Cannot change primary monitor preference. Ubuntu Gnome [SOLVED]

Operating Systems & Open Source Linux
1

So for what ever reason, after a reinstallation of ubuntu, it decides to make my right monitor the main the left aux. But it thinks the left is right and the right is left. If you follow. I cannot find a setting in the gui to denote this. When I set the orientation under display properties it straightens this out. When I reboot however, it defaults back. Also I can not change which screen the top bar displays on. I have searched google for answers but all the answers say write a script to execute or write a setting file. I don't quite understand. Should there not be a configuration file already in existence that I can just edit? Its an AMD 7970 card and I'm running FOSS drivers.

2

Quick answer, it's a bug. What version are you running?

Stealth edit: I ran into this issue with Ubuntu GNOME 15.04

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14.04.2 LTS UBUTNU Gnome install. Not Unity with gnome installed over it

4

Wow that was fast. If I remember correctly, I tried to use xrandr and it didn't work or I got some sort of error. I found this:

I had a similar problem after installing Ubuntu Gnome 14.04 and found that I had to set the desktop interface scaling to a value of 1. I'm not sure that this is relevant to you with a unity ubuntu install but it's worth checking anyway. To do this type the following in terminal ... (as current user, not root)

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface scaling-factor 1

You will need to reboot as well for the change to take full effect.

You can set this property through dconf-editor GUI as well.

And here's the source in case someone accuses me of theft

The setting you're looking for will be in the thing with all the settings. We're talking audio, display, background, it should be system settings or something like that. My issue was that I would try to change the resolution or where the monitors are placed and it would just revert back when I hit save.

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Nah didn't work. I'll have to keep looking. I go under "Display" under settings. I rearage monitor location but It does not give me an option to select a primary display.

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It must be a setting in the Xorg config file, but it's most likely as I said, a bug.

(just so you know, I'm not giving up either, I'll be reinstalling it on my computer in a few hours)

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I kno if I reinstall it will set up fine. After the last reinstall my left monitor tweaked out upon first boot. I turned it off then all of a sudden my right monitor became default. I rebooted, displays were fine but they were filp flopped. I could probably just switch the inputs but that would just be a work around. Would rather find out why and see if it's something I can fix.

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System Settings > Displays you can change your "primary" screen by dragging the black little bar to the display you want and hit the Apply button

Try that. It may be outdated, and all it does is set the primary display.

EDIT: Found this
http://bernaerts.dyndns.org/linux/74-ubuntu/309-ubuntu-dual-display-monitor-position-lost

This should help with the display position saving where it is.

rm ~/.config/monitors.xml

That clears the previous settings so you can redo it from scratch.

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This worked! I did this. To be though I did exicute "gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface scaling-factor 1" in terminal. I rebooted (sudo reboot in terminal) nothing changed. I "

I shutdown, turned back on and all is saved and fine.

Factors I am not sure have bearing on the outcome.
-rebooting via terminal
-shuttingdown (GUI) vs rebooting (GUI) vs rebooting (terminal)
-if "gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface scaling-factor 1" played a roll in settings being saved.

thanks for your help @Lyam_Witherow.

I did not

10

Awesome!

I don't think the rebooting/shutting down had a factor. It's gotta be:

System Settings > Displays you can change your "primary" screen by dragging the black little bar to the display you want and hit the Apply button

Have fun :)

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