radeon + xrandr + laptop/external monitor display problem

[kewlemer]

On Tue, Feb 19, 2008 at 8:25 AM, Alex Deucher <alexdeucher at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> On Feb 19, 2008 2:58 AM, kewlemer <kewlemer at gmail.com> wrote:
>  > On Feb 18, 2008 4:56 PM, Alex Deucher <alexdeucher at gmail.com> wrote:
>  > >
>  > > On Feb 18, 2008 7:32 PM, kewlemer <kewlemer at gmail.com> wrote:
>  > > > On Feb 18, 2008 2:52 PM, Alex Deucher <alexdeucher at gmail.com> wrote:
>  > > > > On Feb 18, 2008 3:12 AM, kewlemer <kewlemer at gmail.com> wrote:
>  > > > > > > > Can anyone please tell me why when the same script is in rc.local,
>  > > > > > > > it's not working properly? i.e.,  I can't get the display on the
>  > > > > > > > monitor unless I open the laptop initially.
>  > > > > > > >
>  > > > > > >
>  > > > > > > If rc.local is executed before X is started it will do nothing.  Also
>  > > > > > > depending on the context that script is executed in you will probably
>  > > > > > > have to specify the DISPLAY for randr to connect to.
>  > > > > > >
>  > > > > > Thank you very much for the note. Your tip of running "xrandr --auto"
>  > > > > > works neatly when I log in and type it. But I still have a problem -
>  > > > > > how do I automate this at boot up? When I boot the laptop with the lid
>  > > > > > closed, keeping it plugged to the monitor, it fails to display
>  > > > > > anything. I then open the laptop lid and it now throws me the laptop
>  > > > > > screen display on the monitor. Then I log in and run "xrandr --auto"
>  > > > > > and the display  resizes to the monitor size. I want to automate this.
>  > > > > > How I can do so ?
>  > > > >
>  > > > > you'll probably want to remove any old gnome randr stuff in:
>  > > > > /desktop/gnome/screen/$hostname/$screennum/
>  > > > >
>  > > > Thanks very much for the reply Alex. Excuse me for asking these basic
>  > > > questions, my knowledge about X is limited, but I'm learning. I looked
>  > > > randr stuff -
>  > > > [root at x1002us ~]# locate "/gnome/screen/"
>  > > > /home/holler/.gconf/desktop/gnome/screen/%gconf.xml
>  > > > /home/holler/.gconf/desktop/gnome/screen/x1002us
>  > > > /home/holler/.gconf/desktop/gnome/screen/x1002us/%gconf.xml
>  > > > /home/holler/.gconf/desktop/gnome/screen/x1002us/0
>  > > > /home/holler/.gconf/desktop/gnome/screen/x1002us/0/%gconf.xml
>  > > > [root at x1002us ~]#
>  > > >
>  > > > Here is %gconf.xml -
>  > > > <?xml version="1.0"?>
>  > > > <gconf>
>  > > >         <entry name="rate" mtime="1202371546" type="int" value="60">
>  > > >         </entry>
>  > > >         <entry name="resolution" mtime="1202371546" type="string">
>  > > >                 <stringvalue>1680x1050</stringvalue>
>  > > >         </entry>
>  > > > </gconf>
>  > > >
>  > > > Is it alright?
>  > > >
>  > >
>  > > I'm not familiar with the gconf stuff unfortunately.  I think you want
>  > > to remove it.
>  > >
>  > Thanks very much for the reply Alex. Removing gconf did'nt help
>  > unfortunately. I will research on gconf. But I have ONE last question.
>  > I realized that if I force the display to external monitor by default,
>  > I can use the function key to  switch back to the laptop screen if
>  > needed. So my LAST question is how do configure my xorg.conf that uses
>  > radeon to default to external display ?
>  >
>
>  It should work if the monitor provides an edid and it's connected when
>  you start X.  You might want to try a newer version of the driver.  I
>  just released 6.8.0 last night.
>
>
>
>  > I found this link that mentioned defaulting external display but since
>  > it uses fglrx, I think  "Generic Autodetecting Monitor" option didn't
>  > work for me -
>  > http://tilmanfrosch.de/wp/index.php/2007/05/05/howto-make-a-ubuntu-linux-on-an-ibm-t41-thinkpad-work-with-an-external-widescreen-wxga-display/
>  >
>  > I also tried -
>  > Section "Monitor"
>  >            Identifier      "LVDSMonitor"
>  >            Option          "Disable"    "TRUE"
>  > EndSection
>  >
>  > The result was
>  > ......
>  > (II) RADEON(0): Output VGA-0 disabled by config file
>  > (II) RADEON(0): Output LVDS disconnected
>  > (II) RADEON(0): Output S-video disconnected
>  > (EE) RADEON(0): No valid modes.
>  > (II) UnloadModule: "ati"
>  > (II) UnloadModule: "int10"
>  > (II) Unloading /usr/lib/xorg/modules//libint10.so
>  > (II) UnloadModule: "vgahw"
>  > (II) Unloading /usr/lib/xorg/modules//libvgahw.so
>  > (II) UnloadModule: "radeon"
>  > (EE) Screen(s) found, but none have a usable configuration.
>  > ........
>  >
>  > Here is the complete Xorg.0.log -
>  > http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=ddjtzn4_5dq2n9w
>  >
>  > Here is my xorg.conf-
>  > http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=ddjtzn4_2pns85s
>
>  you need to associate that monitor section with your lvds output.
>  it's getting associated with VGA-0 now:
>  (II) RADEON(0): Output VGA-0 using monitor section LVDSMonitor
>
>  You'll need to add the following to your device section to associate
>  the monitor section with the output:
>  Option "Monitor-LVDS" "LVDSMonitor"
>
That worked like a charm, thanks a ton Alex!

Since I work from the monitor 99% of the time, I have it defaulting to
the monitor. I'll then configure a function key to toggle between
laptop and monitor. I tried installing
xorg-x11-drv-ati-6.8.0-1.fc9.i386.rpm on my Fedora 8, but the
dependencies wouldn't work. I'm not that advanced of a radeon user to
try the git version. I will however get the 6.8.0 version  running
soon and report any bugs I find to the list.

Again many thanks Alex!
KM