Extended Monitor Possible?

Problems and successes with specific brands/models of computer video hardware
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puppy dragon
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Extended Monitor Possible?

#1 Post by puppy dragon »

Am wondering if there's a way to have an extended monitor in Puppy Linux, as I do with Ubuntu? I'm assuming no, only because I can't find such an option in any of the various menu selections.

Using Puppy Linux 4.31. TIA everyone. :)

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#2 Post by disciple »

Of course it is possible... the question is: how hard will it be?
You just need to enable xinerama, and I'm not sure, but possibly change your window manager or your window manager settings.

It should be easy to enable xinerama - see for example http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=25922
But maybe the automatic hardware detection that is in new Puppies will make it a little more complicated... something here might be helpful http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=41625.
Do you know a good gtkdialog program? Please post a link here

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#3 Post by puppy-dragon »

disciple wrote:Of course it is possible... the question is: how hard will it be?
You just need to enable xinerama, and I'm not sure, but possibly change your window manager or your window manager settings.
Well, it sounds like a bit of a headache to me...but I'll give xinerama a try. The first link you gave, is for *two* monitor cards...I only have one. The second link looks more promising.

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#4 Post by disciple »

Apparently when multiple screens are attached to the same graphics card you can somehow do it with xrandr rather than xinerama, which has the advantage that hardware graphics acceleration works on both screens. You'll have to search for information on this - I don't know how you set it up, or whether Puppy has the required version of Xorg.
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#5 Post by edoc »

We may need to separate the two different options; one is to have the same open window on two different monitors, the other is to send one window to one monitor and another window to another.

We are looking into this second context at a Christian fellowship I serve for the purpose of feeding a projector.

We need the operator to have a workspace on his laptop display and only what he sends to a dedicated window goes to an external monitor/projector.

I believe that in that case one requires a second USB or PCMCIA card.

I the first case (everything goes to a second monitor) that is handled in the BIOS.
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#6 Post by Q5sys »

It also has to do with what graphics card you have. I've got an intel card and i use MU's updated Xorg version with the Intel Drivers... i've got a post over there where I list a bunch of other threads, that might be of help.

I'm specifically looking at Extending my desktop across two monitors and not cloning it. Ive never had a problem with cloning... but thats not what I want to accomplish.

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#7 Post by disciple »

edoc wrote:I believe that in that case one requires a second USB or PCMCIA card.
No, you don't, although maybe some cards with multiple outputs can't do it. I guess that is what Q5sys is saying:
Q5sys wrote:It also has to do with what graphics card you have.
Do you know a good gtkdialog program? Please post a link here

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#8 Post by Q5sys »

disciple wrote:
edoc wrote:I believe that in that case one requires a second USB or PCMCIA card.
No, you don't, although maybe some cards with multiple outputs can't do it. I guess that is what Q5sys is saying:
Q5sys wrote:It also has to do with what graphics card you have.
Well... I would go that far. Technically it IS possible to do it... the problem is how much work is involved in doing so. Others have found ways to make it a simple process by having two video cards, or are able to do it because of the drivers that are available for their cards. For those of us with one graphics card... the issue comes down to if the drivers have been made for our cards that work with Puppy.
It might require you to compile your own drivers for your gfx card to be able to do it on your system. Which would mean its possible... however not something that most people would consider practically possible.
Or it might require a massive alteration of whatever version of Puppy you are using.

The issue we have with doing multiple outlets isnt a hardware issue, its a software issue. Software issues usually can always be solved... doesnt mean that they will be solved in our lifetimes. lol :P

If you're looking for a simple solution, there may not be one for your hardware and the puppy version you are trying to use. Thats the downside of a smaller distro. When your dev network has less than 100 people the options a user has are FAR less than a distro with a dev network over over 10,000 people (or more).

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#9 Post by edoc »

Have you looked at how they handle this in Lyricue, and alternative to the MS-dependent MediaShout?

http://alternativeto.net/desktop/lyricue/
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#10 Post by Q5sys »

edoc wrote:Have you looked at how they handle this in Lyricue, and alternative to the MS-dependent MediaShout?

http://alternativeto.net/desktop/lyricue/
I only glanced over it quickly, but it still can only use what the OS has the ability to use. In MS windows multiple support is built in, so any program has access to it. When it comes to *nix, we cant just assume that we have that ability. That is afterall why this thread is here.
KDE has the ability to span multiple screens, but only if the driver/system supports it and if its been configured to do so. I can clone screens in KDE very easily, its the extension that im having trouble with. If the OS doesnt support it, due to either a driver issue or some other issue, a program wont fix that problem.

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#11 Post by edoc »

I have placed an inquiry on the Lyricue discussion list.
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#12 Post by edoc »

QUESTIONS TO LYRICUE LIST:
Is it possible to use Lyricue like Media Shout and
the others - but under Linux?

Split Screen

Laptop displays work area

The op then drags and drops to an External LCD
which show what is to be sent to the Projector
when told to do so?
ANSWER:
That is how lyricue normally works.
You run lyricue on one screen (ie laptop LCD) and the lyricue_server
bit runs/displays on another screen (ie external display/projector)

It should work under most versions of linux - but I have only really
tested under Ubuntu.
The main dependencies are mysql and the perl modules for libclutter,
gstreamer and gtk
If those are available under puppy linux then you may be able to get it working
But to be honest I'd really recommend that you use Ubuntu as it will
probably be less work in the long run - but it is up to you
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#13 Post by Q5sys »

Edoc
Im afraid the lyricue people arent going to be able to help you on this one.
Their program can only use what the OS has at its disposal. If the OS doesnt recognize two screens, no regular program is going to solve that. IF your OS displays multiple screens then their software will work (I tested it on FC12). However on puppy its a no-go, because the program can only use the one screen that Xorg knows about.

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#14 Post by edoc »

http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=18073
There is a way, but only if you have an ati or an nvidia ..... try to see this post :
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=14261
I scrolled down and found your comment as the last in the thread from 2009! :-)
I dont think its a Xorg problem. I think its a WM issue.
Enviroments like KDE, GNOME, etc. are able to span multiple screens eaisly. In Gnome you just run "gnome-display-properties" from the prompt.
So it is merely a matter of loading KDE or GNOME?

I know, I know, the awful-bloat-of-it .. :-\
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#15 Post by edoc »

Does this include any helpful ideas?

http://opensong.org/d/linux

Since Barry's WOOF project ports apps from Ubuntu and others it seems that we should be able to acquire whatever is necessary to make anything that works in Ubuntu work in a version of Puppy.

WDYT?
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#16 Post by Q5sys »

edoc wrote:So it is merely a matter of loading KDE or GNOME?
Only if the clouds would part and Angels would descend from heaven to serenade me while I work. lol
I had hoped that running KDE or GNOME would have resolved it. However it didnt. I still dont believe its an XORG issue. I'm now leaning to the idea that its a limitation of how Puppy interacts with XORG.

I've posted some Screenshots to show you the effect on my desktop. You can see in the panel that KDE detects both monitors... but it mirrors them, which is why they are stacked. When I go to the thing to extend it... well you can see the dialog. I get the same result whether I use KDE3 or KDE4.
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#17 Post by jemimah »

Try this.
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=47603

Boot with the VGA connected. It'll only extend the desktop if both resolutions fit in the "max screen" size. I'm still trying to figure out how it computes the max screen size.

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#18 Post by jemimah »

Ok I figured it out. You need to edit your xorg.conf and specify the virtual screen size like so.

Code: Select all

SubSection "Display"
Viewport   0 0
Depth     24
#....there might be some more entries. Add the following line
Virtual 2880 1050
EndSubSection
Pick a size that both monitors fit in. Then you can use zarfy to configure where you want the monitors to be.

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#19 Post by Q5sys »

jemimah,
I tried it out but it didnt work for me.
Info: Laptop Screen = 1280x768, External 1024x768
Booted with VGA attached, xorgwizard detected monitor @ 1024x768.
Loaded WM, ran zarfy, and still only got mirroring no extension. (however zarfy did detect the different resolutions of my screens just like KDE does)
Then Edited the conf and ran zarfy... still only got mirroring.
I was unable to move the screens around and position them.
Then restarted X with changes to xorg.conf and X refused to load, until I reset it to its original settings.

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#20 Post by jemimah »

You have to move the little red and blue boxes around, it can be tricky to drag them. It does work, I just tested.

Zarfy sort of freaks out if you make the virtual screen size too big or oddly shaped so be sure to maximize its window so you can see it all.

Or you can just use xrandr from the command line to do the same thing.
http://blog.tripmeter.in/2009/04/settin ... e-10-xfce/

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