Display settings is lost when switching between modes with Super+P

[Frank Blah]

When switching between modes (built-in only, joint, ...) with Super+P, the display settings are lost. That even occurs when selecting already selected mode (selecting "joint" while being in "joint" mode).

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 20.04
Package: xorg 1:7.7+19ubuntu14
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.4.0-29.33-generic 5.4.30
Uname: Linux 5.4.0-29-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia_modeset nvidia
.proc.driver.nvidia.gpus.0000.01.00.0: Error: [Errno 21] Is a directory: '/proc/driver/nvidia/gpus/0000:01:00.0'
.proc.driver.nvidia.registry: Binary: ""
.proc.driver.nvidia.suspend: suspend hibernate resume
.proc.driver.nvidia.suspend_depth: default modeset uvm
.proc.driver.nvidia.version:
 NVRM version: NVIDIA UNIX x86_64 Kernel Module 440.64 Fri Feb 21 01:17:26 UTC 2020
 GCC version:
ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu27
Architecture: amd64
BootLog: Error: [Errno 13] Permission denied: '/var/log/boot.log'
CasperMD5CheckResult: skip
CompizPlugins: No value set for `/apps/compiz-1/general/screen0/options/active_plugins'
CompositorRunning: None
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Fri May 15 18:12:11 2020
DistUpgraded: Fresh install
DistroCodename: focal
DistroVariant: ubuntu
ExtraDebuggingInterest: Yes
GraphicsCard:
 NVIDIA Corporation TU117GLM [Quadro T2000 Mobile / Max-Q] [10de:1fb8] (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: Hewlett-Packard Company TU117GLM [Quadro T2000 Mobile / Max-Q] [103c:8611]
InstallationDate: Installed on 2020-05-11 (3 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 20.04 LTS "Focal Fossa" - Release amd64 (20200423)
MachineType: HP HP ZBook 15 G6
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-5.4.0-29-generic root=UUID=9895584a-6648-494d-9d91-e64ba192dd95 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: xorg
Symptom: display
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 09/25/2019
dmi.bios.vendor: HP
dmi.bios.version: R92 Ver. 01.02.01
dmi.board.name: 860F
dmi.board.vendor: HP
dmi.board.version: KBC Version 65.23.00
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: HP
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnHP:bvrR92Ver.01.02.01:bd09/25/2019:svnHP:pnHPZBook15G6:pvr:rvnHP:rn860F:rvrKBCVersion65.23.00:cvnHP:ct10:cvr:
dmi.product.family: 103C_5336AN HP ZBook 15
dmi.product.name: HP ZBook 15 G6
dmi.product.sku: 6CJ09AV
dmi.sys.vendor: HP
version.compiz: compiz N/A
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.101-2
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 20.0.4-2ubuntu1
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 20.0.4-2ubuntu1
version.nvidia-graphics-drivers: nvidia-graphics-drivers-* N/A
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:1.20.8-2ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev N/A
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:19.1.0-1
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.99.917+git20200226-1
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:1.0.16-1

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

I think this is expected. I think Gnome Shell only remembers one configuration per set of attached monitors. But intuitively yes that's annoying if you're only tapping Super+P.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[John (john-e-francis)]

I opened #1971487 which was closed as a duplicate of this bug.

In 1971487, I reported that the same behaviour also occurs when doing KVM switching of monitors, without any use of super-P to switch modes.

Switch the KVM away to a different machine, switch back, the screen settings are lost, screen order, positioning, and primary display setting get changed.

Good luck!