stupid resolution problem

End11 · 12-31-2003, 01:21 AM

so i know this is probably stupid, but here goes anyway.
i want to run 1280x960 as my default resolution. it works and i like it. i also want to have other resolutions enabled (640x480 especially, for starcraft)

the screen section of my XF86Config-4 looks like this

Code:

Section "Screen"
    Identifier  "Screen0"
    Device      "ATI Graphics Adapter"
    Monitor     "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth 24
    #Option "backingstore"

    Subsection "Display"
        Depth       24
        Modes       "1280x960" # "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
        ViewPort    0 0  # initial origin if mode is smaller than desktop
#        Virtual     1280 960
    EndSubsection
EndSection

the problem is that unless 1280x960 is the ONLY option, i can't use it. as soon as a lower res is enabled, for example if i use

Modes "1280x960" "640x480"

i can only use the smaller one. i've tried switching with ctrl+alt+'+'.

i've searched this site and google but havent found anybody with exactly the same problem

i'm running mandrake 9.2 with fluxbox 0.9.6, i have the proprietary drivers installed for my radeon 9000 pro, and my monitor is a SyncMaster 955df, the exact model of which is set up in my config.

is it possible to use 1280x960, but have others enabled? it seems like it should just work. but it doesnt.

Netizen · 12-31-2003, 08:42 AM

Did you change the Verticalsysnc and Horizontalsync parms in the same file to match those of your monitor?

Netizen

End11 · 12-31-2003, 02:38 PM

actually all my modelines are commented out :/ it looks like this

Code:

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier  "Monitor0"
    HorizSync   31.5 - 91.1
    VertRefresh 60 - 100
    Option "DPMS"

# === mode lines based on GTF ===
# VGA @ 100Hz
# Modeline "640x480@100" 43.163 640 680 744 848 480 481 484 509 +hsync +vsync
# SVGA @ 100Hz
# Modeline "800x600@100" 68.179 800 848 936 1072 600 601 604 636 +hsync +vsync
# XVGA @ 100Hz
# Modeline "1024x768@100" 113.309 1024 1096 1208 1392 768 769 772 814 +hsync +vsync
# 1152x864 @ 60Hz
# Modeline "1152x864@60" 81.642 1152 1216 1336 1520 864 865 868 895 +hsync +vsync
# 1152x864 @ 85Hz
# Modeline "1152x864@85" 119.651 1152 1224 1352 1552 864 865 868 907 +hsync +vsync
# 1152x864 @ 100Hz
# Modeline "1152x864@100" 143.472 1152 1232 1360 1568 864 865 868 915 +hsync +vsync
# 1280x960 @ 75Hz
# Modeline "1280x960@75" 129.859 1280 1368 1504 1728 960 961 964 1002 +hsync +vsync
# 1280x960 @ 100Hz
# Modeline "1280x960@100" 178.992 1280 1376 1520 1760 960 961 964 1017  +hsync +vsync

etc. etc. with res's up to 1920x2400

is that the right section?

anyway the thing is the all the resolutions work, im in 1280x960 right now, the problem only comes when I enable other ones

Zero-0-Effect · 01-01-2004, 03:48 AM

Modes "1280x960" # "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"

Remove that # mark. It should default to the first entry of 1280x960.

When in a smaller resolution (1024x768) you said 'ctrl'+'alt'+'+' doesnt work, Is it still a virtual screen resolution of 1280x960?

End11 · 01-01-2004, 06:31 AM

that's exactly what i tried Zero, unfortunately when i put
Modes "1280x960" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
it seems to default to 1024x768 instead of the first one like you would expect. also i have no virtual screen resolution set, that was commented out. will that help?

Zero-0-Effect · 01-01-2004, 03:41 PM

It will allow you to have a vritual 1280x960 if in 1024x768 but it still looks like a 1024x768 desktop.
What driver are you useing? A radeon driver off of gatos.sourceforge.net or the driver that came with mandrake?

End11 · 01-01-2004, 05:35 PM

im using the proprietary ati drivers, because they're the only ones that run games properly (i need those fps in tuxracer)

anyway, i solved half my problem. i generated and manually put in a modeline for 1280x960 at 85 hertz. it will now actually use the default res, and switch between the others fine. my only problem now is that when i go down to 640x480 everything gets all messed up. i can't really explain it, it's like i see small rectangular fragments of stuff all over my screen.

oh well at least i can change down to 800x600 without problems now

kc8tbe · 01-01-2004, 07:50 PM

Xfree-drm, the old kernel Xfree drivers, support ATI radeon just fine. Just be sure you don't compile xfree-dri AND xfree-drm into the kernel - then nothing will work!

The Xfree-drm in the 2.4.x kernel is a little iffy, but some third party xfree-drm work fine. So if after compiling xfree-drm into the kernel instead of xfree-dri things still don't work, don't compile either one into the kernel and look for an xfree-drm package on the internet.

End11 · 01-02-2004, 01:06 AM

thanks for the advice, but I dont think i'm at the stage where i want to compile a kernel :S

kc8tbe · 01-02-2004, 10:10 AM

> thanks for the advice, but I dont think i'm at the stage where i want to compile a kernel :S

Kernel compilation isn't actually all that exciting.

Here are the pertinent sections of my XF86Config using the radeon 9000 pro video card. Maybe it'll help.

Code:

Section "Module"
        Load  "extmod"
        Load  "dri"
        Load  "dbe"
        Load  "record"
        Load  "xtrap"
        Load  "glx"
        Load  "speedo"
        Load  "type1"
EndSection

Section "DRI"
Mode 0666
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
        Identifier   "Monitor0"
        VendorName   "Future Power"
        ModelName    "17DB77"
        HorizSync    30-70
        VertRefresh  50-150
EndSection

Section "Device"
        ### Available Driver options are:-
        ### Values: <i>: integer, <f>: float, <bool>: "True"/"False",
        ### <string>: "String", <freq>: "<f> Hz/kHz/MHz"
        ### [arg]: arg optional
        #Option     "NoAccel"                   # [<bool>]
        #Option     "SWcursor"                  # [<bool>]
        #Option     "Dac6Bit"                   # [<bool>]
        #Option     "Dac8Bit"                   # [<bool>]
        #Option     "ForcePCIMode"              # [<bool>]
        #Option     "CPPIOMode"                 # [<bool>]
        #Option     "CPusecTimeout"             # <i>
        #Option     "AGPMode"                   # <i>
        #Option     "AGPFastWrite"              # [<bool>]
        #Option     "AGPSize"                   # <i>
        #Option     "RingSize"                  # <i>
        #Option     "BufferSize"                # <i>
        #Option     "EnableDepthMoves"          # [<bool>]
        #Option     "EnablePageFlip"            # [<bool>]
        #Option     "NoBackBuffer"              # [<bool>]
        #Option     "DRIReinit"                 # [<bool>]
        #Option     "PanelOff"                  # [<bool>]
        #Option     "DDCMode"                   # [<bool>]
        #Option     "MonitorLayout"             # [<str>]
        #Option     "IgnoreEDID"                # [<bool>]
        #Option     "OverlayOnCRTC2"            # [<bool>]
        #Option     "CloneMode"                 # [<str>]
        #Option     "CloneHSync"                # [<str>]
        #Option     "CloneVRefresh"             # [<str>]
        #Option     "UseFBDev"                  # [<bool>]
        #Option     "VideoKey"                  # <i>
        Identifier  "Card0"
        Driver      "ati"
        VendorName  "ATI Technologies Inc"
        BoardName   "Radeon R250 If [Radeon 9000]"
        BusID       "PCI:1:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
        Identifier "Screen0"
        Device     "Card0"
        Monitor    "Monitor0"
        DefaultDepth 16

        SubSection "Display"
                Depth     1
        EndSubSection
        SubSection "Display"
                Depth     4
        EndSubSection
        SubSection "Display"
                Depth     8
        EndSubSection
        SubSection "Display"
                Depth     15
        EndSubSection
        SubSection "Display"
                Depth     16
                Modes     "1280x1024"
                Viewport  0 0
        EndSubSection
        SubSection "Display"
                Depth     24
        EndSubSection
EndSection

Also, be aware that your monitor may not run a resolution higher than 1152x864. Have you been able to get to a 1280x960 before (i.e. in windoze)?

End11 · 01-02-2004, 05:47 PM

yes thank you, i have 1280 x 960 running nicely at 85 hertz now, and it switches back and forth. the only problem im having is now 640x480 is messed up, but i think it might just be a matter of manually making a modeline for it.

kc8tbe · 01-02-2004, 06:25 PM

When you try to go to 640x480 are you just casually using your desktop or trying to play a game?

End11 · 01-02-2004, 06:31 PM

starcraft only runs in 640x480, and there is no option for resolution change ingame.
it's not desperate as i can just boot in windows to play it, but it would be nice to be able to play it well in linux.

kc8tbe · 01-03-2004, 11:33 AM

Will native Linux games like Chromium or Tuxracer run in 640x480? What about the quake 2 & 3 game engines for Linux? What about changing your desktop resolution to 640x480?

If a) the error occurs when you are in 640x480 and b) you are only in 640x480 while playing Starcraft, it follows that c) the error only occurs while you are playing Starcraft. Maybe the fault here lies with Starcraft or Wine/WineX, and not with the X server.

End11 · 01-03-2004, 03:22 PM

that's the thing, it's NOT just in starcraft. if i run tuxracer in full screen it does it, and if i even just switch my resolution by ctrl+alt+'+' it does it. and, if i add in a modeline for 640x480, i go back to my original problem of not being able to switch to either of them! (640x480 or 1280x960)

by the way thanks for taking the time to help me kc8tbe.

i think maybe i'll just wait until the next release of wine. it's free, it runs starcraft, and it has the option to run in a window :S