using multiple monitors

Rocker · 02-06-2005, 03:25 PM

I need a way to use multiple monitors and have 3d acceleration on both (using different video cards). I also need to be able to drag windows between monitors. I would prefer to have separate desktops on each monitor, but be able to move windows between them (stock charts). I have heard that xinerama does not support acceleration on multiple monitors. I absolutely must have acceleration, but I also must be able to move windows between monitors. What choices do I have?

thanks

Tuttle · 02-06-2005, 04:27 PM

I have read up on this (xorg) and it seems that the way X was designed doesn't allow for dragging objects from desktop to desktop. NVidia's TwinView allows this but I'm not sure about having twinview enabled accross two seperate cards.
Here's my xorg.conf for monitor and device (1x gf4 mx460 with tvout):

Code:

Section "Monitor"

    Identifier  "CRT-0"
    HorizSync   27 - 115
    VertRefresh 80 - 160
    Option      "DPMS"

EndSection

Section "Monitor"

    Identifier  "TV-0"
    HorizSync   30 - 50
    VertRefresh 50 - 80
    Option      "DPMS"

EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier  "MX460"
    Driver      "nvidia"
    Option     "nologo"        "0"
    Option      "CursorShadow"  "0"
    BusId       "PCI:1:0:0"
    Screen      0

#    Option "TwinView"
#    Option "ConnectedMonitor" "CRT-0, TV-0"
#    Option "TwinViewOrientation" "Clone"
#    Option "SecondMonitorHorizSync" "10 - 60"
#    Option "SecondMonitorVertRefresh" "50 - 60"
#    Option "MetaModes" "1280x1024,;1280x960,;1024x768,;800x600,;640x480,;,400x300"
#    Option "TVStandard" "PAL-I"
#    Option "TVOutFormat" "COMPOSITE"
#    Option "TvOverscan" "0.7"

EndSection

Section "Device"

    Identifier  "MX460TV"
    Driver      "nvidia"
    Option     "nologo"        "0"
    Option      "CursorShadow"  "0"
    BusId       "PCI:1:0:0"
    Screen      1
    Option      "TVStandard" "PAL-I"
    Option      "TVOutFormat" "COMPOSITE"
#    Option     "TvOverscan" "0.8"

EndSection

I left the twinview setup (commented) to remind me how to do it, but I prefer the standard (uncommented) way of seeting up the extra devices.
This setup allows 3d acceleration on both monitors.

Rocker · 02-09-2005, 02:38 AM

so, is there no way to have acceleration on both cards? I am surprised that this can't be done. How do people use things like blender on multiple monitors, when it needs 3d?

Tuttle · 02-09-2005, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tuttle

This setup allows 3d acceleration on both monitors.

Rocker · 02-09-2005, 09:37 AM

I mean while allowing menus from one program to be dragged to different monitors. And not just with an nvidia dual-head card.

Tuttle · 02-09-2005, 01:45 PM

Ah I see. Perhaps you could send an e-mail direct from here and see if they can help. I have seen lots of screenshots of desktops spanning more than one monitor but I'm not sure if you can get it to "drag and drop" between monitors. Anyone else tried it??

Rocker · 02-09-2005, 02:28 PM

thanks for that link, I sent them a message. If anyone can suggest anything else, please reply. I know many people use multiple monitors, and I'm sure some of them want their 3d to work on all of them, too. I will be surprised (and disappointed) if there is no solution to this

Tuttle · 02-09-2005, 06:33 PM

btw, there is a unix (solaris or similar) computer in st thomas' hospital in london that spans 4 monitors under X. I'm pretty sure it's 3d accelerated 'cos it's designed for processing images of tomographic (3d) scans - BUT they have the same problem as you, ie. cannot drag and drop from one screen to the next. It can be configured in a square of 4 monitors, but it's pointless without being able to maximize the image across 4 screens.
I hope xorg have solution for you, and I would be very interested what that solution might be - as would st thomas'!!

frieza · 02-09-2005, 07:38 PM

have you looked into Xinerama by any chance?

Rocker · 02-09-2005, 08:41 PM

i am currently using xinerama. If you know of ay way to get it to work with both cards having acceleration, please let me know

Tuttle · 02-10-2005, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by frieza
have you looked into Xinerama by any chance?

You know, I don't think I've even tried it!! I thought I was using it already.
If you look here, it says to set up all your various cards as normal THEN add the line "Option Xinerama true" to the top (server flags section) of your xorg.conf file to enable it. In previous sections it explained that you could have one window spanned accross all screens, but that the window manager must be Xinerama aware to work correctly.
Thanks for the hint frieza.

Tuttle · 02-10-2005, 07:14 AM

ok, I can drag and drop from one screen to the next, while maintaining the correct resolutions for each monitor (one is 1024x768, the other 640x480) and it is similar to "twinview" (for any nvidia users).
But I no longer have a taskbar on each desktop. Surely all you need to do is to set the proper driver in the xorg.conf driver section for each card?
It says here that he hasn't tried to get acceleration working.
I apologise if I am just doing what you have already tried.

Rocker · 02-10-2005, 02:31 PM

when I use xinerama (option in the ServerFlags section) it allows me to have the desktop spread over both monitors. I am using windowmaker BTW. I just dont get acceleration on the second screen. If I open an xterm on that screen and run glxinfo, it tells me that glx is enabled from an nvidia driver, which is from the other card.

frieza · 02-10-2005, 11:35 PM

of course you only have one taskbar... it's one desktop streached over both monitors