Tiny screen with xrandr monitor switch

[mback]

Binary package hint: compiz

$ lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu 9.10
Release: 9.10
$ apt-cache policy compiz
compiz:
  Installed: 1:0.8.4-0ubuntu2
  Candidate: 1:0.8.4-0ubuntu2
  Version table:
 *** 1:0.8.4-0ubuntu2 0
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com karmic/main Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
$

When switching monitors from laptop to docked dual monitors, with the following script, I expect my monitors will be set up correctly, and display correctly:

#! /bin/sh
xrandr --output LCD --off && \
xrandr --fb 3200x1200 \
       --output DFP1 --auto \
       --output CRT1 --auto --right-of DFP1

The result is that I get a "tiny window" in the upper left hand of the screen -- about enough room for a 37x10 character-wide Terminal to display. Querying xrandr shows that X believes it is set up correctly, but the display is plainly dorked. When I get into this state, and terminate compiz (pkill compiz.real), my display immediately works properly -- spreads out to both monitors. So, I assume that this is a problem with compiz not being updated or pinged properly when the displays are changed underneath it.

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: [core,move,resize,place,decoration,animation,ccp,dbus,mousepoll,gnomecompat,png,svg,imgjpeg,text,commands,neg,video,wall,snap,scale,scaleaddon,expo,staticswitcher,regex,resizeinfo,workarounds,ezoom,vpswitch,extrawm,fade,session,shift,wobbly]
Date: Mon Oct 26 08:55:45 2009
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
MachineType: LENOVO 2767A15
NonfreeKernelModules: fglrx
Package: compiz 1:0.8.4-0ubuntu2
PackageArchitecture: all
PccardctlIdent:
 Socket 0:
   no product info available
PccardctlStatus:
 Socket 0:
   no card
PciDisplay: 01:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: ATI Technologies Inc Mobility Radeon HD 3400 Series [1002:95c4]
ProcCmdLine: root=UUID=0db23939-f761-46f2-9285-220fb8cc6b9e ro acpi_osi="Linux" quiet splash
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-14.48-generic
RelatedPackageVersions:
 xserver-xorg 1:7.4+3ubuntu7
 libgl1-mesa-glx 7.6.0-1ubuntu4
 libdrm2 2.4.14-1ubuntu1
 xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.9.0-1ubuntu2
 xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:6.12.99+git20090929.7968e1fb-0ubuntu1
SourcePackage: compiz
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-14-generic x86_64
dmi.bios.date: 10/13/2009
dmi.bios.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.bios.version: 7UET79WW (3.09 )
dmi.board.name: 2767A15
dmi.board.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.board.version: Not Available
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Information
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: LENOVO
dmi.chassis.version: Not Available
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnLENOVO:bvr7UET79WW(3.09):bd10/13/2009:svnLENOVO:pn2767A15:pvrThinkPadT400:rvnLENOVO:rn2767A15:rvrNotAvailable:cvnLENOVO:ct10:cvrNotAvailable:
dmi.product.name: 2767A15
dmi.product.version: ThinkPad T400
dmi.sys.vendor: LENOVO
system: distro = Ubuntu, architecture = x86_64, kernel = 2.6.31-14-generic

[Pedro Villavicencio (pedro)]

Thanks for the report, it has been some time without any response or feedback in this bug report and we are wondering if this is still an issue for you with the latest release of Ubuntu the Natty Narwhal, May you please test with that version and comment back if you're still having or not the issue? Please have a look at http://www.ubuntu.com/download to know how to install that version.Thanks in advance and sorry for the late response.

[mback (mback)]

Well... I update every _daily_, and the issue persists. I have a log of xrandr when this happens... it happens when I try to switch from Laptop to Dual monitor with the previous xrandr script.

Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 3200 x 1200, maximum 3200 x 3200
LVDS connected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
   1440x900 60.2 + 50.0
   1280x800 60.0 + 50.0
   1152x864 60.0 + 50.0
   1280x768 59.9 + 50.0
   1280x720 60.0 + 50.0
   1024x768 60.0 + 50.0
   1024x600 60.4 + 50.0
   800x600 60.3 + 50.0
   800x480 60.0 + 50.0
   720x480 60.0 + 50.0
   640x480 60.0 + 50.0
DFP1 connected 1600x1200+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 367mm x 275mm
   1600x1200 60.0*+
   1400x1050 60.0 +
   1440x900 59.9 +
   1280x960 60.0 +
   1152x864 60.0 + 75.0
   1152x648 60.0 +
   1280x1024 75.0 60.0
   1280x800 75.0 60.0
   1280x768 59.9
   1280x720 60.0
   1024x768 75.0 60.0
   1024x600 60.0
   800x600 75.0 60.3
   800x480 60.0
   720x480 60.0
   640x480 75.0 60.0
CRT1 connected 1600x1200+1600+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 367mm x 275mm
   1600x1200 60.0*+
   1400x1050 60.0
   1280x1024 75.0 60.0
   1440x900 59.9
   1280x960 60.0
   1280x800 75.0 60.0
   1152x864 75.0 60.0
   1280x768 59.9
   1280x720 60.0
   1024x768 75.0 60.0
   1024x600 60.0
   800x600 75.0 60.3
   800x480 60.0
   720x480 60.0
   640x480 75.0 60.0

What I do now to work around my issues...

When I dock, the display menu does not recognize my monitors... so, I use the dual-monitor script to select the two monitors (which results in "tiny" screen... then run a script that sets xrandr to turn off those monitors and turn on LVDS. Then... I use the display settings applet again, and magically my monitors appear... then I use display manager to set my docked monitors properly. CLEARLY, this is "hokey" -- so... it would be better if it were fixed.

Here again are the dual monitor script and the laptop script:

$ cat dual-monitor
#! /bin/sh

# script to do multi-monitor on my T400 box
# fglrx script
xrandr --output LVDS --off && \
xrandr --fb 3200x1200 \
       --output DFP1 --auto \
       --output CRT1 --auto --right-of DFP1

$ cat laptop
#! /bin/sh

xrandr --output CRT1 --off
xrandr --output LVDS --auto
xrandr --output DFP1 --off && xrandr --fb 1440x900

$

[mback (mback)]

I found an xrandr invocation (yes, as in magick) cocktail that seems to work & not bollix up the screen. Man this thing is finicky!

$ cat /usr/local/bin/dual-monitor
#! /bin/sh

# fglrx-based script to do multi-monitor on my T400 box
xrandr --output LVDS --off --fb 3200x1200 && \
xrandr --output DFP1 --auto --output CRT1 --auto --right-of DFP1

$ cat /usr/local/bin/laptop
#! /bin/sh

# fglrx-based script to switch monitors back to laptop
xrandr --output CRT1 --off
xrandr --output LVDS --auto --output DFP1 --off

$

The above "works" but... the ideal would be for us not to have to worry about splitting the statements. THe ideal would be for us to have it so that a single invocation of xrandr would work (and that the order of statements wouldn't matter).

[mback (mback)]

BTW -- instead of compiz -- this may be more an issue of xrandr -vs- fglrx driver issue. We should also think of this as an fglrx -vs- display settings bug, because when first docked, the display settings app doesn't see the newly docked monitors -- hence the /need/ for the script in the first place.

(Note: even if display settings recognized monitors on dock... it's a whole lot easier to type into the command line to switch to a docked config... so the script would still be desirable. An enhancement would be the ability to select custom predefined monitor profiles in the display settings app -- then the xrandr script would truly no longer be necessary.)

[David Barth (dbarth)]

Only security issues are now being considered for this release of Compiz (0.8).

[mback (mback)]

I don't think this should have been put into expired state. It's still an issue that xrandr & display settings is really finicky with compiz & fglrx. I just crashed my box a little while ago and was fiddling with this again -- with not perfect success... I had to look back at this bug report to get my magick xrandr juju back (hope it still works in natty -- will try tomorrow).

[mback (mback)]

Yes, this is the right incantation. I've brushed it up a little:

$ cat ~/bin/dock
#! /bin/sh -e
xrandr --output LVDS --off --fb 3200x1200 && \
xrandr --output DFP1 --auto --output CRT1 --auto --right-of DFP1

$ cat ~/bin/laptop
#! /bin/sh
xrandr --output CRT1 --off 2> /dev/null
xrandr --output LVDS --auto --output DFP1 --off 2> /dev/null ||
xrandr --auto

$

[mback (mback)]

The packages affected by this bug are fglrx, compiz, gnome-control-center (gnome-display-properties), and x11-xserver-utils (xrandr). I tried my best to add the appropriate projects to the "Affects" section, but I'm unfamiliar with launchpad still & could have made a mistake in attribution.

I'm certain that all these packages need to work together to come up with a better solution to laptop docking issues (Lenovo T400 -> Dual 1600x1200 monitors).

[mback (mback)]

bugbot added tag: karmic, but this bug centered around the clumsiness of display management with laptop docking affects all versions from karmic through natty.

[jhfhlkjlj (fdsuufijjejejejej-deactivatedaccount)]

karmic through natty are EOL.

Thank you for reporting this bug to Ubuntu. 11.04 reached EOL.
See this document for currently supported Ubuntu releases: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Releases

Please upgrade to the latest version and re-test. If the bug is still reproducible, increase the verbosity of the steps to recreate it so we can try again.

Do feel free to report any other bugs you may find.

[bugbot (bugbot)]

We're closing this bug since there has not been a response from the original reporter. However, the issue still exists please feel free to reopen with the requested information. If you're not the original reporter, we'd prefer you file a new bug report.

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