In Debian Gnome, windows are maximizing over multiple monitors

1

1

This is my screen configuration:

      +----------------+----------------+
      |                |                |
      |                |                |        This is X Screen 1
      |                |                |        Two 1680x1050 screens
      |                |                |
+-----+----------------+----------------+-----+
|                      |                      |
|                      |                      |
|                      |                      |  This is X Screen 0
|                      |                      |  Two 2560x1440 screens
|                      |                      |
|                      |                      |
+----------------------+----------------------+

Things are working fine, except when I try to make full screen or maximize any window, it spans the entire two displays of whichever X screen it's on. Also, dialog boxes always get split in half by the middle window split.

I've heard that metacity might be not playing nice with Xinerama, but I can't find any formal bugs on the internet. I'm thinking it might be my configuration as well, so I thought I would post my problem here.

Here's my xorg.conf:

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier     "Layout0"
    Screen      0  "Screen0" Absolute 0 1050
    Screen      1  "Screen1" Absolute 880 0
    InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
    InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
    Option         "Xinerama" "1"
EndSection

Section "Files"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier     "Mouse0"
    Driver         "mouse"
    Option         "Protocol" "auto"
    Option         "Device" "/dev/psaux"
    Option         "Emulate3Buttons" "no"
    Option         "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier     "Keyboard0"
    Driver         "kbd"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Monitor0"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "DELL U2711"
    HorizSync       29.0 - 113.0
    VertRefresh     49.0 - 86.0
    Option         "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Monitor1"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "BenQ FP202W"
    HorizSync       30.0 - 84.0
    VertRefresh     56.0 - 76.0
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device0"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "GeForce 9800 GT"
    BusID          "PCI:1:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device1"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "GeForce 9800 GT"
    BusID          "PCI:2:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen0"
    Device         "Device0"
    Monitor        "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "TwinView" "1"
    Option         "TwinViewXineramaInfoOrder" "DFP-0"
    Option         "metamodes" "DFP-0: nvidia-auto-select +0+0, DFP-1: nvidia-auto-select +2560+0"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen1"
    Device         "Device1"
    Monitor        "Monitor1"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "TwinView" "1"
    Option         "TwinViewXineramaInfoOrder" "DFP-0"
    Option         "metamodes" "DFP-0: nvidia-auto-select +0+0, DFP-1: nvidia-auto-select +1680+0"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
    EndSubSection
EndSection

EDIT: Here is the working version:

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier     "Layout0"
    Screen      0  "Screen0" Absolute 0 1050
    Screen      1  "Screen1" RightOf "Screen0"
    Screen      2  "Screen2" Absolute 880 0
    Screen      3  "Screen3" RightOf "Screen2"
    InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
    InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
    Option         "Xinerama" "1"
EndSection

Section "Files"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier     "Mouse0"
    Driver         "mouse"
    Option         "Protocol" "auto"
    Option         "Device" "/dev/psaux"
    Option         "Emulate3Buttons" "no"
    Option         "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier     "Keyboard0"
    Driver         "kbd"
EndSection


# Monitors

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Monitor0"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "DELL U2711"
    HorizSync       29.0 - 113.0
    VertRefresh     49.0 - 86.0
    Option         "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Monitor1"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "DELL U2711"
    HorizSync       29.0 - 113.0
    VertRefresh     49.0 - 86.0
    Option         "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Monitor2"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "BenQ FP202W"
    HorizSync       30.0 - 84.0
    VertRefresh     56.0 - 76.0
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Monitor3"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "BenQ FP202W"
    HorizSync       30.0 - 84.0
    VertRefresh     56.0 - 76.0
EndSection


# Devices

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device0"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "GeForce 9800 GT"
    BusID          "PCI:1:0:0"
    Screen         0
    Option         "PixmapCacheSize" "300000"
    Option         "OnDemandVBlankInterrupts" "True"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device1"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "GeForce 9800 GT"
    BusID          "PCI:1:0:0"
    Screen         1
    Option         "PixmapCacheSize" "300000"
    Option         "OnDemandVBlankInterrupts" "True"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device2"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "GeForce 9800 GT"
    BusID          "PCI:2:0:0"
    Screen         0
    Option         "PixmapCacheSize" "300000"
    Option         "OnDemandVBlankInterrupts" "True"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device3"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "GeForce 9800 GT"
    BusID          "PCI:2:0:0"
    Screen         1
    Option         "PixmapCacheSize" "300000"
    Option         "OnDemandVBlankInterrupts" "True"
EndSection


# Screens

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen0"
    Device         "Device0"
    Monitor        "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "TwinView" "0"
    Option         "TwinViewXineramaInfoOrder" "DFP-0"
    Option         "metamodes" "nvidia-auto-select +0+0"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen1"
    Device         "Device1"
    Monitor        "Monitor1"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "TwinView" "0"
    Option         "TwinViewXineramaInfoOrder" "DFP-0"
    Option         "metamodes" "nvidia-auto-select +0+0"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen2"
    Device         "Device2"
    Monitor        "Monitor2"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "TwinView" "0"
    Option         "TwinViewXineramaInfoOrder" "DFP-0"
    Option         "metamodes" "nvidia-auto-select +0+0"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen3"
    Device         "Device3"
    Monitor        "Monitorr"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "TwinView" "0"
    Option         "TwinViewXineramaInfoOrder" "DFP-0"
    Option         "metamodes" "nvidia-auto-select +0+0"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Notice how I am creating another X screen for each monitor now.

Matt Alexander

Posted 2011-12-23T20:10:25.870

Reputation: 749

In Soviet Russia, multiple monitors are maximizing over windows – trolle3000 – 2011-12-29T21:39:55.123

@trolle3000, ?? – Matt Alexander – 2011-12-29T22:40:32.220

just a bad joke. http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Russian_reversal_(joke)

– trolle3000 – 2011-12-30T10:14:38.947

Obligatory http://xkcd.com/963/

– user1686 – 2012-01-04T19:49:32.287

@grawity: Exactly. – Matt Alexander – 2012-01-05T16:08:06.060

Answers

1

Unfortunately I know how you feel and I couldn't really find its cause. Simply one day after many tentatives of tweakings (and after a few updates) I got it working. I post here my xorg.conf so that you may get some inspiration from it. I remember once xinerama did what's happening to you right now, but not any more (and in the future I hope).

# nvidia-settings: X configuration file generated by nvidia-settings
# nvidia-settings:  version 290.10  (pbuilder@cake)  Wed Nov 23 12:20:24 UTC 2011

# nvidia-xconfig: X configuration file generated by nvidia-xconfig
# nvidia-xconfig:  version 280.13  (pbuilder@cake)  Mon Aug  8 15:37:15 UTC 2011

Section "ServerLayout"

# Removed Option "Xinerama" "0"
    Identifier     "Layout0"
    Screen      0  "Screen0" 1920 0
    Screen      1  "Screen1" LeftOf "Screen0"
    Screen      2  "Screen2" RightOf "Screen0"
    InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
    InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
    Option         "Xinerama" "1"
EndSection

Section "Files"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

    # generated from default
    Identifier     "Mouse0"
    Driver         "mouse"
    Option         "Protocol" "auto"
    Option         "Device" "/dev/psaux"
    Option         "Emulate3Buttons" "no"
    Option         "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

    # generated from default
    Identifier     "Keyboard0"
    Driver         "kbd"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Monitor0"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "Samsung SMS24A350H"
    HorizSync       30.0 - 81.0
    VertRefresh     56.0 - 75.0
    Option         "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Monitor1"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "DELL U2412M"
    HorizSync       30.0 - 83.0
    VertRefresh     50.0 - 61.0
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Monitor2"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "DELL U2412M"
    HorizSync       30.0 - 83.0
    VertRefresh     50.0 - 61.0
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device0"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "GeForce GTX 560 Ti"
    BusID          "PCI:2:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device1"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "GeForce GTX 460"
    BusID          "PCI:1:0:0"
    Screen          0
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device2"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "GeForce GTX 460"
    BusID          "PCI:1:0:0"
    Screen          1
EndSection

Section "Screen"

# Removed Option "metamodes" "nvidia-auto-select +0+0"
    Identifier     "Screen0"
    Device         "Device0"
    Monitor        "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "true"
    Option         "TwinView" "0"
    Option         "TwinViewXineramaInfoOrder" "CRT-0"
    Option         "metamodes" "1920x1080 +0+0"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"

# Removed Option "metamodes" "nvidia-auto-select @1600x1200 +0+0"
# Removed Option "metamodes" "DFP-0: nvidia-auto-select +0+0"
    Identifier     "Screen1"
    Device         "Device1"
    Monitor        "Monitor1"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "true"
    Option         "TwinView" "0"
    Option         "metamodes" "DFP-0: 1920x1200 +0+0"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen2"
    Device         "Device2"
    Monitor        "Monitor2"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "AddARGBGLXVisuals" "true"
    Option         "TwinView" "0"
    Option         "metamodes" "DFP-2: nvidia-auto-select +0+0"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Extensions"
    Option         "Composite" "Disable"
EndSection

System is Debian GNU/Linux wheezy (testing). Driver version is 290.10. Judging from your xorg.conf I'd try to disable twinview (even I, when enabled, has this problem).

I'm aware that twinview allows you to have better performances and xinerama is very poor 3D acceleration capable, but if you don't have specific needs you can live with that. I can view very good videos with xinerama on. Not sure if you're gaming. For other informations you may take a look at XRANDR, though that may be what you're looking for but seems a bit tricky to get started with. Xinerama is more transparent but less performant.

Maybe there are other options which are differents from mine. Twinview enabled picked up my attention and to disable it is the key to your problem.

user51166

Posted 2011-12-23T20:10:25.870

Reputation: 538

Your example definitely helped in many ways, thanks. – Matt Alexander – 2012-01-03T18:37:21.800

You're welcome. Maybe you can specify which was the specific fix so that if other users read this discussion can solve their problem. – user51166 – 2012-01-03T21:40:38.927

Good idea. OP edited. – Matt Alexander – 2012-01-04T19:44:58.407

Asked: 2011-12-23T20:10:25.870

Viewed: 2 351 times

Active: 2012-01-04T19:44:15.150