[NTLUG:Discuss] display resolution startup

[Stuart Johnston]

Rick Cook wrote:
> On Wednesday 28 January 2004 22:25, Wayne Dahl wrote:
> 
>>On Wed, 2004-01-28 at 13:06, David Evans wrote:
>>
>>>Hello all,
>>>I have an easy one for you.
>>>when my desktop starts up it starts in 1280x1024. I tried to edit
>>>XFree86config to make it start in 800x600 mode. help please
>>>What am I doing wrong?
>>
>>This brings up a question I've had for a long time, but never had a
>>real reason to ask.  Is there a way to change screen resolutions on the
>>fly similar to what M$ allows?  I'm running RH 8.0, but does ANY distro
>>allow you to do that?  If so, how?
>>
> 
> 
> If you have several resolutions included in your XF86Config file, you can 
> cycle between them with ctrl-alt-KP+ or ctrl-alt-KP-. This will change 
> resolution. It will not change color depth.

But that doesn't really do what a Windows user would expect.  Your 
'virtual desktop' is still the same size as your default resolution.

There is a new extention in recent versions of XFree86 (4.2?) called 
RANDR (resolution and rotation) that allows you to do what you are 
probably expecting.  I don't know how integrated it is into any 
distribution.  You may have to play around with and see (I've never 
actually used it).


Stuart Johnston