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Show HN: Change screen layout when connecting/disconnecting monitors

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Re: Show HN: Change screen layout when connecting/disconnecting monitors

#2
May I ask what desktop environment you use, and what you usually use this for?

I ask because a good DE should remember the settings pertaining to each monitor configuration (display positions of course, but also things like panels placed in secondary monitors). I've been using Plasma (KDE) for about a year and it handles this reasonably well.

Re: Show HN: Change screen layout when connecting/disconnecting monitors

#3
post #2

May I ask what desktop environment you use, and what you usually use this for? I ask because a good DE should remember the settings pertaining to each monitor configuration (display positions of course, but also things like panels placed in secondary monitors). I've been using Plasma (KDE) for about a year and it handles this reasonably well.

Lots of people don't use any "desktop environment." I just use ratpoison, for example.

Re: Show HN: Change screen layout when connecting/disconnecting monitors

#4
post #3
post #2

May I ask what desktop environment you use, and what you usually use this for? I ask because a good DE should remember the settings pertaining to each monitor configuration (display positions of course, but also things like panels placed in secondary monitors). I've been using Plasma (KDE) for about a year and it handles this reasonably well.

Lots of people don't use any "desktop environment." I just use ratpoison, for example.

Well, call it a "window manager" then, it still should handle this. But that's just my opinion of the responsibilities of WMs/DEs/whatever you call them, and I understand that some don't.

Re: Show HN: Change screen layout when connecting/disconnecting monitors

#5
post #2

May I ask what desktop environment you use, and what you usually use this for? I ask because a good DE should remember the settings pertaining to each monitor configuration (display positions of course, but also things like panels placed in secondary monitors). I've been using Plasma (KDE) for about a year and it handles this reasonably well.

I agree that good software should do this but unfortunately multi-monitor configuration software isn't always very good. My Ubuntu 15.10 system with Unity desktop decides to move the taskbar/dock thing to the other monitor every time I turn the other monitor on in the morning. There is nothing in the Screen Display GUI that seems to allow me to stop this from happening. Out of frustration I've resorted to running the xrandr command a few times (once is sometimes not enough!) to fix it each time. This tool would at least automate the task for me and seems useful.

Re: Show HN: Change screen layout when connecting/disconnecting monitors

#6
post #4
post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lots of people don't use any "desktop environment." I just use ratpoison, for example.

Well, call it a "window manager" then, it still should handle this. But that's just my opinion of the responsibilities of WMs/DEs/whatever you call them, and I understand that some don't.

No, handling screen layout isn't the window manager's responsibility. That's what external tools like xrandr and its various GUIs are for.

Re: Show HN: Change screen layout when connecting/disconnecting monitors

#7
post #2

May I ask what desktop environment you use, and what you usually use this for? I ask because a good DE should remember the settings pertaining to each monitor configuration (display positions of course, but also things like panels placed in secondary monitors). I've been using Plasma (KDE) for about a year and it handles this reasonably well.

My laptop running i3 is often moved between a dock on my desk and used as a regular laptop, I have to say I've been looking to write something like this but it fell by the wayside. Very useful IMO

Re: Show HN: Change screen layout when connecting/disconnecting monitors

#8
post #2

May I ask what desktop environment you use, and what you usually use this for? I ask because a good DE should remember the settings pertaining to each monitor configuration (display positions of course, but also things like panels placed in secondary monitors). I've been using Plasma (KDE) for about a year and it handles this reasonably well.

Gnome doesn't do this. Without fail, every time, it puts the dock on the wrong external display. Every. Time.

Re: Show HN: Change screen layout when connecting/disconnecting monitors

#9
I have a little python script to do a similar thing:

https://github.com/larkery/nix-session/blob/master/scripts/d...

This remembers the randr state that's associated with plugged in displays by their EDID and the ACPI lid switch. When you change the randr state, it remembers it, and when you change what displays are connected or open the laptop lid, it loads a previously remembered state if there is one. The state saving and loading is done by arandr, which handles the resolution, position, and choice of primary output.

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