Higher-res external monitors under X

[j***@panix.com]

I've asked a variant of this question elsewhere, so I
apologize for anyone seeing it again. To reduce it to what I
think is the simplest form:

I'm running XFree86 4.3.0 on an IBM ThinkPad X23 under FreeBSD
4.8, with Gnome/Metacity. The built-in screen has a maximum
resolution of 1024x768. I would like to be able to plug in an
external monitor and have that monitor display with a higher
resolution, without having to restart X (and thus have to shut
down all my running X apps, etc.).

How can I accomplish this, if it's even possible?

Thank you.

Jesse Sheidlower

[j***@wingnet.net]

Post by j***@panix.com
I've asked a variant of this question elsewhere, so I
apologize for anyone seeing it again. To reduce it to what I
I'm running XFree86 4.3.0 on an IBM ThinkPad X23 under FreeBSD
4.8, with Gnome/Metacity. The built-in screen has a maximum
resolution of 1024x768. I would like to be able to plug in an
external monitor and have that monitor display with a higher
resolution, without having to restart X (and thus have to shut
down all my running X apps, etc.).
How can I accomplish this, if it's even possible?

I don't think it is possible. Maybe someday soon though. The new
RandR extensions should allow for on-the-fly resolution changes,
but unfortunately I don't think any window managers have taken
advantage of the new functionality yet. I think I saw KDE support
in CVS though, so it should be available soon.

[r***@sysabend.org]

I'm running XFree86 4.3.0 on an IBM ThinkPad X23 under FreeBSD 4.8,
with Gnome/Metacity. The built-in screen has a maximum resolution of
1024x768. I would like to be able to plug in an external monitor and
have that monitor display with a higher resolution, without having to
restart X (and thus have to shut down all my running X apps, etc.).
How can I accomplish this, if it's even possible?

I don't think it is possible. Maybe someday soon though. The new RandR
extensions should allow for on-the-fly resolution changes, but
unfortunately I don't think any window managers have taken advantage of
the new functionality yet. I think I saw KDE support in CVS though, so
it should be available soon.

Unless something has changed, as long as you have valid modelines for all
display devices and resolutions you plan on having X output to, ctrl-alt-+
and ctrl-alt-- are your friends.

Jamie Bowden

[j***@wingnet.net]

Post by r***@sysabend.org

I'm running XFree86 4.3.0 on an IBM ThinkPad X23 under FreeBSD 4.8,
with Gnome/Metacity. The built-in screen has a maximum resolution of
1024x768. I would like to be able to plug in an external monitor and
have that monitor display with a higher resolution, without having to
restart X (and thus have to shut down all my running X apps, etc.).
How can I accomplish this, if it's even possible?

I don't think it is possible. Maybe someday soon though. The new RandR
extensions should allow for on-the-fly resolution changes, but
unfortunately I don't think any window managers have taken advantage of
the new functionality yet. I think I saw KDE support in CVS though, so
it should be available soon.

Unless something has changed, as long as you have valid modelines for all
display devices and resolutions you plan on having X output to, ctrl-alt-+
and ctrl-alt-- are your friends.

This has the obvious disadvantage that it doesn't resize the desktop. RandR
will resize the desktop as well as the viewable resolution. I've never much
liked virtual desktops, personally.

[d***@des.no]

Post by r***@sysabend.org
Unless something has changed, as long as you have valid modelines for all
display devices and resolutions you plan on having X output to, ctrl-alt-+
and ctrl-alt-- are your friends.

That only works if the virtual desktop size is at least as large as
the highest physical resolution you want to support. At all other
resolutions you will have to swim around with the mouse, which to put
it plainly sucks.

Of course my Latitude D600 has a 1600x1200 panel, so I don't have this
problem :)

DES
--=20
Dag-Erling Sm=F8rgrav - ***@des.no

[r***@sysabend.org]

Post by r***@sysabend.org
Unless something has changed, as long as you have valid modelines for
all display devices and resolutions you plan on having X output to,
ctrl-alt-+ and ctrl-alt-- are your friends.

That only works if the virtual desktop size is at least as large as the
highest physical resolution you want to support. At all other
resolutions you will have to swim around with the mouse, which to put it
plainly sucks.
Of course my Latitude D600 has a 1600x1200 panel, so I don't have this
problem :)

If Dell ever gets monitor stands in, I'll get to find out how well the SGI
rebranded 21" monitor on my floor handles the 1920X1200 I run X at on the
D800.

Jamie Bowden

--=20
"It was half way to Rivendell when the drugs began to take hold"
Hunter S Tolkien "Fear and Loathing in Barad Dur"
Iain Bowen <***@alaric.org.uk>