Bug 157914

Summary: Plasma doesn't react well (on the fly) after connecting a second monitor and running xrandr
Product: [Plasma] plasma4 Reporter: Jure Repinc <jlp>
Component: generalAssignee: Plasma Bugs List <plasma-bugs>
Status: RESOLVED FIXED    
Severity: normal    
Priority: NOR    
Version: unspecified   
Target Milestone: ---   
Platform: Compiled Sources   
OS: Linux   
Latest Commit: Version Fixed In:
Attachments: First reaction of Plasma to xrandr
Correct Plasma layout after KDE4 restart
My xorg.conf

Description Jure Repinc 2008-02-16 10:39:16 UTC
Version:            (using Devel)
Installed from:    Compiled sources
Compiler:          GCC 4.2.2 AMD64
OS:                Linux

My laptop has a 1024x768 LCD. I borrowed an additional LCD which has a resolution of 1680x1050. I connected this new LCD to my laptop. Before starting X I added "Virtual   2704 1050" to xorg.conf to make one big area for both LCDs in horizontal configuration. X started in clone mode and in this mode I logged into KDE 4. After that it tried to use the Monitors from System Setting to configure it so that the new LCD is positioned to the right of laptop's. As it didn't work from this tool I opened console and typed in the command "xrandr --output VGA-0 --right-of LVDS". After that the screens layout was fine but the Plasma desktop layout didn't react well to the change. For example the background plasmoid was only available to the very left part of this big 2704x1050 area (occupying 1680x1050). Same with thr Panel plasmoid. On the right monitor there was a big gray area without any background and panel. See the screenshot I will attach. I had to log out of KDE 4 and log back in for Plasma to set the desktop right (Panel on the larger LCD, two background plasmoids, one per LCD, see the second screenshot). I think that Plasma should set the second configuration on the fly after changing settings with xrandr and restart of KDE4 should not be needed.
Comment 1 Jure Repinc 2008-02-16 10:43:49 UTC
Created attachment 23593 [details]
First reaction of Plasma to xrandr

Laptop's LCD is where the Konsole is, the other LCD shows the area to the right
of Konsole (only right part of Panel was visible)
Comment 2 Jure Repinc 2008-02-16 10:48:58 UTC
Created attachment 23594 [details]
Correct Plasma layout after KDE4 restart

This is how Plasma should react on the fly.
Comment 3 Jure Repinc 2008-02-16 10:49:49 UTC
Created attachment 23595 [details]
My xorg.conf
Comment 4 Andreas Pakulat 2008-02-16 16:35:30 UTC
I'm not sure, but I think the problem is that plasma is not notified of this change properly, due to a bug in Qt. I recall having talked with Aaron about that quite some time ago, unfortunately I can't recall the details anymore, but there was a bug in Qt 4.3 :(
Comment 5 Aaron J. Seigo 2008-02-17 10:25:42 UTC
yes, the code to behave properly in this case is already in plasma, but it isn't getting notifications for it. before closing this bug as an upstream problem, i'll find out what the plans are for getting this adderessed in Qt, add that as a comment here and then close the BR (i'm not tracking upstream problems in plasma's b.k.o area)
Comment 6 Marcus Better 2008-05-29 09:44:06 UTC
Problem remains in KDE 4.0.80 (Debian), Qt 4.4.0.

A pointer to the upstream bug report would be good so we can track progress.
Comment 7 Aaron J. Seigo 2008-06-16 04:22:38 UTC
seems to work nicely here now.
Comment 8 zeiglerr 2008-07-13 03:49:55 UTC
This bug occurs for me using an nvidia card and their dynamic twinview configuration. I'd be money its nvidia's fault, but I figured it should be mentioned.