I strongly suggest u read up some before u go ahead ...
This is Stuff i picked off the net ............
Someone did a neat job of writing this hope it helps ..........
Cheers
Ani
. Planning
Planning a Xinerama setup is pretty straight forward. There as essentially
three things you need to take into account, screen resolution, color depth,
and screen layout.
2.1 What you need
You will need at least 2 graphics cards (a dual headed one should work, too)
and two monitors, an operating system on which XFree runs (for instance
Linux or Solaris) and XFree86 version 4.0. I assume your setup works, and
that your two video cards are supported by XFree86.
Unless you recently upgraded or installed linux you are probably running an
older version of X. Verify that you are running version 4.0 or better by
typing the following command:
papel:/home/nico/X/bin # X -version
You should now see something like this:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
XFree86 Version 4.0 / X Window System
(protocol Version 11, revision 0, vendor release 6400)
Release Date: 8 March 2000
If the server is older than 6-12 months, or if your card is newer
than the above date, look for a newer version before reporting
problems. (see http://www.XFree86.Org/FAQ)
Operating System: Linux 2.3.46 i686 [ELF]
Module Loader present
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
If the version is not 4.0 or higher ( first line ), you will need to
upgrade. Use your distributions package manager to upgrade to version 4.0 or
better or download it directly from XFree86 and install it.
ftp://ftp.xfree86.org/pub/XFree86/4.0/
or better use one of the mirrors found at
http://www.xfree86.org/4.0/ftp.html
After download the files install the new X with the Xinstall.sh shellscript.
Please note, if you install X this way it is bypassing any package
management your system has.
2.2 Design considerations
It is possible to have each physical screen in your Xinerama setup to have a
different resolution. There are some advantages to this, I was able to use
an old monitor which only operates at 640x480, and a bigger 17" at 1280x1024
in my setup. I have also heard of web developers and graphics designed who
use one big "preview" screen and flank it with one or two smaller screens. I
think this flexibility is one of the great things about the Xinerama
extensions.
There are several UI issues which are specific to Xinerama with most current
generation window managers (see the section on Window Managers ) do not
address well. The most anoying is the poor handling of dead areas.
Window managers assume the display area is a rectangle equal in size to the
heighth and width of your total desktop. If you use more than one display
resolution in a Xinerama setup your desktop will be non-rectangular. This
results in "dead areas", areas which do not exist on your display, but
window manager interpret as "Empty". Many window managers will try to
utilize this dead area for new windows. The result is windows which are
inaccessable. As window managers become Xinerama aware and this problem will
go away quickly.
Window managers also don't handle the concept of maximizing a window when
you are running Xinerama. Usually what happens is it maximizes your window
across all available screens. Having Netscape spread across 2 displays is
generally not the best way to surf the net.
Unlike with screen resolotion, Xinerama limits your entire virtual screen to
one color depth. If you were planning on pulling out a cheap video card for
your second display you need to keep this in mind. If your old video card
only supports 8 bit color you might get a bigger display but most newer
programs look lousy in 256 colors.
2.3 Layout
Layout decisions are fairly simple, you just need to decide how you want to
physically lay out your monitors. Most people will simply place their
monitors in a row and view their desktop as one giant monitor. It is also
possible to overlap displays, or place them in more complex layouts. Keep in
mind though what I said above about window managers expecting rectangular
displays.
3. Video Card set up.
This is a good time to back up your existing config file
I did it like this:
root# > cp /etc/X11/XF86Config /etc/X11/XFree86Config.working
Before we start the multihead portion of this process you need to have ALL
of your existing cards working properly with the display they will have in
the final configuration. If you haven't already, configure and install each
different video card/ monitor combination you are going to have in your
final setup. If you have several identical video cards you can get away with
configuring one and copying the configuration for the other cards.
Note, it is possible configure and test your video cards without physically
swapping them. If you use the technique in the scan PCI Bus Section below
and specify the bus ID.
After you have each card set up, back up or print it's config file as you
will need it later. Here's how I did it:
root# > cp /etc/X11/XF86Config /etc/X11/XFree86Config.Matrox
On Some setups the XF86Config file is stored in /etc so you would do it like
this:
root# > cp /etc/XF86Config /etc/XFree86Config.Matrox
If your video cards are identical you can probably get away with just one
copy. However don't skip this step, If all else fails this will be you
backup config file incase my instructions lead you astray.
Once you have all of your displays configured you are almost there...
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
4. Scan the PCI Bus
This is a good time to put all of your video cards into your system and set
up your monitors. Set everything up the way you want it when you are done,
as you will have to repeat steps later if you change things.
This next step needs to be done from the console with-out X running. If you
are in X, exit now. If your system uses a display manager such as xdm or gdm
exit you need to stop that service. If you need to stop a display manager
from RedHat the easiest way is like this:
root# > telinit 3
for Debian, Storm or Corel :
root# > /etc/init.d/xdm stop
If neither of these methods work you, reboot your computer and start up in
single user mode.
In a multi-head setup you need to explicitly identify each video card in
your config file. To do this you need to use the PCI Bus Identifier your
system assigns the card. At this time, all video cards need to be in your
system.
To find out what your PCI bus IDs are:
root# > XFree86 -scanpci
X will then output a code for each device on your PCI bus.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
(0:0:0) Intel 82443BX Host
(0:1:0) Intel 82443BX AGP
(0:7:0) Intel 82371AB PIIX4 ISA
(0:7:1) Intel 82371AB PIIX4 IDE
(0:7:2) Intel 82371AB PIIX4 USB
(0:7:3) Intel 82371AB PIIX4 ACPI
(0:9:0) Adaptec 2940U/UW
(0:11:0) 3COM 3C900 10b Combo
(0:12:0) Matrox unknown card (0x2007) using a Matrox MGA 2164W
(1:0:0) unknown card (0x1092/0x0152) using a Texas Instruments Permedia 2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
PCI cards and devices are identified with a leading 0, AGP cards with a 1.
In my case I have a Matrox Millenium II (0:12:0) and a Diamond
FireGL(1:0:0). Find your video cards and write down the numbers associated
with them. It is important that you know which number goes with which card.
5. Editing your XConfig File
If I haven't lost you so far, we are in the home stretch now. This section
is pretty confusiing so I suggest you also read the manpage for XF86Config,
or at least skim it. Do it now... I'll wait.
root# > man XF86Config
5.1 Adding all of your video cards
Open your current XF86Config file and scroll down to the Monitor Section.
You want to copy the following sections from the device specific XF86Config
backup files you created above : Monitor, Device, Screen. These sections
should go in your XF86Config file after the coresponding section in the file
you have open. As you copy each section make certain that the Identifier is
unique for each section, you will reference these Identifiers later.
Clear as Mud Right? You should now have a Monitor Section, a Device Section,
and a Screen Section for EACH video card/monitor combination, each Section
should have a unique Identifier. If you are still confused reread the prior
paragraph. If that doesn't help, look at the sample XF86Config I have
included at the end. You did read the manpage right?
5.2 Identifying Your Video Cards
Now you need to add the coresponding PCI BusID as an option at the end of
each Device Section. The entry should look like this: BusID "PCI:0:12:0",
substituting the three numbers with the PCI bus ID which identifies YOUR
video card you should have this ID from the PCI Bus Section . Here is a
sample Device Section for one of my video cards.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
Section "Device"
Identifier "FireGL"
Driver "glint"
BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
EndSection
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
Please note, even AGP cards use this layout.
5.3 Configuring the ServerLayout Section
Now you need to edit the ServerLayout Section at the end of the XF86Config
File. The ServerLayour Section is exactally that, it tells you what Screens
to use, how to lay them out logically, and what input devices to assign to
them. Your current layout is for one screen, keyboard, and mouse. For each
Screen section you have created about you need reference in this section for
them to appear in your display.
Using the existing screen reference as a starting point, create additional
references for your other Screen Sections. The reference looks like this:
Screen "Screen 2" Relationship "Screen 1"
This defines the relationship between the "Screen 2" and "Screen 1". Valid
Relationships include: RightOf, Below, Above, LeftOf, Absolute X Y,
Relative. Use of the first four relationships is pretty obvious as
illustrated in my sample:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Simple Layout"
Screen "Screen 2"
Screen "Screen 1" RightOf "Screen 2"
InputDevice "Mouse1" "CorePointer"
InputDevice "Keyboard1" "CoreKeyboard"
EndSection
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
6. Testing Your Configuration
Once you have completed changing your XF86Config file, save it and your can
now test your configuration :
root# > startx -- +xinerama
Hopefully you can now enjoy X with multiple partners... er that is,
Monitors.
7. Editing your startup files
If this worked you will probably want to change your X configuration to
start X this way automatically. There are lots of ways to do this and there
are probably better ways than what I've shown below. Here are the methods I
used for changing startx and gdm.
If you run X from the command prompt add the +xinerama option to the startx
script.
root# > vi /usr/X11R6/bin/startx
At the very end of the file the script starts X with the command xinit. Add
the +xinerama option to the very end of that line.
To Configure gdm to start with the xinerama extentions look for [servers]
section at the bottom of /etc/X11/gdm/gdm.conf. Add the +xinerama extension
to the end of the line that starts with 0=. It should look like this :
0=/usr/bin/X11/X +xinerama
I have never set up kdm, or xdm for Xinerama, but I got the following tip
from Dalibor "[EMAIL PROTECTED]".
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
Here's my changes to startup files for slackware 7.x
(i use KDM and x4.01)
edit /var/X11R6/lib/xdm/Xservers
add +xinerama to the end of last line
ie.
:0 local /usr/X11R6/bin/X +xinerama
It appears that KDM uses standard XFree xdm files, so this should work if
you
use xdm as well
8. Window Managers and Xinerama
As I mentioned above, a window manager does not need to be written to
support Xinerama. However there are certain enhancements which window
manager developers can do to make Xinerama users lives easier. Features
which I thought were desireable include:
* Intelligent placement of windows. Window managers should not place windows
in dead areas or across the borders of two heads. New windows should be
placed in the current desktop.
* Maximizing windows should maximize the window to the current head only.
* Window Movements should have edge resistance between heads (Much like they
have resistance to other windows).
* Dialogs and informative messages should not pop up Between Heads.
I searched the mailing lists, FAQs, and emailed the developers of most of
the major window managers to see if they were working on any Xinerama
related extensions. The Window Managers/ Desktop environments I reviewed
included Blackbox, Enlightenment, KDE, WindowMaker, and XFCE. Enlightenment
and Sawfish were the only two which I found significant enhancements for
Xinerama. I have detailed what I discovered below.
8.1 Enlightenment
>From their news page: Sun Mar 26 2000
E with Xinerama support
We just got done adding real xinerama support to E this weekend. Now you
have edge resistance moving windows between heads, windows will always pop
up on the currently focused head (unless it wants to go someplace else by
geom settings or you have it saved to go someplace else), maximize (unless
you use "absolute" maximize) stays on the current head also. If you have
xinerama and you run E out of CVS, test this and give us feedback.
8.2 Sawfish
>From the Sawfish mailing list I have discovered that they are actively
developing Xinerama support. Features which are currently in the development
version include :
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
* Preventing Windows from being mapped across heads
* Preventing Windows from being mapped in dead spots
* Edge resistance moving between heads
* Centered and Random placement modes place windows on the current Head
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
I have not tested this functionality.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steve Tabler [SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Sent: Friday, December 14, 2001 3:40 PM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: [Newbie]multiple display cards
>
> Thanks Ani, I'll give that a try. I'm guessing that I'll just copy the
> info
> about one card so that I'll have the same thing twice, with a different
> name
> for each card.
>
> I've been busy verifying that the motherboard didn't have some quirk (it's
> my old motherboard) that disallowed working with 2 cards. Had to make a
> temporary install of a competing operating system and I was able to get 2
> cards working together. Also discovered I was "cheated" by my Matrox
> vendor: all 4 cards were to be 8MB cards, but one of them is really a
> 4MB.
>
> Steve
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ani_Adarsh" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Sent: Thursday, December 13, 2001 11:49 PM
> Subject: RE: [Newbie]multiple display cards
>
>
> > Welcome to the club steve
> > i had the same problem until yesterday night
> > My cards are up now ..
> > i got X with multiple Partners oops Monitors
> > :-)
> > try XFree86 -configure
> > that probably will work
> > if it doesn't it will create a XF86Config.new file in your /root (i did
> this
> > as root)
> > this is useful for ur card config's
> > now u can go and edit ur Config file for me editing /etc/X11/XF86Config
> did
> > not work but instead
> > /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 it should work ....
> >
> > Cheers
> > Ani
> >
> > Life is fair, everyone is zcrewed sometime ......
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Steve Tabler [SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> > > Sent: Friday, December 14, 2001 12:12 PM
> > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > > Subject: [Newbie]multiple display cards
> > >
> > > I am using Red Hat 7.1 with whatever version of X that comes with it.
> I
> > > just changed from using the video built-into the motherboard to using
> a
> > > pair
> > > of Matrox Millennium II cards....except that only one of the matrox
> cards
> > > is
> > > working, and nothing in the install made reference to the second card.
> > > Running Xconfigurator, all I get asked about is the mouse, then an
> > > error-message about being unable to write a file.
> > >
> > > What is the procedure for setting up X for multiple cards? Manually
> > > editing
> > > the file?
> > >
> > > Thanks in advance!
> > > Steve
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Newbie mailing list
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> >
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