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Resolution vs. Virtual Desktop

post #1 of 6
7/10/03 at 3:48pm
Thread Starter 
Ok, this could be a stupid question (I hope so), but I'm having a problem with the difference between my screen resolution and my virtual desktop size.

I run at 1600x1200 for my daily work, but there are 2 times when I'd like to run at a different DESKTOP size - when I'm plugged into a projector, for example.

What happens is that when I plug in a 1600x1200 resolution laptop into a machine that maxes at, say, 1024, it doesn't look good. If I use X to resize my "resolution" (ctl-alt- +/-), it changes the resolution and not the desktop size. So, I get my apps up and, if I move the cursor the wrong way, the entire screen runs off the wall.

What I'm looking for is a way, on the fly, to change my VIRTUAL DESKTOP size (even if it means my icons move all over, a la Windows).

Anyone understand what I'm talking about?

Thanks
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post #2 of 6
7/10/03 at 5:39pm
i know what you're talking about; my old dell had the same problem.

when you use the resolution hotkeys to change the resolution, does your laptop's lcd resize correctly while the external monitor doesn't? that's what my 8887 does; the lcd display resizes just fine but when it's connected to the tv, the tv has a large virtual desktop.

when you say the screen runs off the wall... do you mean that your viewport scrolls to follow the cursor on the virtual desktop, or the viewport stays in one spot and you lose the cursor? i've had both happen...

i'm not really sure what it is; i never really made a big effort to fix it because i rarely use external video outputs, or change resolutions, for that matter. maybe it's something with DPMS. try an 'Option "DPMS"' in xf86config if you don't have it already.
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post #3 of 6
7/10/03 at 5:44pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally posted by xiphux
when you use the resolution hotkeys to change the resolution, does your laptop's lcd resize correctly while the external monitor doesn't?
No, they both do the same thing, fortunately.

Quote:

when you say the screen runs off the wall... do you mean that your viewport scrolls to follow the cursor on the virtual desktop, or the viewport stays in one spot and you lose the cursor? i've had both happen...
The former.

Quote:
maybe it's something with DPMS. try an 'Option "DPMS"' in xf86config if you don't have it already.
Already there under the Monitor section. I'll have to keep poking around...thanks.
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post #4 of 6
7/10/03 at 7:20pm
i searched around for stuff on this topic.

it seems that X allocates the memory for the size of the virtual desktop upon startup, and it cannot be changed until x is started again. well... usually can't - some (few) people have reported success by, in the xf86config, listing the modes in descending order, e.g.

Subsection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubsection

but mine is listed like that, and it doesn't fix anything for me. (yeah, i was wrong; i went back and checked and mine does the same scrolling thing - i never use anything other than 1600x1200 on the desktop, and didn't remember correctly)

one thing you could do is write a script that will let you choose a resolution, and then will automatically kill and restart x with that res. but that won't really be too good if you have stuff open in x that you want to keep open.

maybe try the option "IgnoreEDID." it probably won't help, though; just something i remember seeing. i'm not even clear on what it does.
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post #5 of 6
4/14/04 at 3:59pm

In case anyone is still interested in this

In current versions of XFree86, there's an extension "X RandR" that can dynamically change the desktop size. Try running:

$ xrandr -q

then pick a line that corresponds to the screen resolution you want, and set it with e.g.

$ xrandr -s 5

Cheers,

bn
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post #6 of 6
4/15/04 at 10:52am
Thread Starter 
My hero! I had no idea that this program existed...wow.

I could have used it 100 times since I originally posted, but I'll use it 100 times in the next 3-4 months.

Thanks.
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