Unity should perform video mode switch on Super+P, or allow gnome-settings-daemon to handle the key

[James Henstridge]

In the classic Gnome desktop, the Super+P key combination triggers a video mode switch (switch between the internal and external displays on a laptop, or clone displays, etc). This is implemented by gnome-settings-daemon through its xrandr and media-keys plugins.

The rationale for using this keybinding is that it is used by modern versions of Windows and that Microsoft has been encouraging manufacturers to remap their dedicated mode switch key sequences (e.g. Fn+F7 or similar) to the Windows+P key sequence. So not supporting the sequence can also cause the dedicated mode switch sequence to fail. Some information on this behaviour can be found here:

    http://mjg59.livejournal.com/121851.html

When using Unity, the key sequence just brings up the side bar briefly. I think Unity should either perform the video mode switch (possibly by invoking the method on g-s-d's xrandr plugin), or pass the keypress though so that it can be handled by g-s-d.

[Florian Boucault (fboucault)]

I think the solution of letting gsd handle the Super+P combination is essentially what will happen when bug #704231 is resolved.

[Robert Roth (evfool)]

Yes, indeed, fixing bug #704231 will involve falling back to the old shortcuts when Unity does not handle it, thus Super+P will work as before. Maybe this could be marked as a duplicate, but not sure of that, marking as Confirmed for now.

[Alberto Salvia Novella (es20490446e)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. Please execute the following command, as it will automatically gather debugging information, in a terminal:
apport-collect 778277
When reporting bugs in the future please use apport by using 'ubuntu-bug' and the name of the package affected. You can learn more about this functionality at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ReportingBugs.

[Alberto Salvia Novella (es20490446e)]

Priority set to 'low' because the bug is a cosmetic/usability issue that does not limit the functionality of a non-core application.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for unity (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for Unity because there has been no activity for 60 days.]