Re: [gentoo-user] New monitor, new problem. Everything LARGE O_O

[Dale <rdalek1967@gmail.com>]

Michael wrote:
> On Wednesday, 10 July 2024 12:44:28 BST Dale wrote:
>
>> It sounds like you recommend me using xorg.conf and not xrandr.  I was
>> thinking that using both would also cause a clash.  Basically, I need
>> one tool to do this.  That's why I picked xorg.conf for long term,
>> xrandr is just for now or a second option.  I may comment that command
>> and reboot.  See if it is the xorg.conf file doing the work or xrandr. 
> I recommend using whichever tool does the job best, for your specific needs.  
> Normally, sections for xorg.conf can be used for special input and display 
> configurations, when the default configuration (running without a xorg.conf) 
> will not do.
>
> The xranrd command is there to manually interface in real time with the RandR 
> extension of the X11 API and change some settings to make sure they suit your 
> preferences.  You can, if you want to, script it and run it every time X 
> starts, to change the default settings.
>
> If you are always using Plasma, then it may be convenient to use neither an 
> xorg.conf, nor xrandr and instead use the 'Plasma > SystemSettings > Display 
> and Monitor' GUI to configure your desktop setup.
>
> Any of the above three options should be able to do the job, but some may be 
> more reliable than others.  I found out whenever Plasma was being upgraded to 
> a new major/minor version the layout on a dual monitor setup running on X was 
> all over the place.  I moved that system over to Wayland and I had no more 
> complaints from users about a displaced toolbar, or reversed monitor layout 
> and the like.  YMMV.
>

I've read wayland has improved a lot.  A year or more ago I was reading
about people finding bugs and such and some even saying it wasn't usable
in a lot of situations.  Thing is, it was new and that is to be
expected.  Over time, it seems to have improved.  Some people, like you,
say it has advantages to use it now and sometimes even works better.
Once I get things working well, I just may give it a shot.  It seems
things are moving in that direction anyway. 


>> I think we talked about this maybe off list.  On my old machine, when
>> sddm comes up, the password field on the second monitor shows the dots,
>> TV in my case.  On the new machine, both monitors show the dots for the
>> password.  I'm not sure what is different tho.  It did that even before
>> I set the primary option.  I like it that way myself but makes me
>> curious why my main rig is different.  It seems the new rig sends the
>> same screen to both monitors.  Once logged into KDE, it splits into two
>> monitors.  My main rig it seems is always two separate screens. 
> As far as I know SDDM is using the file(s) in /usr/share/sddm/scripts/ to 
> start a login GUI.  I haven't looked into how far can these be tweaked for a 
> dual monitor setup and if they even have a 'primary' monitor concept.
>

I've never really looked into it either.  I mentioned it because it
seems something has changed.  On my old rig, it seems to have kept some
setting somewhere but on new installs, it uses a new setting which we
may both like better.  Luckily one of my TVs is in the same room so I
can see the screen.  If however, you have a second monitor that you
can't see, it may be worth looking into and setting it to the new way. 
It could be that someone reading this long thread would also like to
know to do the same.  ;-)


>> I got some things going on.  I'll read the email closer later and make
>> some changes.  I'll post back then.  Oh, so far, it shows several
>> packages headed in the right direction.  The monitor stand left a small
>> hub and when it leaves there, it almost always gets delivered that day. 
>> So, I may get the monitor stand today.  The new /home hard drive is on
>> the right path too.  I'm expecting quite a lot of packages.  While
>> proofing this, got text from USPS that stand and several other packages
>> are out for delivery.  UPS updates a little later. 
>>
>> Oh, in /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/ when the files are numbered, does it read
>> them from low to high?  
> Yes.
>
>> If I set a option in one file but set the same
>> option differently in another file, which one does it apply?  Or does it
>> not apply either? 
> First the lower numbered file, then the higher numbered file (see man run-
> parts).  Also see explanation in the URL below.
>
>> Thanks for the info.  :-D  Will work on it shortly. 
>>
>> Dale
>>
>> :-)  :-) 
> https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Xorg.conf
>
> The separate files in /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/ are meant to break things up and 
> make it easier to check, add, or take out sections.  Configuration files are 
> read in numeric order and sequentially, i.e. 10-monitor.conf will be read and 
> applied before 20-monitor.conf, or 30-something-else.conf.  Files will be read 
> in alphabetic order if they are not prefixed by a number.
>
> Note, as the above URL points out, if you have a /etc/X11/xorg.conf file it 
> will take precedence over any files in /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/ and these in turn 
> will take precedence over the default files installed in /usr/share/X11/
> xorg.conf.d/.


I found the man page and another web page with a ton of info on
options.  Link below in case others want to bookmark it.  Some of them I
have no idea what they do.  Even their description for some settings
makes no sense since the terms used are things I never heard of.  I
doubt I need those anyway, thank goodness.  Anyway.  I been playing with
this thing a bit.  I made a simple change in xorg.conf just to see if it
worked or not without changing anything else.  I added this to the
options for the second monitor:


    Option      "Above" "DP-3"


I'll see how that works.  May try another GUI to, Fluxbox or something. 
For some reason tho, the port numbers are still odd, consistent but
odd.  Primary monitor is plugged into the lowest port, the one with #1
stamped on the bracket.  It sees it as DP-3 tho.  Even more odd, the
second monitor is DP-1, which is marked as port #2 on the bracket.  I
can't make heads or tails of that mess.  o_O

I did change how I plan to lay out the monitors tho.  From the primary
monitor as a starting point, second monitor that I use for handling
large volume of files and such will be above the primary monitor.  My TV
will be to the right of the Primary monitor.  The reason for that is
mostly the physical layout.  The monitor stand came in and I'll be
putting the primary monitor on the bottom and second monitor on top of
it.  The TV can just go anywhere config wise but it has been to the
right for so long, when I need my mouse pointer over there, habit makes
me push the mouse to the right.  It's as good a place as any. 

At first, I had the second monitor to the right of primary but then it
hit me, dragging the mouse pointer, and files, to the right to go up to
the top monitor seems kinda odd.  Plus, for a long time now, the TV has
been there on the right.  I rearranged things a bit.  Given the physical
layout, it makes more sense this way.  While I'm thinking on this.  I
may turn off the second monitor at times.  Should I add a option to
xorg.conf to make sure it doesn't go weird on me?  I wouldn't want it to
move my TV location for example.  I'd just want it to power off but not
affect anything else.  I'd close all the apps first tho.  I'd also like
it to have the right settings if it has been off a while and I turn it
on to use it.  I'm not sure how hotpluggable monitors are. 

I got the new 18TB hard drive in.  It's doing a long selftest test right
now.  It finishes later tomorrow night.  Once that is done, I'll do the
pvmove thing with a 8TB drive in one of my PVs.  The 8TB drive will
become /home on the new rig.  I also assembled the monitor stand and put
the brackets on the back of the monitors.  Once I get my desk cleaned
off, I'll put the stand on top of my homemade speakers and then hang the
monitors up.  They just hook on and a bolt locks them in place.  While
not to pricey, the stand isn't half bad.  Heavy metal. 

Later on, I may split the xorg.conf file into sections and put the
sections in the xorg.conf.d directory with a good file name so I know
what contains what.  The one thing I've noticed about the xorg.conf file
being one large file, when I want to edit something, it's always close
to the bottom.  I been using nano to edit files so the down arrow key
has been getting a lot of use. 

I have one of those really large mailboxes.  One can put a rather large
package in that thing and still have room left over.  Today, it was
about full.  I got several orders today.  It was like Christmas or
something.  :-D 

This is the link.  It claims to be a man page but I think it has info my
man page doesn't.  Maybe. 

https://www.x.org/releases/current/doc/man/man5/xorg.conf.5.xhtml

Right now, I'm waiting on the drive to finish testing and me to move
some things over.  Oh, cleaning off my puter desk too.  That could be a
challenge.  I need about five or six junk drawers.  The three or four I
already have just isn't enough.  :/   Where would I put all these
drawers tho.  O_O 

Dale

:-)  :-)