on ONE screen. Xinerama really doesn't work well with HW acceleration at all, in my experience.

Another option, which works quite nicely for two separate but networked computers with a monitor each, next to each other, with a single keyboard and mouse on ONE machine, is to use x2x. This also allows cutting and pasting text between the 'heads'.

[longodj]

I personally despise Xinerama, it's laggy

I have an NVidia GeForce 4 Ti4600 Which I use with the nvidia driver

My X Config used twinvew. You can find config info on google

The advantages are just that twinview uses nvidia drivers, so It's fast as all hell

Also, there are the common twinview options such as on M$ windows

Hope that helps

[zojas]