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TwinView without Nvidia?

Hi. I'm just curious about something: On almost all of my computers with multiple monitors I use nvidia-settings to get TwinView. I like TwinView where it is like there is a separate display on each monitor (rather than xinerama or panning the display across the monitors).

But I've got a netbook with a cheap Intel card, so I can't install Nvidia stuff on that one. I connect a monitor to it, but it just doubles the display (messing it up a little in the process). So I just turn off the small display and just use the attached monitor:

Code:

choward@adler ~ $ xrandr --output LVDS --off --output VGA --mode 1680x1050

Here's my xrandr output:

Code:

Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1680 x 1050, maximum 2048 x 2048

VGA connected 1680x1050+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 433mm x 270mm

  1680x1050      59.9*+

LVDS connected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)

  1024x600      60.0 +

  800x600        85.1    72.2    75.0    60.3    56.2  

  640x480        85.0    72.8    75.0    59.9  

  720x400        85.0  

  640x400        85.1  

  640x350        85.1

So can you I do something like TwinView without Nvidia? (Note: Starting a separate X display that I have to switch to with Ctrl-Alt F8 doesn't count.)

Can you describe to those of us who don't have nvidia cards what twin view does? Then we may be able to tell you how to achieve the same (or similar) thing with xrandr.

EDIT:
I reread you post, and realized you did describe what TwinView does:

Quote:

TwinView where it is like there is a separate display on each monitor (rather than xinerama or panning the display across the monitors).

I'm still a bit confused though. This sounds just like a standard two display xinerama setup: yet you explicitly say you want it to be different to xinerama.

So, if after connecting the 2nd monitor you do:

Code:

xrandr --output VGA-0 --rightof LVDS

You don't get what you are trying to achieve?

Cheers,

Evo2.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoderMan (Post 3784596)

You are doing something wrong, or misunderstanding something. Twinview does create a big desktop that spreads across both screens. So it is like Xinerama in that regard. Xrandr does the same exactly.

In other words, Twinview could be seens a the nVidia's own implementation of Xinerama. Xrandr is the newest and greatest, supposedly. Though I fail to see where the big deal is (other than better support for hot plugging monitors if you are lucky enough that your hardware is correctly handled by one of the buggy drivers that exist today.

Quote:

But I've got a netbook with a cheap Intel card, so I can't install Nvidia stuff on that one. I connect a monitor to it, but it just doubles the display (messing it up a little in the process). So I just turn off the small display and just use the attached monitor:

You need to correctly configure your driver, with or without xrandr, that's up to you to decide. Twinview is an invention of nVidia, the Intel driver simply has not such capability.

With xrandr, you usually just need to set the Virtual size of the display, as it would be with all the monitors on.

However, I don't know a thing about the Intel driver (other than it for sure doesn't support Twinview). I have no idea how its current support for Xrandr is.

Quote:

So can you I do something like TwinView without Nvidia? (Note: Starting a separate X display that I have to switch to with Ctrl-Alt F8 doesn't count.)

Impossible, at most your options would be Xinerama (which would be mostly the same), Xrandr (idem) or the typical dual head setup, in which each monitor runs a different displays where you can even run different desktops and that will not let you move windows from one monitor to another.

The Nvidia driver config tool also classifies "clones" as a choice under "twinview". Other choices are relative positions (left of another monitor, right of another, above, and below) and an absolute position.

I'm using clones because there are behaviour glitches with panning (one left, one right) when dealing with a laptop and a desk monitor as the other one. When the desk monitor is not plugged in, it can leave the laptop in an unusable state. Some things pop up in unexpected places. And the Gnome decorations are not as consistent. It's still set up under twinview.