What is the status of using multiple monitors in KDE 4? I have finally got dual monitors working on KDE 3.5 (openSUSE 11.1) with the ATI Catalyst control panel. I have my laptop displaying 1440x900 and the second monitor at 1600x1200. However, KDE4 behaves very strangely. The Desktop does not fill the entire screen on either monitor (though the panel remains where is is expected). On the laptop, the Desktop only covers about 1280x800 (towards the upper left corner), while on the second monitor, the desktop fills the whole height but leaves a 20 or so pixel strip along the left side. One both monitors, the "un-Desktop" screen space displays the gray and white checker pattern that you see when switching activities, etc.

Any ideas on this? Are there any KDE4 specific tools for handling multiple monitors (like in GNOME)?

Multi monitor support recieved a huge amount of work for KDE 4.2, especially in Plasma. Huge numbers of multi monitor bugs were closed, so if you are not using 4.2, it would be recommended to upgrade to RC1 when it releases, or the final version, when it is released.

If you experience these issues with KDE 4.2, then please check for existing bugs on bugs.kde.org, and then file a new bug if none match your problem.

The Kephal devs have also just committed a whole pile more fixes earlier today that won't reach the public until 4.2.0 final. Wait until then. =)

Okay, that sounds good. I guess I'll hold off on bug reports till release (I was running KDE 4.2 beta from openSUSE Factory (that's where the 4.2 branch is held)). Running KDE 3.5 now and it's working fine.

I am still having this problem even after installing 4.2. Working on an Nvidia 8600GT and the dual screen works fine in other desktop environments. In KDE I get a black X for the mouse cursor and nothing else. The screen saver does however show on both monitors.

Anybody have any clues or know how to fix this? Should it be reported as a bug?

So there still are problems, eh? That's unfortunate to hear. I'll give it a try on my laptop (with an ATI Radeon card) and see what happens.

I switched from xinerama to twinview and configured my NVIDIA card with nvidia-settings. Works good now, even effects are usable.

Edit: 4.2 final on Kubuntu 9.04

neversfelde wrote:I switched from xinerama to twinview and configured my NVIDIA card with nvidia-settings. Works good now, even effects are usable.

Edit: 4.2 final on Kubuntu 9.04

True, twinview works but it is not exactly what I was hoping for. I wanted the separate X sessions. I guess sometimes we don't always get what we want.

Works fairly well for me, although putting a hidden panel between the screens doesn't work.

After browsing many a forum i still cannot get my setup working properly. Heres the details:
- Kubuntu 8.10 with kde 4.2 (dual moinitors worked fine in kde 3.5.x)
- Matrox G450 dual head graphics card
- Pair of Dell Ultrascan P991 monitors
- Both vga outputs are always the same
- Usually 800*600 after bootup, and wont go any higher, but sometimes 1600*1200. I want 1280*1024.
- xorg.conf is below (comments omitted)

any ideas?


Section "ServerFlags"
Option "Xinerama" "true"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
Option "AutoAddDevices" "off"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "kbd"
Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "uk"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Configured Video Device"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
Device "Configured Video Device"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
Device "Configured Video Device"
SubSection "Display"
Virtual 1280 1024
EndSubSection
EndSection

I also have a problem since KDE 4.2 that I can't solve. I hope its okay that I post here instead of creating a new thread.

My problem is as follows:
I have 2 screens connected to my PC. Screen0 is my LCD Flatpanel and Screen1 is my 1080p TV. I have configured them seperately in my xorg.conf. Everything was working fine with KDE 4.1.x
Now, when I try to maximize a window on my LCD Flatpanel it maximizes to a resolution bigger than my LCD. The LCD got a resolution of 1680x1050, the TV 1920x1080.
I think that KDE resizes the window to 1920x1080, although my panel only has the mentioned 1680x1050.
I'm using the latest nvidia-drivers (180.27) with my 9600GT and xorg-xserver 1.5.3.
The running distribution is a gentoo with kernel 2.6.27.

Is there anything I can do to correct this behavior? If more info is needed I'm glad to provide it.
Thanks in advance!

edit: forgot to mention: I'm very impressed with what you, the KDE developers, have done with KDE4.

killerisation wrote:After browsing many a forum i still cannot get my setup working properly.

What exactly isn't working properly?

knaik84 wrote:

killerisation wrote:After browsing many a forum i still cannot get my setup working properly.

What exactly isn't working properly?

Xinerama. Both displays are identical.
Also, as soon as I open Display in System Settings, it switches to 1280*1024 (on both screens).

Try running KRandRTray on login as a workaround.

bcooksley wrote:Try running KRandRTray on login as a workaround.

Doing that doesnt help me i'm afraid. It does not acknowledge there are 2 monitors.