Very Computer

Hi,

I am a Linux newbie running:

RH7
XFree86 4.0.1 (just downloaded and installed)
Enlightenment  (just downloaded and installed)
on PII 433mHz
64 MB DRAM
no other OS

I want to use xmms to play mp3s but this brings up a
few display configuration problems. Help appreciated:

xmms is too small in 1024 x 768 res for me to use due
to bad eyes and a crummy monitor (box was donated by
a web site reader) BUT if I switch to 800 x 600 the panel
disappears in Gnome.

Also, I have a permanent 3/4 inch blank (black) space
running vertically the length of my monitor on the left.
If I drag a window over there, it disappears "behind"
the black space.
    Obviously I need to reconfigure something to get my
windows to display properly but I am too stupid to figure
out what, where and how. I have been through
/etc/X11/XF86Config but don't understand how to fix it
from there.

Yikes, please teach this unworthy one! ;-)

Also, any Urls on xmms themes and how to change them
would be greatly appreciated - it seems like a fine player.

--
Jon - I love Jesus Christ
http://www.jonsplace.org/

Xmms has a double-size feature. You can activate it from the options
menu or by pressing Ctrl+D.

Quote:

> Also, I have a permanent 3/4 inch blank (black) space
> running vertically the length of my monitor on the left.
> If I drag a window over there, it disappears "behind"
> the black space.

I  apologize if this seems dumb, but if the vertical area is on the edge
of the visible screen, then have you tried fiddling around with the
cent/size/shape settings on the monitor itself?

Quote:>     Obviously I need to reconfigure something to get my
> windows to display properly but I am too stupid to figure
> out what, where and how. I have been through
> /etc/X11/XF86Config but don't understand how to fix it
> from there.

> Yikes, please teach this unworthy one! ;-)

> Also, any Urls on xmms themes and how to change them
> would be greatly appreciated - it seems like a fine player.

http://www.xmms.org/skins.html is a good place to start, I guess. After
downloading a skin, they're usually zipped, all you have to do is to
copy the zipped skin file to /root/.xmmms/Skins . No unzipping necessary
if you have zip installed, and with RH7, I assume that's the case. Also,
there's a package in the RH7 powertools called xmmsskins, which adds a
bunch of different skins when installed.

To change the skin, press Alt+S to bring up the appropriate menu. And
yes, Xmms is the kewlest player on the planet :)

--
-Somebody put something in my drink-

Howdy-doo,

Thank you for some great info. My only problem is I don't see anyway to
adjust the monitor itself manually. This is a donated system and it is one
STRANGE little box. It's an eOne from Emachines and it does absolutely
nothing "right." <g>

Any other ideas on getting rid of that vertical strip of blank/black
appreciated.

--
Jon - I love Jesus Christ
http://www.jonsplace.org/

xvidtune may help then - it allows you to tweak your display settings and
realign the picture by redefining the mode lines. However, once you have
acheived the desired image, make sure you save and make sure you learn how to
put this into your XF86Config file so that you always get it again. You don't
mention which version of XFree86 you are using, so if you need more help I need
that info!

Cheers,
Toby Haynes

--

Toby Haynes
The views and opinions expressed in this message are my own, and do
not necessarily reflect those of IBM Canada.

Hi Toby,

Thank you for excellent help. I could use a bit more of course ;-)
I am running XFree86-4.0.1 as far as I can tell although the
/etc/X11/XF86Config lists it as version 4.0

I used xvidtune and got the monitor display fine and dandy (it worked!),
then I wrote down the settings and did a man XF86Config to be
sure I had all the numbers and names I would need.

I now need to add a section to /etc/X11/XF86Config to make the
settings come up right each time, like you said. I'll ask my
questions here as I go by placing each question in [ ] immediately
below the appropriate line. The man page says to add a section:

ModeLine "name" mode-description
[is this the exact name or am I supposed to substitute something for "name"?
If so, what - the monitor name this file uses - in this case 'eOne'?]

I would then add the info acquired through xvidtune in 3 sections:

Pixel Clock "78.05"

HDisplay "1025"
HSynchStart "1060"
HSychEnd "1156"
HTotal "1312"

VDisplay "768"
VSynchStart "768"
VSynchEnd "771"
VTotal "796"
[Do these 3 sections each need a name? If so, what?]

Finally, can I slap these new sections anywhere in the monitor portion of
XF86Config or is there a required order?

Thank you greatly for any help; I am a rank newbie but I am determined ;-)

--
Jon - I love Jesus Christ
http://www.jonsplace.org/

Quote:

> xvidtune may help then - it allows you to tweak your display settings and
> realign the picture by redefining the mode lines. However, once you have
> acheived the desired image, make sure you save and make sure you learn how
to
> put this into your XF86Config file so that you always get it again. You
don't
> mention which version of XFree86 you are using, so if you need more help I
need
> that info!
> Toby Haynes

The best way to see precisely what X is doing as it starts is to look at the
log file it writes in /var/log/XFree86.0.log. Scanning through this is an
effective way to see what has loaded successfully or has failed and is the
first place I look when I hit trouble. This also tells you which configuration
file is being loaded - useful when you have several in /etc/X11 and you aren't
sure which one you need to edit.

Quote:> I now need to add a section to /etc/X11/XF86Config to make the
> settings come up right each time, like you said. I'll ask my
> questions here as I go by placing each question in [ ] immediately
> below the appropriate line. The man page says to add a section:
> ModeLine "name" mode-description
> [is this the exact name or am I supposed to substitute something for "name"?

The "name" is the name you give to the mode, which can be simply "1024x768" (in
which case it will replace any existing 1024x768 mode that XFree86 has
automatically configured) or something more esoteric, such as "Custom1". The
name you put here should also be specified as the first mode to be used in the
Display section later.

This ModeLine info needs to be put in the Section "Monitor" ... EndSection part
of the XF86Config file. For easier maintenance (the Modeline syntax is a little
obscure) you should probably use the new Mode "name" format.

Quote:> I would then add the info acquired through xvidtune in 3 sections:

> Pixel Clock "78.05"

> HDisplay "1025"
> HSynchStart "1060"
> HSychEnd "1156"
> HTotal "1312"

> VDisplay "768"
> VSynchStart "768"
> VSynchEnd "771"
> VTotal "796"

Add the Mode ... EndMode command to the monitor section (I've assumed the
monitor is called eOne).

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier "eOne"
    ...
    Mode "1024x768"
        DotClock 78.05
        HTimings 1025 1060 1156 1312
        VTimings 768 768 771 796
    EndMode
EndSection

Quote:> [Do these 3 sections each need a name? If so, what?]

Hopefully the example above is clear enough.

Quote:> Finally, can I slap these new sections anywhere in the monitor portion of
> XF86Config or is there a required order?

I believe that order does not matter in the file BUT the Mode ... EndMode must
appear inside the Section "Monitor" ... EndSection part.

You should also alter your Section "Screen" ... EndSection to reference the new
mode if it does not already have "1024x768" as the first entry in each Modes
line of each Section "Display" ... EndSection part. While only the one with the
colour depth you specify on the DefaultDepth line is really necessary, you
might as well keep the rest in sync! For example,

Section "Screen"
    ...
    Monitor "eOne"
    DefaultDepth 16
    ...
    Section "Display"
        Depth 16
        Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
    EndSection
    ...
EndSection

Specifying multiple resolutions allows you to use Ctrl-Alt-Keypad+/- to switch
modes in the X server.

Quote:> Thank you greatly for any help; I am a rank newbie but I am determined ;-)

We all start somewhere!

Cheers,
Toby Haynes
--

Toby Haynes
The views and opinions expressed in this message are my own, and do
not necessarily reflect those of IBM Canada.

My head is starting to hurt.

The /var/log/XFree86 logs show that X is deleting the mode I put in because
it "exceeds panel dimensions" and I have no idea what to do now. This leaves
me with either a semi-functional 1024x768 done the "old" way or a 800x600
that I actually prefer but that will not allow running some programs and
makes others quite inconvenient. Some seem designed only to run at 1024x768
or higher; at least some windows cannot be resized with my mouse so I assume
they are written to be run in a res at least 1024x768.

I am uploading the log file in its entirety to my web host so if anyone
wants to look at it and can help me get a centered "fullscreen" display
going in 1024 x 768 res or tell me how to get gnome (now running sawmill wm)
to show the full window of programs at 800x600, I would be very grateful.

http://www.jonsplace.org/linux/XFree86.0.log

By the way, is there any way to force x to use the same config file for all
usrs so I can quit overwriting files to try to enforce changes across users?

Also, I cannot get my mouse wheel/third button to work. Ideas?
--
Jon - I love Jesus Christ
http://www.jonsplace.org/

Quote:> Add the Mode ... EndMode command to the monitor section (I've assumed the
> monitor is called eOne).

> Section "Monitor"
>     Identifier "eOne"
>     ...
>     Mode "1024x768"
>         DotClock 78.05
>         HTimings 1025 1060 1156 1312
>         VTimings 768 768 771 796
>     EndMode
> EndSection

> > [Do these 3 sections each need a name? If so, what?]

> Hopefully the example above is clear enough.

> > Finally, can I slap these new sections anywhere in the monitor portion
of
> > XF86Config or is there a required order?

> I believe that order does not matter in the file BUT the Mode ... EndMode
must
> appear inside the Section "Monitor" ... EndSection part.

> You should also alter your Section "Screen" ... EndSection to reference
the new
> mode if it does not already have "1024x768" as the first entry in each
Modes
> line of each Section "Display" ... EndSection part. While only the one
with the
> colour depth you specify on the DefaultDepth line is really necessary, you
> might as well keep the rest in sync! For example,

> Section "Screen"
>     ...
>     Monitor "eOne"
>     DefaultDepth 16
>     ...
>     Section "Display"
>         Depth 16
>         Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
>     EndSection
>     ...
> EndSection

> Specifying multiple resolutions allows you to use Ctrl-Alt-Keypad+/- to
switch
> modes in the X server.

> > Thank you greatly for any help; I am a rank newbie but I am determined
;-)

> We all start somewhere!

> Cheers,
> Toby Haynes
> --

> Toby Haynes
> The views and opinions expressed in this message are my own, and do
> not necessarily reflect those of IBM Canada.

Looking at the HTimings you gave in your message - the first figure is 1025 and
I strongly suspect it should be 1024. If your panel says that is largest
dimensions are 1024 x768, then this is enough to trigger the 'exceeds panel
dimensions' error.

Quote:> By the way, is there any way to force x to use the same config file for all
> usrs so I can quit overwriting files to try to enforce changes across users?

Which configuration file? Xdefaults? Or do you mean the XF86Config one?
The default XF86Config file for all users under XFree86 is /etc/X11/XF86Config
for your configuration (it's listed near the top of the XFree86 log).

Quote:> Also, I cannot get my mouse wheel/third button to work. Ideas?

You have your mouse protocol set to PS/2 - this doesn't have mouse wheel
support. What type of mouse do you have?

Cheers,
Toby Haynes
--

Toby Haynes
The views and opinions expressed in this message are my own, and do
not necessarily reflect those of IBM Canada.

Hi,

    Mouse Made in China. <lol> Came with a Comp USA PIII and I have no
documentation on it and the bottom of the mouse just gives a few numbers.

I got the screen res straightened out although I am carrying on
configuration problem questions in another Usenet group at alt.os.linux
under ' Re: changing, virtual desktop size! '

The XF86Config file survives under different names to various directories
every time X is started. These are named XF86Config-4, XF86Config.new,
XF86Config.old, XF86Config.b, #XF86Config#, and a few others as well, in at
least 4 separate directories. They are definitely being regenerated because
I backed them all up to floppy once and then deleted all but
/etc/X11/XF86Config and they were all back the next day. This is not that
important or I would give more detail but it seems wasteful and confusing,
so I was hoping to just have one per usr somehow that stayed put in that
usr's directory.

--
Jon - I love Jesus Christ
http://www.jonsplace.org/

Probably a complete generic PS/2 mouse then. Make sure you have
        Buttons "3"
specified in the input devices section of the XF86Config file. Failing that you
can fake a middle button using the ChordMiddle options.

Quote:> The XF86Config file survives under different names to various directories
> every time X is started. These are named XF86Config-4, XF86Config.new,
> XF86Config.old, XF86Config.b, #XF86Config#, and a few others as well, in at
> least 4 separate directories. They are definitely being regenerated because
> I backed them all up to floppy once and then deleted all but
> /etc/X11/XF86Config and they were all back the next day.

The only one that matters is the one being used by X on default. Look in the
/var/log/XFree86.0.log file near the top and it will tell you precisely which
file it is loading. For XFree86 4.0.1 there is a strong chance this will be
/etc/X11/XF86Config-4. For versions 3.3.6 and earlier, this will be
XF86Config. The log file will also tell you which version of X you are loading
- useful if you happen to have both 3.3.6 and 4.0.1 installed.

The other files are likely to be generated by any attempts to generate a new
XF86Config file using utilities such as SAX, SAX2, xf86cfg, xf86config,
xf86setup or drakx. There may be others as well which attempt to generate this
files. #XF86Config# is a backup file generated by your editor (vi/emacs) and is
usually deleted if you exit your editor nicely.

Cheers,
Toby Haynes

--

Toby Haynes
The views and opinions expressed in this message are my own, and do
not necessarily reflect those of IBM Canada.

Howdy-doo,

    Thank you :-) I'm headed for the dreaded eOne box now to try to get that
mouse going. I gotta learn to talk nice to the emacs editor. I am sort of
partial to vi but thought I would try emacs too. I'll try to work well with
others from now on ;-)

PS. You're right on about the file - it's using XF86Config-4. Linux users
have to have too much memory and I'm not talking pooter hardware either <g>
Oi, my brain hurts!

--
Jon - I love Jesus Christ
http://www.jonsplace.org/