[ltp] Re: Physical screen size of the Thinkpad X31 and powersave mode

[Daniel Pittman]

On 3 Sep 2004, R.Lambert@ulg.ac.be wrote:
> I've a (small) problem with my brand new thinkpad X31 (type 2672-C8G), and
> a small question about powersave mode.
> First, let me introduce myself... I'm using SuSE 9.1 (KDE3.3) without any 
> problem, wifi & wep included. The screen resolution is 1024x768. 
>
> If I connect a LCD projector, the image of the screen projected on the wall is
> only a region of the total screen, and the image scrolls when I move the 
> mouse (just like a virtual desktop). It seems that the LCD projector doesn't 
> understand that the screen resolution is 1024x768 and uses the default 
> resolution of 640x480 (or 800x600, I don't know)... It is not very 
> comfortable for making presentations...

Wait - on the projector it displays a small portion of the screen, and
that scrolls around when your cursor is at the edge of the screen?

That sounds a lot more like your system is set with a virtual resolution
of 1024x768, but the external monitor connection is configured for
640x480.

In that situation, X has a "feature" that is exactly what you describe,
where it shows a subwindow that scrolls with the mouse.

Check the X configuration files to see if the external monitor screen is
set up oddly or whatever.

> At each startup of KDE 3.3, I get the following message :
> -------------------- [ snip ] ------------------------
> Your monitor didn't report it's X- and Y-size, this might cause display 
> problems like unreadable fonts. Do you want to configure your monitor 
> geometry manually ?
> -------------------- [ snip ] ------------------------
> (I had this message with KDE 3.2 too).
>
> I think this would maybe fix the LCD projector problem.

No, not very likely, I fear. The DPI will have some influence over the
display size of fonts but, other than that, will not change much.

[...]

> I wrote to IBM technical Support to ask the exact X- and Y-sizes of the screen
> but got no answer (they say that they can't get this information !!!). I know 
> that the screen is 12" but I want to know exactly its width and its height, 
> in millimeters. 

You /could/ get yourself a ruler and measure it, you know.  Low tech
solutions are sometimes the best...

Anyway, for that breed of LCD you want to specify that the screen is at
75DPI to get the sort of display you would expect.

Regards,
        Daniel
-- 
Among those whom I like, I can find no common denominator,
but among those whom I love, I can: all of them make me laugh.
        -- W.H. Auden