Bug 218503

Summary: Switching between single/multiple monitor setup confuses desktop placement
Product: [I don't know] kde Reporter: Marcel Dischinger <mdspam>
Component: xineramaAssignee: Lubos Lunak <l.lunak>
Status: RESOLVED UNMAINTAINED    
Severity: normal CC: charles, max, stefano.fornari
Priority: NOR    
Version First Reported In: unspecified   
Target Milestone: ---   
Platform: Debian testing   
OS: Linux   
Latest Commit: Version Fixed/Implemented In:
Sentry Crash Report:
Attachments: Both desktop's wallpapers on my box are the same
my plasma config files

Description Marcel Dischinger 2009-12-13 13:06:48 UTC 
Version:            (using KDE 4.3.4)
OS:                Linux
Installed from:    Debian testing/unstable Packages

The setup I am using is as follows:
I use a laptop, so usually I ran a single display setup. At work, I have a second monitor and there I extend the desktop to the two screens (external DPI and the laptop's display) with the external DPI becoming the primary screen.
I constantly switch between these two setups.

I have a NVIDIA graphics card using the nvidia binary driver version 190.42.
I use the nvidia-settings program to adjust my screen setup.
The two displays use different resolutions (1440x900 and 1920x1200).
The problem I am reporting has been there for many versions of KDE 4.

So here is what happens:

At work, I connect the external DPI to the laptop, I run nvidia-settings to extend the screen to the two displays making the external DPI the primary screen.
Screen flickers, the panel moves to the external DPI as expected - perfect.

But switching back is not that easy, and this is my main problem. Note that the following is reproducible every time:

1. In nvidia-settings, I disable the external DPI and mark the laptop's display as the primary screen. I apply the settings. The external DPI is deactivated, but the screen on the laptop's display is still the secondary screen in KDE (thus without the panel and the wallpaper of the secondary screen).
Nvidia-settings asks me whether I want to keep this settings, apparently "no" and it reverts to the extended screen setup with 2 displays.

2. Now I repeat the previous step to go back to the one display setup. Again, the external DPI is disabled, the background of the laptop's display changes to the wallpaper of the primary screen, but the panel is not showing up.
So I revert back once again.

3. I change the setting to the one display setup a third time. This time, it works, panel shows up on the laptop's display.


Sometimes, I then experience bug #185103, windows being displayed where the former screen was, thus out of sight.

Note that I am not sure whether this is a problem with plasma or with kwin, so feel free to re-assign this report to the appropriate category.

Thanks.
Comment 1 Charles Samuels 2010-07-16 21:01:23 UTC 
Created attachment 49249 [details]
Both desktop's wallpapers on my box are the same
Comment 2 Charles Samuels 2010-07-16 21:03:01 UTC 
My bug occurs on KDE 4.4.4, Linux, Debian testing.
Comment 3 Charles Samuels 2010-07-16 21:07:34 UTC 
Created attachment 49251 [details]
my plasma config files

If I delete my plasma config files, the problem goes away... Temporarily, until I login again. Pretty lousy workaround!
Comment 4 Stefano Fornari 2010-12-12 10:24:12 UTC 
I have many problems too with dual monitors... I have an Acer AspireOne (Intel chipset) with Fedora 14. The dual monitor is completely screwed up. If I connect the second monitor a and config it, the descktop disappears, menu panel disappears, windows disappers... The worst is that now I cannot have even just the single monitor on the laptop to show correctly. A pretty bad experience....
On Fedora 12 everything was working fairly well. I switched to Gnome for now and it works... but I do not want to stay on this crappy desktop, I want KDE back ;)

I am available for any help.
Comment 5 Andrew Crouthamel 2018-11-10 03:20:49 UTC 
Dear Bug Submitter,

This bug has been stagnant for a long time. Could you help us out and re-test if the bug is valid in the latest version? I am setting the status to NEEDSINFO pending your response, please change the Status back to REPORTED when you respond.

Thank you for helping us make KDE software even better for everyone!
Comment 6 Andrew Crouthamel 2018-11-20 04:07:00 UTC 
Dear Bug Submitter,

This is a reminder that this bug has been stagnant for a long time. Could you help us out and re-test if the bug is valid in the latest version? This bug will be moved back to REPORTED Status for manual review later, which may take a while. If you are able to, please lend us a hand.

Thank you for helping us make KDE software even better for everyone!
Comment 7 Marcel Dischinger 2018-12-22 12:11:38 UTC 
As you may guess I am no longer able to reproduce this, given that my PC setup changed and we now use KDE 5.