mouse cursor goes off screen SOLVED!

[CJ]

Doug, just a quick observation (it's late here, so more tomorrow):

Notice in the xorg.conf that you firstly have Screen0 with Twinview 0, and for Screen1 you have Twinview 1. That's surely a discrepancy.

Also, for Screen 0, they output is referred to as CRT, not DFP.
Is this part auto-generated?

CJ

[dougmack]

Everything except what you asked me to put in is generate4d either by Linux or by nvidia-settings.  I'm going to take this time (while you sleep--I gather from something you spelled that you're in the British Isles.  Or someplace where they think English is what's spoken in England, , , ,)

--doug

[dougmack]

Me again:

I booted the machine in WindowsXP, loaded the NVidia drivers for XP, and found the "NVidia Control Panel."
It provides for using two monitors, the second also in 1920 x 1080 (HD) and run it as a clone.  It works perfectly.
(A little _too_ perfectly; sound _only_ comes out the TV set, there's no sound locally!  That will be a problem, if
that also occurs in Linux.  But anyway, I know that the connection works, the picture appears on the TV, along
with any sound--from any source: I tried an audio CD, and the sound still comes out of the TV, only.
Now the question is, what settings is Windows using to provide this?  I have no idea ho to find out, since
there is no xorg.conf file (that I know of) in XP.  Surely there is _some_file, but where, and is it readable?
And BTW, in XP, with the second monitor connected and working, the mouse cursor does _not_ run over the edge
of the screen. 
So that's where I'm up to now.  What next?  (I suppose I could always watch movies from XP. . . .

--doug

[CJ]

Doug, at least we have the good news that the graphic cards - and its two DVIs - work as they should.
If there is one thing I have learned, it is that if things work in Windows, you can get it to work in Linux - it might just be somewhat more complicated.
As for XP files - been there, gave that up! I used to have dual head with XP too, and it worked just fine (Nvidia GPU here also). It was a bit of a transition but I got it to work on Linux in the end. It was, however, some years back, so as I said, the greys are a bit stale on that particular issue.

Now you have me confunded: you have connected the Toshiba through DVI, yet you have sound out through it? This should not be possible as DVI does not provide a sound signal. Have you got sound connected somehow else to the TV - or is what we have assumed to be DVI not DVI after all? (Or did you already get your HDMI cable and plugged that in?)
I don't really want us to attack a potential sound issue at this point, I just want to make sure that we are talking the same language. (Ok, one of us with British spellings at times...).


Apart from this, I have a suggestion... let's see if you agree: How about we get all the way back to basics, ignore the Toshiba for a brief while, and concentrate on getting your monitor set up as it should be, with xorg and no mouse AWOL off screen?
(I have a list of steps in mind, but shall await your feed-back firstly.)
After this, then we get the TV to work too?

Excellent post, CJ! This could be very helpful to anyone whose configuration is not correctly detected.

Galen

Just saw this, and thank you... though the proof is in the pudding so I shall not be too happy until we have got Doug sorted.


Cheers!
CJ

[dougmack]

OK, first things first:  The #2 DVI port on the video card apparently has duplicated the HDMI port.  I still have the DVI to HDMI cable, and there sure is sound going thru it!
That's the good news, too.  If all else fails, I will just use XP for movies and delayed TV shows.  (One of the features of the Windows NVidia control panel, which I haven't
investigated, is some sort of video control--I would hope that it turns out to be brightness and video dynamic range.  It looks like "darkeness" scenes are a bit darker
than they sould be on a broadcast picture.)

Anyway--I agree: let's get the mouse cursor back on screen.  It's a pain when it disappears like that.  I am totally over my head in this area. I am an RF engineer, and
this software stuff is out of my ballpark completely!  (I took a course in Pascal about 40 years ago, and actually wrote a few things in it, but that was a loooong time
ago!  I also took a one-semester course in Linux at the local community college, that included a little bash programming, but not enough to really do me much good.)

I await your pleasure, Sir.

--doug

[CJ]

This is most weird! To the best of my knowledge, there is no sound though DVI... I just looked it up and turns out that it is possible (yes, you were not hallucinating, and I was wrong). I really hate when something you thought was basic knowledge turns out to be utterly wrong, ha.

Ok, let's try this 'experiment':
1. Unplug Toshiba.
2. Delete your xorg.conf file (better to rename it to something else, e.g. xorg.conf.old so as to have a fall-back).
3. Reboot.
4. Check if mouse is as it should (I expect it not to be, still).
5. In PCC, Harware, Configure Your Video Card, change monitor to Generic -> Flat Panel 1920 x 1080. (I don't see your particular monitor in the list under vendors so let's go with a generic for starters.)
6. Reboot again, and check if you have a new, freshly generated xorg.conf file. If so, post it here.

Let's see how we get on until here. Hopefully, at this point, your mouse will behave as it should and we have a solid base to continue from.


Hey, a degree in RF is nothing to sneer at, mate! Way more than I ever got!
But as to this issue, yes, it would be nice if some expert came along and sorted us out... but short of that happening, I guess we shall just make the best of it. It might take a bit longer and a little more effort, but I am confident that we shall get there in the end. After all... cannot have you being dependant upon XP! 

Let me know if this works out, to this point.

Cheers!
CJ

[dougmack]

I unplugged the HDMI from the Toshiba, and I erased xorg.conf.  On rebooting, the screen came up in the wrong size--it was probly 20xx x 1400 or something.  There is no
place in PCC to set the screen res that I could find.  The system did not make an xorg.conf.  The mouse cursor did not go off screen.  In order to get things working right
(still with the Toshiba not plugged in) I ran nvidia-config (I think that's right--it was by direction of nvidia-settings) and it created an xorg.conf, and I then ran navidia-settings.
The resulting xorg.conf is pasted below.  The mouse-cursor does not run off the screen at present.  Interestingly, the xorg.conf does not have any res on it, but the
res is correct.  I don't pretend to understand that.

[doug@Linux1 X11]$ cat xorg.conf
# nvidia-xconfig: X configuration file generated by nvidia-xconfig
# nvidia-xconfig:  version 295.33  (buildmeister@swio-display-x86-rhel47-06.nvidia.com)  Sat Mar 17 16:01:53 PDT 2012

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier     "Layout0"
    Screen      0  "Screen0"
    InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
    InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
EndSection

Section "Files"
    FontPath        "unix/:7100"
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 data in "/etc/sysconfig/keyboard"
    Identifier     "Keyboard0"
    Driver         "kbd"
    Option         "XkbLayout" "us"
    Option         "XkbModel" "pc105"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Monitor0"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "Unknown"
    HorizSync       28.0 - 33.0
    VertRefresh     43.0 - 72.0
    Option         "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device0"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen0"
    Device         "Device0"
    Monitor        "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth    24
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
    EndSubSection
EndSection

So, what now?   --doug

[CJ]

Doug, I think we can use this as a base, but before proceeding, can we just try to figure this missing monitor setting in PCC out?

By PCC, I mean PCLinuxOS Control Center (not to be confused with the KDE Control Center), i.e. the one where you have to enter a password to get access.

Could you re-check this, just to make sure we are not talking cross-purpose?

CJ

[dougmack]

It's not in the Control Center, it's in Configure Your Desktop>Hardware>Display and Monitor--I never thought to look there.  It says 1920 X 1080, which is correct.
It also says 50.0Hz, which I'm pretty sure is wrong, but everything works OK, and the only option is 50 or auto, and if I put it in auto, it goes to 50Hz.  If it really is
50 Hz, that might be why the TV doesn't like it.  I think with a little bit of cleverness I can find out whether it's 50 or 60--I'd have to get something light-sensitive and
hook it up to my scope, while it looks at the screen.  Probably a diode in a clear glass housing might work.  I don't know if it matters, unless that's the problem.  Maybe
there's some other file in the machine that would tell us for sure.   

While we're on video, an aside:  Do you know where the screen layout--the icon positions--is stored?  I'd like to see if I can write a script to restore the screen after
the icons get moved around, which they do if I do a logout, instead of a restart. Also, when I close the MS Pinball program. The widgets stay put, but the icons all move
to the left of the screen.  Not to get off track, but some time when I feel like beating my  head against the wall, I'd like to see if I know enough bash to do that.
(I'd save the file with the layout, and make it automatically replace whatever is there after it gets munged.)

Back to dual monitors.  And I must have local sound, as well as on the TV.  --doug.

[CJ]

Doug, is it possible that we are talking past each other here?

What I really wanted for you to try was to go into PCC (not Configure Your Desktop, forget that for now), under Hardware, Configure Video Card. On that screen, you can click on the Monitor button. From there, you should be able to expand the Generic headline (as opposed to Vendor) and find 'Flat Panel 1920x1080'.

Can you tell me if this is not possible for some reason, or did I misunderstand you?


As for refresh rate, I suggest: forget it. I once, in some distant past, was in the same situation as you (couldn't get above 50) but someone explained that the refresh rate simply does not work the same way for a digital display. I can't say as I understood fully, but it had something to do with the pixels being changed as needed (as opposed to a complete screen refresh as on the old CRTs).


Regarding icon positions, I do not know, but I seem to recall a post specifically to that subject some months back, so a search should probably find it easily.
(I would be more concerned as to why your icons shift around in the first place, though...)


Your sound issue I am not too sure about. I wonder if it is the same as people using HDMI sound out. You are probably best served to start a separate topic for this issue (but one quick thing to try is to install QasMixer as it shows all the switches).


Anyway, as you say: back to dual display.

CJ


Cheers!
CJ

[T6]

most lcd screens will only work at 60hz, 50 is practically identical on most screens

if the screen is capabel of do 120hz then try that value but probably at 60 will be ok

[dougmack]

OK, I didn't understand how to get to the screen you referred to.  Once again I deleted xorg.con.  I persevered, and found the screen with the "monitor" input, and set it to flat screen 1920 x 1080. (The mouse cursor doesn't go off screen.)  I rebooted.  The mouse cursor doesn't go offscreen, but the screen is definitely the wrong size.  The picture extends over the right hand margin and over the bottom margin.  I tried to use the NVidia driver, but this version of the os said it was not installed properly and was going to use the Linux driver.  (Which I definitely DO NOT want!)  But I guess that's what it's using now.

Anyway, here's the xorg.cong.  Note that it's current--the time this minute is 8:30 PM, so the file has just been created10 minutes ago.

[doug@Linux1 X11]$ ls -la xo*
-rw-rw-r-- 1 root root 6554 May  5 20:17 xorg.conf
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 2623 May  4 14:49 xorg.conf.4may
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 2732 May  5 15:26 xorg.conf.5may
-rw-rw-r-- 1 root root 6132 May  3 02:38 xorg.conf.backup
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1469 May  5 19:57 xorg.conf.satnite

xorg.conf.d:
total 28
drwxr-xr-x  2 root root 4096 Jan 27 12:51 ./
drwxr-xr-x 14 root root 4096 May  5 20:17 ../
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 1099 Sep 22  2011 10-evdev.conf
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  979 Jul  9  2011 50-fpit.conf
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  172 Jul  9  2011 50-synaptics.conf
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  115 Jul  9  2011 50-vmmouse.conf
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  899 Jul  9  2011 50-wacom.conf
[doug@Linux1 X11]$ cat xorg.conf
# File generated by XFdrake (rev 262502)

# **********************************************************************
# Refer to the xorg.conf man page for details about the format of
# this file.
# **********************************************************************

Section "ServerFlags"
    Option "DontZap" "False" # disable <Ctrl><Alt><BS> (server abort)
    AllowMouseOpenFail # allows the server to start up even if the mouse does not work
    #DontZoom # disable <Ctrl><Alt><KP_+>/<KP_-> (resolution switching)
EndSection

Section "Module"
    Load "v4l" # Video for Linux
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier "monitor1"
    VendorName "Generic"
    ModelName "Flat Panel 1920x1080"
    HorizSync 31.5-67.0
    VertRefresh 56.0-65.0
   
    # Monitor preferred modeline (60.0 Hz vsync, 67.5 kHz hsync, ratio 16/9, 92 dpi)
    ModeLine "1920x1080" 148.5 1920 2008 2052 2200 1080 1084 1089 1125 +hsync +vsync
   
    # TV fullscreen mode or DVD fullscreen output.
    # 768x576 @ 79 Hz, 50 kHz hsync
    ModeLine "768x576"     50.00  768  832  846 1000   576  590  595  630
   
    # 768x576 @ 100 Hz, 61.6 kHz hsync
    ModeLine "768x576"     63.07  768  800  960 1024   576  578  590  616
   
    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1920x1080_120"  368.76  1920 2072 2288 2656  1080 1081 1084 1157  -HSync +Vsync
   
    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1920x1080_100"  302.02  1920 2072 2280 2640  1080 1081 1084 1144  -HSync +Vsync
   
    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1920x1080_85"  252.93  1920 2064 2272 2624  1080 1081 1084 1134  -HSync +Vsync
   
    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1920x1080_75"  220.64  1920 2056 2264 2608  1080 1081 1084 1128  -HSync +Vsync
   
    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1920x1080_60"  172.80  1920 2040 2248 2576  1080 1081 1084 1118  -HSync +Vsync
   
    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1920x1080_50"  141.45  1920 2032 2232 2544  1080 1081 1084 1112  -HSync +Vsync
   
    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1600x900_120"  255.69  1600 1728 1904 2208  900 901 904 965  -HSync +Vsync
   
    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1600x900_100"  208.90  1600 1720 1896 2192  900 901 904 953  -HSync +Vsync
   
    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1600x900_85"  174.79  1600 1712 1888 2176  900 901 904 945  -HSync +Vsync
   
    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1600x900_75"  152.28  1600 1704 1880 2160  900 901 904 940  -HSync +Vsync
   
    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1600x900_60"  119.00  1600 1696 1864 2128  900 901 904 932  -HSync +Vsync
   
    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1600x900_50"  97.04  1600 1680 1848 2096  900 901 904 926  -HSync +Vsync
   
    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1368x768_120"  185.67  1368 1472 1624 1880  768 769 772 823  -HSync +Vsync
   
    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1368x768_100"  151.73  1368 1464 1616 1864  768 769 772 814  -HSync +Vsync
   
    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1368x768_85"  125.67  1368 1456 1600 1832  768 769 772 807  -HSync +Vsync
   
    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1368x768_75"  110.19  1368 1456 1600 1832  768 769 772 802  -HSync +Vsync
   
    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1368x768_60"  85.86  1368 1440 1584 1800  768 769 772 795  -HSync +Vsync
   
    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1368x768_50"  69.92  1368 1424 1568 1768  768 769 772 791  -HSync +Vsync
   
    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1360x765_120"  182.63  1360 1456 1608 1856  765 766 769 820  -HSync +Vsync
   
    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1360x765_100"  149.22  1360 1456 1600 1840  765 766 769 811  -HSync +Vsync
   
    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1360x765_85"  124.65  1360 1448 1592 1824  765 766 769 804  -HSync +Vsync
   
    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1360x765_75"  108.34  1360 1440 1584 1808  765 766 769 799  -HSync +Vsync
   
    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1360x765_60"  84.40  1360 1424 1568 1776  765 766 769 792  -HSync +Vsync
   
    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1360x765_50"  69.34  1360 1416 1560 1760  765 766 769 788  -HSync +Vsync
   
    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1280x720_120"  161.56  1280 1376 1512 1744  720 721 724 772  -HSync +Vsync
   
    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1280x720_100"  131.85  1280 1368 1504 1728  720 721 724 763  -HSync +Vsync
   
    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1280x720_85"  110.01  1280 1360 1496 1712  720 721 724 756  -HSync +Vsync
   
    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1280x720_75"  95.65  1280 1352 1488 1696  720 721 724 752  -HSync +Vsync
   
    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1280x720_60"  74.48  1280 1336 1472 1664  720 721 724 746  -HSync +Vsync
   
    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1280x720_50"  60.47  1280 1328 1456 1632  720 721 724 741  -HSync +Vsync
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier "device1"
    Driver "vesa"
    Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier "screen1"
    Device "device1"
    Monitor "monitor1"
    DefaultColorDepth 24

    Subsection "Display"
        Depth 8
        Modes "1920x1080" "1600x900" "1366x768" "1360x765" "1280x720"
    EndSubsection

    Subsection "Display"
        Depth 15
        Modes "1920x1080" "1600x900" "1366x768" "1360x765" "1280x720"
    EndSubsection

    Subsection "Display"
        Depth 16
        Modes "1920x1080" "1600x900" "1366x768" "1360x765" "1280x720"
    EndSubsection

    Subsection "Display"
        Depth 24
        Modes "1920x1080" "1600x900" "1366x768" "1360x765" "1280x720"
    EndSubsection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier "layout1"
    Screen "screen1"
EndSection
[doug@Linux1 X11]$

Don't know what this all means, but this display is probably not what you had in mind.  --doug

[dougmack]

Just a note:  the post you saw about icons moving was almost surely mine, and it was not solved.  The posted
solution was to lock the icons and lock the widgets.  That keeps you from moving them deliberately, but it does not keep the icons from moving under certain otherwise normal conditions.  It's not critical--it is just something I want to work on if I can.  Somebody ought to.  Either that or fix what appears to be a bug, somewhere.  There are a number of programs for Windows that do that--I use one called Desktop Restore, written by a J. O'Connell.  As you probably
know, Windows is notorious for moving all your icons into a regimented mass at the left side of the screen.  This
distro would also like to move icons to the left side, apparently. With certain precautions, you can prevent that, but
it shouldn't be necessary.   --doug

[CJ]

Doug, good stuff! Although it probably seems like a step backwards at present, it gives us an xorg.conf we can start from and amend (as opposed to the previous one), and the base I was looking for.

One quick question: when you changed the monitor to the generic flat screen, did you also change the resolution to the required 1920x1080 (there is a button right below the Monitor button... apologies, I should have been clearer on this point, but it somehow slipped my mind).
When you do this, you should be asked if you want to use the propriety driver, to which you should say yes.
Either way, do not worry, we shall get you back to the proper format and driver.
Let me know how you fare on this step!
EDIT: You might not be allowed to go up to the required resolution as you are presently using the vesa driver. Do not worry if you cannot, we shall fix this soonest.

Depending on the result of the above - if successful, and if you have the patience - one thing I would really like for comparative reasons, is for you to unplug your Viewpoint monitor, re-insert the Toshiba TV (only) and perform the same steps as you have just done for the monitor; if you get it to work reasonably, post the xorg.conf that result after this.

After the above, once again unplug the Toshiba, re-plug the monitor and restore the xorg.conf (the one you just posted). (Alternatively, feel free to perform 'the steps' again with only the monitor plugged in.

I know this is bothersome - hence the needed patience - though my hope is that this shall provide us with the information we need to stitch one final xorg.conf together!


As for icons, you might be right, I thought after I posted that it could have been your post I was referring to.
I have a hope - maybe vain, time shall tell - that if we get your video sorted out, just maybe your icons will stay in place.

I used Icon Restore myself back in the XP days, and I got to depend on it too. (I also used the Nvidia settings dialog and kind of miss that sort of directness under Linux - but alas, one cannot have it all, and I still find Linux superior once I got it set up).


Anyway, let me know how you get on with the above, if you chose so (and have the patience for it)!


Doug, I just got thinking... just on the off-chance that something goes horribly awry and you are stuck with no graphical interface and just a prompt on start-up, would you know how to get back to where you were?
What I normally do, from said prompt, is simply to delete (rename) the existing xorg.conf and restart. This normally - as a minimum - gets you back into KDE.
As I said... just in case...

CJ

[dougmack]

Hi--

Yes, I could get back if I have to.
I thought I saw the resolution on the line below monitor, but maybe I'm mistaken. I will look now, and see if it's supposedly 1020 x 1080, and if not,  I can do the whole thing again.
I don't know if I can try the trick with just the TV--it's in another room, and I would not be able to key in anything related to
what's on the screen.  I will keep you posted, but right now I have some family business to attend to, so it will be later.

--doug