Dynamically switch ServerLayout - is it possible ?

[Joe Ammann]

On Tuesday 25 October 2005 17:40, Alan Hourihane wrote:
[...]
> > > > The problem that remains is that I would like to be able to switch
> > > > between these different layouts without restarting the X server. Now,
> > > > I do it by passing the -layout option when starting. Is there a way
> > > > to switch without restarting X ? That would allow me to
> > > > suspend/hibernate/dock/undock without having to restart X?
> > >
> > > Unforunately, this is not possible at the moment.
> >
> > So what would be required to make this possible?
> >
> > I assume:
> > * The driver would need to support switching layout dynamically. Will
> > this require a new driver hook, or can an existing one be reused for
> > that?
> >
> > * The X server must expose an API that can be used to tell the driver to
> > switch... Should this API expose the driver specific options, or should
> > it offer an abstract API that is the same for all drivers (e.g. as an
> > extension to XRandR)?
>
> I think it can be handled by RandR anyway. We just need to detect a new
> monitor and send a resolution change through RandR.
>
> Detection of a new monitor is the missing piece currently.

Hm, I'm not so sure. In my case, the internal laptop LCD would have to be 
turned off also, because it can not display the full size mode of the 
external display. So even if the new monitor would be detected correctly on 
the fly, the driver would have to reconfigure its pipes.

I'm not sure if RandR is enough to manage it (assuming the display could be 
detected)

CU, Joe