dual Monitor drama LM18.1

Condobloke

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running Linux Mint 18.1
updated as of april 30
monitor on LH side...acer...24" ...will not 'store' icons any closer to any edge than 22mm approx
monitor on RH side...samsung 24"...will store icons quite normally...as close to an edge as I care to put them.
Is this a big deal?.....No
Is this incredibly Annoying?......Yes.
LH monitor is connected via vga
RH monitor is connected via hdmi

Previous installation of LM18....had no problems whatsoever of this nature

Any clues ?
 


Hi Condobloke, and welcome to Linux.org!

I'm afraid I can't help much. I've never used multiple monitors, and I failed to get much info from Google that applies to your situation. But maybe some others here with more knowledge will jump in with some advice.

Since you've only made a minor switch from LM 18.0 to 18.1, you might see if Clem or some of the folks on Linux Mint Forums also experienced a similar problem.

Since it worked before, it should not make a difference with the different cables and different brands of monitor. I tend to guess the problem could be with screen resolutions being different, or desktop "grid" spacing that icons align to. I did find some info on grid spacing, but I can't find how to set that on two monitors. Have you looked at xrandr settings and options?

Good luck!
 
Hi Condobloke, hi atanere

By way of explanation, Condobloke and I know each other well from another Forum (his question is not being duplicated).

CB and I were speaking briefly about xrandr yesterday, and he had got as far as posting me the output for his xrandr (same as xrandr -q, for the viewers).

Could you post that here, Mate?

Also, if you are looking into xrandr yourself, you can try:

Code:
xrandr --help

or

Code:
man xrandr

... to get an idea of the syntax involved.

If you are not comfortable with Terminal commands, the GUI frontend is ARandR, which is in your Repositories and can be installed, using

Code:
sudo apt-get -y install arandr

Condobloke is using the Cinnamon DE of Serena, just upgraded from Sarah.

I'll butt out and let the real experts run with the ball.

Wizard
 
G'day mate.....

brian@brian-desktop ~ $ xrandr
Screen 0: minimum 8 x 8, current 3840 x 1080, maximum 32767 x 32767
DP1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP2 connected 1920x1080+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 531mm x 299mm
1920x1080 60.00*+
1680x1050 59.95
1280x1024 75.02 60.02
1440x900 59.89
1280x960 60.00
1280x800 59.81
1152x864 75.00
1280x720 60.00
1024x768 75.08 70.07 60.00
832x624 74.55
800x600 72.19 75.00 60.32 56.25
640x480 75.00 72.81 66.67 60.00
720x400 70.08
HDMI1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
HDMI2 connected primary 1920x1080+1920+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 531mm x 299mm
1920x1080 60.00*+ 50.00 59.94
1680x1050 59.88
1600x900 60.00
1280x1024 75.02 60.02
1440x900 59.90
1280x800 59.91
1152x864 75.00
1280x720 60.00 50.00 59.94
1024x768 75.08 70.07 60.00
832x624 74.55
800x600 72.19 75.00 60.32 56.25
720x576 50.00
720x480 60.00 59.94
640x480 75.00 72.81 66.67 60.00 59.94
720x400 70.08
HDMI3 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
VIRTUAL1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
brian@brian-desktop ~ $
 
Personally, I don't think that xrandr is likely to be the problem. xrandr only sets things like the resolution, refresh-rate and the orientation of the screens. I don't think that it affects the spacing of the icons or anything like that. That sounds like something that would be determined by the Desktop Environment or the Window Manager.

Could this have something to do with the different monitors having a different resolutions/aspect ratios or something? I'm thinking perhaps the resolution and the aspect ratio is causing the icons to be spaced differently by the Cinnamon DE/WM? That would be my guess.

I often connect my laptop to one of our TVs, which all have different resolutions and aspect ratio's to my laptop monitor. But I use Debian Testing with a tiling wm (dwm) which doesn't use desktop icons at all - so I've never seen this problem before. Not sure what to suggest. As Atanere has mentioned, it might be worth checking out the Mint forums. Someone there might have some idea!
 
Thanks for your reply, JasKinasis.
The resolution and aspect ratio for both screens is the same, according to what I see in the display area......1920 x 1080 (16:9)
I checked that out fairly early ....thinking that this was something simple.
I am going to connect both monitors via hdmi in the next day or so (waiting for a double adapter...only have one hdmi port)....Not sure at all that this will make any difference.....I suspect not.
Is it worth noting that I have an inbuilt graphics card ?
Card: Intel Device 1902 bus-ID: 00:02.0
Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
Resolution: [email protected], [email protected]
GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel HD Graphics 510 (Skylake GT1)
GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 12.0.6 Direct Rendering: Yes

I think I am grasping at straws here......but I am willing to 'grasp' any straw which may provide a solution.
 
Ah, looking back at the xrandr settings you previously posted: For one monitor you have the following settings:
1920x1080 60.00*+

For the other monitor:
1920x1080 60.00*+ 50.00 59.94

So they are both configured slightly differently.
I'm not sure what the additional settings after 60.00*+ are for on the 2nd monitor.

Perhaps this is what is causing the difference in behaviour. I've just looked at the man page for xrandr and I'm still not sure what these settings denote. Maybe I was incorrect in my previous post. Perhaps xrandr can set a border for the screen or something.
 
Are the 50.00 and 59.94 the alternate refresh rates for the 1920x1080 resolution on the other monitor?.... :/
 
If you are correct that the configurations are slightly different from each other.....1. I have no idea how that came to be....and 2. I have no idea how to go about altering it.

To tired to think more about this tonight...will take a fresh look again tomorrow.
 
JasKinasis has said

"That sounds like something that would be determined by the Desktop Environment or the Window Manager."

... and rightly so, in fact the two are intimately connected.

For example, the KDE desktop has Dolphin as its FM, and Dolphin controls how the Desktop appears.

Condobloke, correct me if I am wrong, but is it still the Cinnamon Desktop you are using, and if so, that is controlled by Nemo.

Also, do you still have another Linux Distro multibooting, and if so which one please?
 
Yes....still using Cinnamon..(Desktop: Cinnamon 3.2.7 (Gtk 3.18.9-1ubuntu3.3))

No multi boot at all. I do have a VMWare virtual machine with Win 10 installed there
 
Regrets for the delay.

4nQCLZR.png


The image above is from Cinnamon on my 19" monitor

Below is from MATE, same monitor

akYRoKs.png


You'll note the dummy files and folders as being similar to your own.

Both were done with icons unaligned.

Cinnamon uses Nemo as the FM, and MATE, Caja.

I have to go in a moment, but I have found references at GitHub and at Linux Mint Forums (as atanere quite rightly suggested), the latter I think refers to Launchpad.net as a bug Nemo has had for some years.

Before I return, whatever you do - you can ADD an FM out of your Repositories and even make it default, but DON'T remove or purge eg Nemo, it is integral to your DE and you will lose your Cinnamon desktop.

Back tomorrow our time CB but if someone comes up with better, go with the flow?
 
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"go with the flow".....the flow seems to be lacking

I installed Mc (midnight commander)....lots of good comments, so I went with it

Havent had time to screw around with it yet....nit much of an idea what i'm doing either !!
 
Good luck, but I will be pleasantly delighted for you if it is what you are looking for. It seems to me that it is a shell-based File Manager, not unlike DOSSHELL used to be to Windows, but I doubt that it integrates with the Desktop in terms of icons. Hope I am wrong, for your sake.

With the mainstream Linux Distros, each DE has an associated default FM, including as follows below:

  • Cinnamon - Nemo
  • MATE - Caja
  • Xfce - Thunar
  • GNOME - Nautilus (aka Files)
  • Unity - Nautilus (aka Files)
  • KDE/Plasma - Dolphin
and there are others, I believe you tried the Solus-based Budgie not so long ago.

FMs of the type as listed are the type that I was referring to earlier, as being in control of your Desktop icon placement as well.

Edited - typo
 
Sorry for the piecemeal approach, CB, one more question (two parts) -

In your OP you said you upgraded from 18 to 18.1 Apr 30. And I believe the Acer LH side is the new monitor?

Were the icons satisfactory under LM 18 and changed with 18.1, or were they still unsatisfactory with 18?
 
(me in red)
In your OP you said you upgraded from 18 to 18.1 Apr 30. And I believe the Acer LH side is the new monitor?
Correct.
Were the icons satisfactory under LM 18 and changed with 18.1, or were they still unsatisfactory with 18?
The icons were satisfactory under LM 18

Only with the upgrade to 18.1, did they become unsatisfactory
 
This might be a good point to summarise your circumstances, before this Topic trickles into a second page.

The summary below comprises information you have provided here, combined with information I know of your circumstances from elsewhere back in February, under a different configuration.
  • In February, you had a Samsung 24" monitor on the left-hand side as your Primary positioned monitor, with an old HP 19" monitor on the right-hand side
  • You had the large number of icons on the right-hand side monitor, and at a satisfactory proximity to the edge of that screen
  • You upgraded from Linux Mint 18 Cinnamon to 18.1, and from then on, the right-hand monitor would not present the icons less than 22mm to the edge of screen
  • By 30 April, you had retired the HP and had a new Acer, also 24"
  • You reversed the orientation of the monitors, and the Acer moved to the left, with the many icons, and your working monitor, the Samsung, moved to the right
  • You had presumably reverted to Linux Mint 18, and then 30 April you upgraded to 18.1 and the many icons, now on the Acer, once again failed to present close to the edge of screen, not less than 22mm from the edge.
I hope this is accurate.

Briefly speaking (as I have to go soon), the news I have is not good, depending on your viewpoint and priorities.

Linux Mint 18 shipped with one version of Nemo, which accommodated your desires, and with 18.1 a newer version of Nemo shipped, which did not.

You cannot dial back to the older, satisfactory, version of Nemo, even from a .deb package you can obtain online, because Synaptic Package Manager will block your attempt with a message that a newer version is already in place.

If you remove Nemo, you will cripple your Cinnamon Desktop Environment.

If you try to remove both, you will bork your install, even if you have their replacements on hand and try to do it in the same session.

I have enclosed a screenshot showing a dual monitor setup I have, with the icons closer than 22mm to the screen edge. On the left, a 19" Dell, and on the right, a 23" Acer (incorporated into an All-in-one).

This was done by monkeying with Settings-Desktop, and if you choose to try same, you might let us know what your setting is currently.

Note that I cannot get the icons closer to the edge, where underlying text is larger than the size of the icon.

Other alternatives are that you dial back to LM18, which worked for you, or else try a different Distro/Desktop Environment combination, and subscribe to GitHub and/or Launchpad to see when they fix the current bugs with Nemo.

Regrets that I cannot do better, here is that screenshot

kZxHIRJ.png
 
Thanks Wiz....very much
Again, you have gone above and beyond.

Your summation is a little out....but not so that it will make any difference to the final outcome.

I understand your approach re nemo and the update to that in 18.1....such that it has caused the drama that i currently experience.

I am somewhat hesitant to return to 18....although I can do that quite quickly and easily via Timeshift.

I find a certain snappiness in 18.1 which is missing in 18.....not sure why.....but I will "suck it up" and get myself used to the 'look' of the slightly inboard icons.

I have already attempted a ton of alternative positions re the desktop settings....my current settings are as below....and these are exactly the same as in 18

ke7qjd.jpg


Is 'Double Commander' a file manager ?

or....If i was to install Midnight Commander,,(OR another fm more suitable)....I am currently searching for another)).....A. How do I make it the default (without uninstalling nemo !),....and B. Will that possibly get around the issue which I currently face ?

There is no rush or hurry on my part Wiz...take a breath and relax.

Brian
 
Last edited:
Is 'Double Commander' a file manager ?

or....If i was to install Midnight Commander,,(OR another fm more suitable)....I am currently searching for another)).....A. How do I make it the default (without uninstalling nemo !),....and B. Will that possibly get around the issue which I currently face ?

Yes, Double Commander is also a file manager. It's available in Synaptic as "doublecmd".

A. Open your Linux Mint menu, choose "Preferences," then "Preferred Applications." From there, choose the "System" tab to change file managers. (This is in MATE desktop, not Cinnamon, though I'd guess they are the same.)

B. I don't know the answer on that one, sorry.

Maybe I missed above, but have you tried the MATE desktop of Mint, rather than Cinnamon? As @wizardfromoz already noted, it uses the Caja file manger instead of Nemo. I have tended to use MATE myself due to problems (that I've now forgotten) that I had with Cinnamon. The two desktops are not too much different from one another (to me).

Good luck... hoping you find the solution!
 
Thanks atanere, that provided food for thought

I am somewhat busy tyhis morning....but I will drop a screenshot here of my Preferred Applications screen.....

1h2jpu.jpg


I did go to this area prior to today in an attempt to make midnight commander the default file manager

Later...go to go
 

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