Re: Using dual-monitor setup with 2 independent screens

[Nico De Ranter <nico deranter sonycom com>]

On Tue, 2009-10-13 at 11:34 +1030, Wayne Sierke wrote:
> Nico,
> 
> On Fri, 2009-10-09 at 10:06 +0200, Nico De Ranter wrote:
> > Hi,
> > 

> > Unfortunately with this
> > setup it is not possible to drag windows from one display to the other,
> > however I don't mind as long as there is a reliable way to start
> > applications on the display where I want them to be.  Now there is the
> > rub: depending on the Linux distribution and even the version of the
> > distribution, starting applications from the Gnome menu bars or the menu
> > I get when right-clicking the desktop background will start applications
> > on the screen where I'm clicking or more likely always on the first
> > display (making it impossible to work as I can't drag them to the other
> > display).  For instance in Ubuntu 9.04 most applications I start from
> > the top menu bar will insist on appearing on the first display (not all
> > of them however?). 
> 
> I also saw this behaviour. I don't have a reliable record but it's
> possible that it started after upgrading gnome to 2.26.1. I didn't get
> around to investigating whether a fix was available. Upgrading to 2.26.3
> seems to have fixed it.

Hmm, Ubuntu 9.10 will use Gnome 2.28, I'll see what difference that will
make. I don't really want to start compiling my own gnome as I'm
managing about 20 linux workstations and they all need to be the same.

> > Most notably it is now impossible for me to start an
> > xterm on my second display (I know I can force this by manually starting
> > the application with the '--display ' option but that's not easy to work
> > with as my wife also uses my pc so the display number will change
> > depending on who logged in first). 
> 
> I was able to launch gnome-terminal and other apps on screen 1 simply by
> launching them via the "Run Application" menu (Alt-F2) executed with
> screen 1 active - and subsequently also by launching apps from the
> command line in a gnome-terminal session opened on screen 1.

Good tip. I'll try that one.

> > Note that Ubuntu 8.10 did not have
> > this problem.  I already asked this question in the Ubuntu forum but
> > there I mainly got blank stares. I'm assuming this behaviour has
> > something to do with the Gnome version being used which is why I'm
> > trying my luck here now.
> > 
> > So, is there a way to change this behaviour so applications started from
> > the menu bars at the top and bottom of the screen will always start on
> > that specific display?
> > 
> > Or otherwise how can I change the menu I get when I right-click on the
> > desktop background? Whatever I start from this menu seems to appear on
> > the correct display. Unfortunately there isn't much useful in this menu
> > on Ubuntu.  The information I found on the Gnome website regarding
> > changing menus seems to be mostly about chaning the menus for the top
> > and bottom menu bars.
> 
> There seems to be a utility called nautilus-actions however I've never
> used it. It also seems that some people consider it worthwhile to use
> compiz-fusion to take advantage of its ability to configure desktop
> menus. Googling on something like "gnome desktop right-click menu"
> should bring up some useful pages.

Thanks I'll have a look at that too.

Thanks for the tips!!

Nico

-- 
With kind regards

Nico De Ranter
Senior System Administrator
Techsoft Centre

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