[ltp] Re: RFC: removal of video output switching from thinkpad-acpi

[Paul Fox]

alex wrote:
 > On Feb 20, 2008 2:11 AM, Elias Oltmanns <eo@nebensachen.de> wrote:
 > > Henrique de Moraes Holschuh <hmh@hmh.eng.br> wrote:
 > > > On Tue, 19 Feb 2008, Paul Fox wrote:
 > > >> henrique de moraes holschuh wrote:
 > > [...]
 > > >>  > The question is: does the video output stuff in thinkpad-acpi works well
 > > >>  > enough in the X41 to justify its continued existence?
 > > >>
 > > >> well, it at least lets me switch from one screen to the other
 > > >> with video_switch.  i know of no other way to enable the CRT.
 > > >> is there?
 > >
 > > As I found out only this weekend, there is (on my X40 at least). If I
 > > mask this hotkey, so thinkpad-acpi won't handle it, and if I prevent my
 > > system from loading the video module, then I can switch to and from CRT.
 > > Mind you, there is no way to enable CRT and LCD at the same time.
 > >
 > 
 > This is a hw/bios implementation limitation.  The same crtc can't
 > drive both VGA and LVDS at the same time.

and X doesn't suffer this limitation?  (forgive my ignorance, please)

 > 
 > > >
 > > > ACPI video, in some thinkpads. But since most ACPI firmwares are
 > > >completely
 > > > and utterly broken on that area, upstream removed that function from ACPI
 > > > video very recently.
 > > >
 > > > It looks like I will have to work on thinkpad-acpi video control, and port
 > > > it to sysfs :(
 > >
 > > Well, I for one would greatly appreciate that since I use scripts for
 > > automated video switching on a regular basis.
 > 
 > If you are using X, this is not a good idea.  stick to xrandr.

but this doesn't work if you're not running X, right?  i suspect i
have the same needs that elias does.  sometimes i work at the console,
sometimes i work using X.  sometimes i work at an external monitor.
sometimes i don't.  i'd like to be able to attach a script to the
hotkey that lets me switch between one or the other or both outputs,
whether i'm using X or not.  i'm perfectly happy to have xrandr do
the work when X is running, but that's only part of the solution.

paul
=---------------------
 paul fox, pgf@foxharp.boston.ma.us (arlington, ma, where it's 24.4 degrees)