Trapped pointer when using "Separate X screen"

[dharma_carlos]

I'm trying to configure a new monitor (acer X233H 1290x1080) on my Dell XPS1330 laptop (GeForce 8400M GS 1280x800) with ubuntu 9.04, using them in "Separate X screen" mode.

If I configure the external monitor as the primary one, every thing goes right, but I want to use the laptop screen as primary (I want to see the login screen on the laptop).
When I set the laptop screen as the primary, if I pass the mouse pointer to the external monitor, I cant go back to the laptop ones, but all the programs opens in the laptop screen.

I have upgraded the driver to version 185.18.36 and erased compiz from de laptop.


Have you any posible solution.
Thank's in advance and please forgive my poor English

[sensimilla]

The problem with applications opening on the wrong screen is a result of this bug:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/346964
There is a fix I believe down near the bottom.

The mouse getting 'trapped' may be due to this X Server bug:
http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=139503
This may make the mouse appear to be trapped even though it isn't.

I run seperate X screens and I get both of these problems, hopefully they will be fixed for Karmic.

[dharma_carlos]

Thank's for your answer sensimilla.
I read the bug with applications opening on the wrong screen and it seems to be just my problem, but this is the minor of them.

The big deal is that the mouse pointer really get trapped in the secondary screen.
I have the new screen on the right of my laptop, and once I go to the secondary screen with the mouse, one icon become freezed in the right border of the main screen (just like the second bug), but then, the pointer can't go back to the main screen. It "crash" with the border of the screen just like if there wasn't another screen (it doesn't leave any frozen icon like the second bug).


My xorg.conf is this (just in case I made any mistake):

# nvidia-settings: X configuration file generated by nvidia-settings
# nvidia-settings:  version 1.0  (buildmeister@builder58)  Fri Aug 14 18:34:43 PDT 2009


Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier     "Layout0"
    Screen      0  "Screen0" 0 0
    Screen      1  "Screen1" RightOf "Screen0"
    InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
    InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
EndSection

Section "Files"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
    Option         "Xinerama" "0"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

    # generated from default
    Identifier     "Mouse0"
    Driver         "mouse"
    Option         "Protocol" "auto"
    Option         "Device" "/dev/psaux"
    Option         "Emulate3Buttons" "no"
    Option         "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

    # generated from default
    Identifier     "Keyboard0"
    Driver         "kbd"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"

    # HorizSync source: edid, VertRefresh source: edid
    Identifier     "Monitor0"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "LPL"
    HorizSync       30.0 - 75.0
    VertRefresh     60.0
    Option         "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"

    # HorizSync source: edid, VertRefresh source: edid
    Identifier     "Monitor1"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "Acer X233H"
    HorizSync       30.0 - 80.0
    VertRefresh     55.0 - 75.0
    Option         "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device0"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "GeForce 8400M GS"
    BusID          "PCI:1:0:0"
    Screen          0
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Device1"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "GeForce 8400M GS"
    BusID          "PCI:1:0:0"
    Screen          1
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen0"
    Device         "Device0"
    Monitor        "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "TwinView" "0"
    Option         "metamodes" "DFP: nvidia-auto-select +0+0"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen1"
    Device         "Device1"
    Monitor        "Monitor1"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "TwinView" "0"
    Option         "TwinViewXineramaInfoOrder" "CRT-0"
    Option         "metamodes" "CRT: nvidia-auto-select +0+0"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Thank's again.

[dharma_carlos]

btw I'm considering upgrading my ubuntu to Karmic beta (I can't wait till 29 for using the secondary screen). Do you think it could be the solution?

[sensimilla]

Your xorg.conf looks OK to me.

Upgrading might help, if it doesn't you can file an Ubuntu bug and hope it gets fixed.

A possible workaround is to alter your xorg.conf to make the screens far apart so that the mouse cannot cross to the other screen and then run a little program called dualscreen-mouse-utils to allow the mouse to cross between them, or you can use it to setup a keyboard shortcut to move between screens.

There is info here on how to set it up. You will need to compile the program.

[ceasol]

I have this same problem in same Laptop model with Ubuntu 9.10

[weltall]

yes it wasn't fixed on karmic the bug is still there and reckoning.
as a work around i use an external usb mouse that allows you to leave the second screen