Bug 129717 - kcontrol / displayconfig messes up xorg.conf file
Summary: kcontrol / displayconfig messes up xorg.conf file
Status: RESOLVED NOT A BUG
Alias: None
Product: guidance
Classification: Unmaintained
Component: general (show other bugs)
Version: unspecified
Platform: unspecified Linux
: NOR crash
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: Sebastian Kügler
URL:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2006-06-23 20:57 UTC by Wolfgang Sailer
Modified: 2007-01-09 14:46 UTC (History)
0 users

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Description Wolfgang Sailer 2006-06-23 20:57:54 UTC
Version:           Unbekannt (using KDE 3.5.2, Kubuntu Package 4:3.5.2-0ubuntu18 dapper)
Compiler:          Target: i486-linux-gnu
OS:                Linux (i686) release 2.6.15-25-386

Hi!

I have a problem with the displayconfig module of kcontrol. It messes up my xorg.conf file such that Kubuntu will hang a boot up and only a console login is possible any more.

I use a Xinerama Setup with a Matrox P650 graphics card, that uses proprietary drivers compiled into the linux-kernel-headers in userspace. Perhaps this is what causes the following problem:

I have to edit the xorg.conf file with kate to contain lines like this:
Section "Device"
	Identifier	"Matrox Millennium P650 1"
	Driver		"mtx"
	Option		"OCC"
	Option		"DigitalScreen1" "on"
	Option		"Busmastering" "on"
	BusID		"PCI:1:0:0"
	Screen		0
EndSection
for each of my 2 DVI outputs of the graphics card and
Section "Screen"
	Identifier	"Display 1"
	Device		"Matrox Millennium P650 1"
	Monitor		"DELL 2001FP 1"
	DefaultDepth	24
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		24
		Modes		"1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600"
	EndSubSection
EndSection
for each of my 2 displays.

When I try to enter the GUI for this (# kcmshell displayconfig) KDE does not recognize the settings of the xorg.conf file. Instead it claims both screens are in 640x480 (while they are in 1600x1200) and the driver was a "VESA" while it is "MTX". Also the options for "screen 1 right of screen 2" and for "pivot" are ignored. Also, the identification of my screens is on "custom" while the xorg.conf file sets it to "DELL 2001FP".

So far so good, nothing is screwed up. But when I enter administration mode, i.e. if I enter displayconfig as root, and if I then adjust all settings for driver, screen resolution etc... the module creates a crazy xorg.conf file with all entries like the GUI displays, i.e. VESA for driver etc, EVEN THOUGH I ENTER CORRECT VALUES INTO THE GUI.

The xorg.conf file becomes so heavily messed up that Kubuntu 6.06 refuses to boot to graphical login, but only boots to console. In this mode I have to nano the xorg.conf file to sensible settings and then enter graphical mode again.

THIS BUG IS A BIT ANNOYING. The graphical displayconfig leads users to editing the xorg.conf file with the graphical editor, which messes the file up. GUIs are good and necessary, but they have to work, IMHO.

Does displayconfig work with other cards in Xinerama?
does it work at all?

I try to remember not to touch displayconfig any more and stick with kate.

Greetinx,
Wolfgang
Comment 1 Alan W. Irwin 2006-06-28 22:57:51 UTC
I confirm this problem with displayconfig.  I invoked this module specifically (to be sure I had the correct one) by

kcmshell displayconfig

I also am using Kubuntu dapper.  If I enter adminstration mode of displayconfig, my xorg.conf file gets completely screwed up.  What may be confusing displayconfig in my own case is I only use a single resolution.  This resolution is defined in the "Monitor" section by

Modeline "916x687"    75    916  933 1066 1176    687  693  701  732

and deployed in the "Screen" section by

        DefaultDepth    16
        SubSection "Display"
                Depth           16
                Modes           "916x687"
        EndSubSection

For now I have given up on displayconfig.  Instead, I use the tried and true display module which is part of Kubuntu dapper, but which is not displayed in any of the menus by default.  The way to remove displayconfig from the menus and replace with display is to edit /usr/share/applications/kde/display.desktop and /usr/share/applications/kde/displayconfig.desktop.  Remove the last line (NoDisplay=true) from display.desktop and insert it in displayconfig.desktop instead.
Comment 2 Sebastian Kügler 2006-11-07 02:34:41 UTC
Can you check with recent SVN?
Comment 3 Sebastian Kügler 2007-01-09 14:46:42 UTC
Closing, NEEDINFO timeout.