Discussion:
[Fluxbox-users] dual screen configuration
Fernando M. Maresca
2010-09-28 12:45:13 UTC
Permalink
Hi.

I'm using fb for years now. Recently I've set up a new config with
several monitors.
I cannot find a way to configure fb to not use the three screens as a
big workspace, I want to use each screen as a separate desktop/workspace
on its own (by the way, I don't want to loose the ability to drag
windows across the screens).

I manage to configure most of the options relevant to my setup but one:
I want to switch workspaces only on the screen currently under focus,
not on all screens at once.

Any suggestions or help? Example config file maybe?

Thanks a lot, I want to return to fb.
--
Fernando M. Maresca
Rainer M Krug
2010-09-28 14:21:15 UTC
Permalink
Hi
Post by Fernando M. Maresca
Hi.
I'm using fb for years now. Recently I've set up a new config with
several monitors.
I cannot find a way to configure fb to not use the three screens as a
big workspace, I want to use each screen as a separate desktop/workspace
on its own (by the way, I don't want to loose the ability to drag
windows across the screens).
That sounds interesting - how did you do that?
Post by Fernando M. Maresca
I want to switch workspaces only on the screen currently under focus,
not on all screens at once.
As far as I am aware, that is only possible when using different x-server
(one for each monitor), and this will not allow you to drag windows from one
to the other. I think you have to choose. If not, please let me know.

Cheers,

Rainer
Post by Fernando M. Maresca
Any suggestions or help? Example config file maybe?
Thanks a lot, I want to return to fb.
--
Fernando M. Maresca
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------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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and start using them to simplify application deployment and
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_______________________________________________
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Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biology
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Main Campus, Merriman Avenue
Stellenbosch
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Fax: +27 - (0)86 516 2782
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Skype: RMkrug
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Fernando M. Maresca
2010-09-28 22:18:42 UTC
Permalink
Hi Simon,
Post by Fernando M. Maresca
I cannot find a way to configure fb to not use the three screens as a
big workspace, I want to use each screen as a separate desktop/
workspace
on its own (by the way, I don't want to loose the ability to drag
windows across the screens).
That sounds interesting - how did you do that? 
Xinerama (it puts several screens into one big screen).
I'm not using Xinerama nor xrandr. I'm using a simple xorg.conf.

Actually, what I'm trying to do is exactly the opposite: to _split_ a
big workspace in several, one for each monitor or "head".



##/etc/X11/xorg.conf
Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen 0 "Screen0" 0 0
EndSection

Section "Files"

EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
Option "AIGLX" "off"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor0"
Option "PreferredMode" "1920x1080"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor1"
Option "LeftOf" "Monitor0"
Option "PreferredMode" "1920x1080"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Device0"
Driver "nouveau"
Option "monitor-DVI-I-1" "Monitor0"
Option "monitor-VGA-1" "Monitor1"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Device0"
Monitor "Monitor0"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
EndSubSection
EndSection
Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen1"
Device "Device0"
Monitor "Monitor1"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Extensions"
Option "Composite" "Disable"
EndSection
#
Post by Fernando M. Maresca
This is correct. Fluxbox only supports a workspace per "screen" in X, and X
doesn't support moving windows across screens. To do what you're asking, we'd
need to support chopping up a screen into multiple workspace stacks [using
xinerama hints], which is relatively complex.
I'm not sure, so I take your word, but the awesome wm does exactly what
I'm describing without xinerama.

Best regards,
--
Fernando M. Maresca
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Cel: 221 15 545 8196
Tel: 221 450 5378
Fernando M. Maresca
2010-09-28 23:21:02 UTC
Permalink
manual / more magical now). It looks like RandR1.2 has changed things somewhat.
Yes, and I actually don't know what the differences really are. It
seems to me that at some point randr supported "split by
head/screen/monitor" workspaces, but now it works more like xinerama.

I never needed xinerama nor randr, and sometime ago all my Debian boxes
went from manually maintained xorg.conf to automagic configuration and I
don't tweak a bit except for cases like this one. Even my laptops are
autoconfigured.
Here's a note that suggests it can't be done, which would add some motivation
to implementing it in fluxbox itself :-)
It can be done, no doubt. I'm not sufficiently savvy to judge the
implementation difficulty, I'm not even familiar with fb code.
http://wiki.debian.org/XStrikeForce/HowToRandR12
I came across this same doc and tired of trying different approaches
went with awesome some days ago.

However I still think that fluxbox is a better wm, and I really *want*
to run fb.

And it would be interesting to support such a functionality in fluxbox
because:
- I've found VERY useful the awesome approach to split-head workspaces,
even way more flexible than a extended/expanded ws over several heads,
and it's possible to set the wm either way (I think).
- If the cited document is right, there are only three wm supporting this
feature right now.

I'm offer my help to anything the developers want for me to do to
implement this in fb.

Best regards,
--
Fernando M. Maresca
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Cel: 221 15 545 8196
Tel: 221 450 5378
Simon Bowden
2010-09-28 22:59:01 UTC
Permalink
Post by Fernando M. Maresca
Hi Simon,
Post by Fernando M. Maresca
I cannot find a way to configure fb to not use the three screens
as a
Post by Fernando M. Maresca
big workspace, I want to use each screen as a separate desktop/
workspace
on its own (by the way, I don't want to loose the ability to drag
windows across the screens).
That sounds interesting - how did you do that?
Xinerama (it puts several screens into one big screen).
I'm not using Xinerama nor xrandr. I'm using a simple xorg.conf.
(with proper reply-all)

Things have changed a bit from when I last mucked around with these (it's
less manual / more magical now). It looks like RandR1.2 has changed things
somewhat. Here's a note that suggests it can't be done, which would add some
motivation to implementing it in fluxbox itself :-)

http://wiki.debian.org/XStrikeForce/HowToRandR12

VI.6. No more multiple independent desktop

RandR 1.2 provides a big virtual screen where all outputs are placed. It is
great if you like moving windows between monitors. But lots of people were
used to have a single board with multiple independent monitors with one
window manager on each of them. It's for instance nice if you want to switch
between virtual desktops on one monitor without moving on the other one.

It is not possible anymore with RandR 1.2 unless the window manager
implements it, which is pretty rare as of today (only Enlightenment 17,
XMonad and awesome do it). As a small workaround, most window manager have
the ability to pin a window on all virtual desktop, which implements N
desktop on one head x 1 single desktop on the other head.

In case of multiple boards, it is not clear what will happen since RandR 1.2
does not support it yet (see the above section). Having a shared virtual
screen between multiple boards might be hard.
Post by Fernando M. Maresca
Actually, what I'm trying to do is exactly the opposite: to _split_ a
big workspace in several, one for each monitor or "head".
##/etc/X11/xorg.conf
Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen 0 "Screen0" 0 0
EndSection
Section "Files"
EndSection
Section "ServerFlags"
Option "AIGLX" "off"
EndSection
Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor0"
Option "PreferredMode" "1920x1080"
EndSection
Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor1"
Option "LeftOf" "Monitor0"
Option "PreferredMode" "1920x1080"
EndSection
Section "Device"
Identifier "Device0"
Driver "nouveau"
Option "monitor-DVI-I-1" "Monitor0"
Option "monitor-VGA-1" "Monitor1"
EndSection
Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Device0"
Monitor "Monitor0"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
EndSubSection
EndSection
Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen1"
Device "Device0"
Monitor "Monitor1"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
EndSubSection
EndSection
Section "Extensions"
Option "Composite" "Disable"
EndSection
#
Post by Fernando M. Maresca
This is correct. Fluxbox only supports a workspace per "screen" in X, and
X
Post by Fernando M. Maresca
doesn't support moving windows across screens. To do what you're asking,
we'd
Post by Fernando M. Maresca
need to support chopping up a screen into multiple workspace stacks
[using
Post by Fernando M. Maresca
xinerama hints], which is relatively complex.
I'm not sure, so I take your word, but the awesome wm does exactly what
I'm describing without xinerama.
Best regards,
--
Fernando M. Maresca
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Cel: 221 15 545 8196
Tel: 221 450 5378
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Simon Bowden
2010-09-28 21:54:39 UTC
Permalink
Post by Rainer M Krug
Hi
Post by Fernando M. Maresca
Hi.
I'm using fb for years now. Recently I've set up a new config with
several monitors.
I cannot find a way to configure fb to not use the three screens as a
big workspace, I want to use each screen as a separate desktop/workspace
on its own (by the way, I don't want to loose the ability to drag
windows across the screens).
That sounds interesting - how did you do that?
Xinerama (it puts several screens into one big screen).
Post by Rainer M Krug
Post by Fernando M. Maresca
I want to switch workspaces only on the screen currently under focus,
not on all screens at once.
As far as I am aware, that is only possible when using different x-server
(one for each monitor), and this will not allow you to drag windows from one
to the other. I think you have to choose. If not, please let me know.
This is correct. Fluxbox only supports a workspace per "screen" in X, and X
doesn't support moving windows across screens. To do what you're asking,
we'd need to support chopping up a screen into multiple workspace stacks
[using xinerama hints], which is relatively complex.
Post by Rainer M Krug
Cheers,
Rainer
Post by Fernando M. Maresca
Any suggestions or help? Example config file maybe?
Thanks a lot, I want to return to fb.
--
Fernando M. Maresca
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=vCcg
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------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Start uncovering the many advantages of virtual appliances
and start using them to simplify application deployment and
accelerate your shift to cloud computing.
http://p.sf.net/sfu/novell-sfdev2dev
_______________________________________________
Fluxbox-users mailing list
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/fluxbox-users
--
NEW GERMAN FAX NUMBER!!!
Rainer M. Krug, PhD (Conservation Ecology, SUN), MSc (Conservation Biology,
UCT), Dipl. Phys. (Germany)
Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biology
Natural Sciences Building
Office Suite 2039
Stellenbosch University
Main Campus, Merriman Avenue
Stellenbosch
South Africa
Cell: +27 - (0)83 9479 042
Fax: +27 - (0)86 516 2782
Fax: +49 - (0)321 2125 2244
Skype: RMkrug
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Start uncovering the many advantages of virtual appliances
and start using them to simplify application deployment and
accelerate your shift to cloud computing.
http://p.sf.net/sfu/novell-sfdev2dev
_______________________________________________
Fluxbox-users mailing list
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/fluxbox-users
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