Xinerama-HOWTO.pdf

Using Xinerama to MultiHead XFree86 V. 4.0+

Dennis Baker

< xinerama@ogrehut.com>

Revision History

Revision 3.0

2002−11−15

Revised by: drb

Major revision

This document describes how to configure XFree86 Version 4.0+ with Multiple monitors and the Xinerama

extentions.

Using Xinerama to MultiHead XFree86 V. 4.0+

Table of Contents

1. Introduction. ....................................................................................................................................................1

1.1. Copyright. .........................................................................................................................................1

1.2. Disclaimer. ........................................................................................................................................1

1.3. Credits. ..............................................................................................................................................2

2. Getting Started. ...............................................................................................................................................3

3. Planning. ..........................................................................................................................................................4

3.1. What you need. .................................................................................................................................4

3.2. Design Considerations. .....................................................................................................................4

3.3. Layout. ..............................................................................................................................................5

4. AutoMagic Video Card Set Up. .....................................................................................................................6

5. Manual Video Card Set Up. ...........................................................................................................................8

6. Scan the PCI Bus. ............................................................................................................................................9

7. Editing your XConfig File. ...........................................................................................................................10

7.1. Adding your video cards. ................................................................................................................10

7.2. Identifying Your Video Cards. .......................................................................................................10

7.3. Configuring the Server Layout. ......................................................................................................10

8. Testing Your Configuration. ........................................................................................................................12

8.1. Configuring X to Start Xinerama Automatically. ...........................................................................12

9. Window Managers and Xinerama. .............................................................................................................13

10. Sample XF86Config Files. ..........................................................................................................................14

1. Introduction

Why do you need Xinerama ? And what is it ? The Xinerama extensions were introduced to the XFree86

system in version 4.0. Xinerama is an extension to XFree86 Release 6 Version 4.0 (X4.0) which allows

applications and window managers to use the two (or more) physical displays as one large virtual display.

The beauty of the Xinerama extensions is that they are totally transparent to user space. Previously,

applications could only reside on one of the displays and could not be moved between the two. Window

managers had to be specially written to support the two displays. With Xinerama, window managers and

applications don't have to be specially written to support the larger "Virtual Desktop" which Xinerama creates.

1.1. Copyright

Documentation Project (LDP) license, stated below.

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In short, we wish to promote dissemination of this information through as many channels as possible.

However, we do wish to retain copyright on the HOWTO documents, and would like to be notified of any

plans to redistribute the HOWTOs.

If you have any questions, please contact < xinerama@ogrehut.com>

1.2. Disclaimer

No liability for the contents of this documents can be accepted. Use the concepts, examples and other content

at your own risk. As this is a new edition of this document, there may be errors and inaccuracies, that may of

course be damaging to your system. Proceed with caution, and although this is highly unlikely, the author(s)

do not take any responsibility for that.

All copyrights are held by their by their respective owners, unless specifically noted otherwise. Use of a term

in this document should not be regarded as affecting the validity of any trademark or service mark.

Naming of particular products or brands should not be seen as endorsements.

You are strongly recommended to take a backup of your system before major installation and backups at

regular intervals.

1. Introduction

Using Xinerama to MultiHead XFree86 V. 4.0+

1.3. Credits

Much of the introduction and first sections are based loosely on a document submitted to me from Nico

Schottelius < nico−linux−xinerama −at− schottelius.org > .

Also thanks to the many people who have emailed me with spelling tips, and suggestions. I have incorporated

them whenever I could.

The wonderful disclaimer on the prior page is brought to us courtesy of the thousands of lawyers in this

wonderful country who put their own greed over common sense.

1. Introduction

2. Getting Started

This is not meant to be a guide on how to set up your specific monitor, or videocard. In fact, I assume that you

already have X Window running for your setup. Please refer to the XF86 Documentation for more

information.

If you are using a single multiheaded card you will need to refer to your video card manufacturers

instructions. I know that both nVidia and Matrox support Linux multihead setups. nVidia includes some

documentation with their drivers, but I don't have one of these cards to test with so I don't have any specific

details.

As far as I know, there are no limits to which video cards you can configure this way, nor does it seem to

matter if you mix different types of video cards in a setup, The sample configuration I use in this

documentation uses two different video cards, an AGP Fire GL 1000 and a PCI Matrox Millenium II. What

effect this has on 3d Accelleration I don't know as I don't currently accellerate either of my video cards.

This Howto assumes that you know how to edit text files, do basic video card configuration for X Window,

add and remove hardware from your system, start and stop system services, and follow simple instructions. If

feel you will have trouble with any of these things, please seek help. I am not responsible if you damage any

of your stuff.

2. Getting Started

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