Bug 485298 - Detect misconfigurations and automatically reset them
Summary: Detect misconfigurations and automatically reset them
Status: RESOLVED INTENTIONAL
Alias: None
Product: KScreen
Classification: Plasma
Component: common (show other bugs)
Version: 6.0.3
Platform: Other Linux
: NOR normal
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: kscreen-bugs-null@kde.org
URL:
Keywords:
Depends on:
Blocks:
 
Reported: 2024-04-09 21:53 UTC by Matthias
Modified: 2024-04-11 15:07 UTC (History)
1 user (show)

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Description Matthias 2024-04-09 21:53:40 UTC
SUMMARY

There are several cases of misconfigurations, who lead to parts of the monitor setup, or the entirety of it, as inaccessible. 
Those are major issues, since essentially the entire installation of the OS is not usable anymore, or certain hardware with that installation. I raised one proposal, that aims to prevent that by introducing a countdown/confirmation button to the OSD widget. Still, by accidentally confirming such an ill setup, this issue could occur as well. Also, the confirmation countdown could render the OSD/Plasma widget as cumbersome, since it is intended to provide a quick and easy way, to change the output device. 

This proposal intents to detect ill setups and automatically corrects them. 

Currently, KScreen and KWin are completely fine with establishing a connection, that results in a black screen so long as it had been confirmed by the KScreen KCM before. 

That results in several issues, where KScreen connects to a device, that is not showing any content, while simultaneously applying the ill configuration. So KScreen/Kwin definitely detects the hardware, and does act upon it, despite the hardware not showing any content. 

I am confident, that we can simply restore to a healthy default, when we detect that the output is not displayed at all?

Or do (some) displays not even report this back? 
I mean, isnt there a way to read the resolution, etc, which would - assumingly - not be valid? 

Or maybe the refresh rate? 
Are there really displays out there, who report the values we might expect, despite not showing anything?
Including my very own internal laptop display?

Reference list: 

First issue: https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=485269
Second issue: https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=484592
Countdown feature proposal: https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=485285

Thanks a lot
Comment 1 Nate Graham 2024-04-10 16:05:57 UTC
You're proposing that we solve the halting problem. :) I'm afraid it's not that easy. Your earlier idea of a revert timer for the OSD was better; let's proceed with that.
Comment 2 Matthias 2024-04-11 07:12:43 UTC
Do we not get the nessecary information by the TV? 
Forgive my ignorance, but this seems rather easy.
The external display is not reporting back a healthy setup, and we act accordingly.

How is the halting problem involved?
Comment 3 Nate Graham 2024-04-11 15:07:57 UTC
Unfortunately screens suck, especially TVs. There is generally no way to get this kind of information from them in a way that's consistent and repeatable enough for this purpose.