How do I save the display settings so they remain the same the next time I log on? Currently at the start of every session I have to change the refresh rate from 50 to 58 Hz. The system knows the correct refresh, because I just have to open the Display setting thing under System Settings and there it is, but why do I have to open it in order for the change to happen? While it would be nice if it just used my setting, if there was a way to script it so that the Display thing opened and closed on login, that would probably do the trick as well. I've searched google and this forum but no luck, perhaps I'm not using the right search terms. Thanks.

I was wondering about this same thing. On the computer at my parents' home, I've set them up with PCLinuxOS + KDE 4.3, with logins for my Mom, my sister and me. My mom has poor eye sight and prefers the lower/bigger screen resolutions, while my sister and I prefer to utilize the full resolution of the monitor. Currently I've instructed my mom to open up the display settings when she logs in to get her preferred resolution to take effect. It automatically switches the resolution when she opens the display settings, but it should take effect on login (as I recall, there was an option to 'force this display setting on login' in KDE 3, but it appears to have been lost in the transition?).

Try running "krandrtray" on login, which should apply the settings.

That did the trick. Would be nice if it didn't take up tray space, since I don't change my resolution on a regular enough basis to really warrant having a tool ever to the ready for that purpose. But it's nicer than having to change the refresh rate manually every login. Thanks.

Right click on empty space in system tray -> System Tray Settings -> Auto Hide -> Uncheck krandrtray.

Thanks, Hans, much appreciated. That's interesting from a design perspective. Certainly good to know. Though I still wonder if it wouldn't be better for kde to open up directly into the user's preferred settings. It seems a bit kludgy to start with suboptimal settings, then use a tray item to set the correct ones.