[ale] Display

[Michael Hirsch]

Tom writes:
> I just installed RH 6.0 and Gnome w/o much of a hitch :) (much easier than
> 5.2 which I gave up on because of all things a mouse config). 
> It recognized my video card and my monitor perfectly. However while setting
> up the video card/display I gave the install program some bad information
> and I ended up with a display that is about four times the size of my
> monitor. I looked in the HowTos to see if there was anything detailing how
> to change video card and monitor settings after the install is finished. 
> I have looked in linuxconf and the Gnome config to try to find how to
> change the settings. Having come from Windows, I was kind of expecting
> something like the "display" control panel. 

It sounds like you have a "virtual desktop" that is 1024x768 but you
are only displaying in a 640x480 mode.  As you mouse hits the edge of
the screen, does the desktop "scroll" sideways (or up/down)?

You can try to change resolutions with CTRL-ALT-+ (i.e., hold down
control and alt and then press the '+' key on the keypad--it won't
work with the regular '+' key).  This will cycle you through your
configurations.  If you find one you like you should go and edit your
/etc/X11/XF86Config file to make that one the default.  Generally,
putting the one you like first will suffice, but it can get confusing.

> Is there anything like that?
> Is there a "HowTo" about this?
> Failing that, can someone tell me where to make the changes?

Running 'xdpyinfo' in a shell inside X will give you information on
the resolution and number of colors that are possible in your setup.
If you did what I think you did, you tried to enable everything.  In
this case your default will be 8 bit color and 640x480 with a virtual
desktop of 1024x768 (or even larger).

There are a couple of ways to test the other possibilities.  As
mentioned above, CTRL-ALT-+ will cyle you through the various
resolutions.  When you find one you like, put it first on the
appropriate Modes line.

To test other bit depths, run "startx -- -bpp n" where n is 8 16 24 or
32.  Take the biggest one that works in the resolution you like, and
add the line
    DefaultColorDepth 32
to the Screen section in the XF86Config file.

When you've found a bit depth and resolution you like, but the image
isn't perfectly centered or quite the right size, you can either use
the controls on your monitor to fix it, or run xvidtune.  This lets
you adjust the mode by small amounts to fit it on your monitor.  When
you get something you like, you can print out the correct mode line.
Now add this mode-line to your XF86Config file and comment out the
others.

There are also a variety of programs that will automate some parts of
this task.  XConfigurator, xf86config, XF86Setup.  The latter is the
most graphical.\

Hope that helps,

--Michael