Switching Monitors and Resolutions

[mikesusangray]

Hi all!

I run an LCD monitor and a video projector throu a Radeon 9500. I'd like to use Girder to toggle my desktop between the two of them, applying the correct settings to each.

I've been told that the Catalyst Control Center is supposed to be able to do this - but I can't get it to work.

I'd be particularly interested to find out whether there's some way of switching between "-" horizontal sync on monitor 1 and "+" on monitor 2. For some reason, the LCD (a Benq fp731) flickers badly without a minus horizontal sync value. Right now, whenever I switch, the minus sync is reset to plus. Very annoying.

Peace,

Mike

[nurowolf]

Hi Mike - I also run a LCD monitor and a projector.

I wrote the attached script to switch betwen the 2 displays. You need to have set up your monitors with their appropriate resolutions before this will work as all it will do is activate the Monitor that is currently deactivated and vice versa.

Note that the script will only work with 2 monitors - you will need to change it if you have more.



-- 06/12/2005 Mark Sims
-- This script does the following
-- a) Identifies which monitor is currently the primary
-- b) Enables/Activates the secondary monitor
-- c) Switches the primary monitor
-- d) Disables/Deactivates the old primary monitor
--
-- Assumptions
-- -----------
-- 1) assumes that only 1 monitor is attached
-- 2) assumes that secondary monitor is in a state of disabled


local mon_one = 1
local mon_two = 2
local res = 0

if (monitor.IsPrimaryMonitor (mon_one)) ~= nil then
print ("A is primary")
print (monitor.EnableMonitor (2,nil,nil))
print (monitor.SwapPrimaryMonitor (1,2,monitor.LEFT))
print (monitor.DisableMonitor (1))
elseif (monitor.IsPrimaryMonitor (mon_two)) ~= nil then
print ("B is primary")
print (monitor.EnableMonitor (1,nil,nil))
print (monitor.SwapPrimaryMonitor (2,1,monitor.RIGHT))
print (monitor.DisableMonitor (2))
else
print ("This didn't work")
end


Anyway this should get you started. I trigger this script by attaching an event to it in Girder and then use SENDMESSAGE from within Meedio to trigger the Script everytime I start a DVD.

[nurowolf]

Oh - and the Print statements are there for debug as they display the results of each function on the log screen (I just didn't get around to editing them out)

[johnbhoy~]

Hello.

i have a kind of similar problem well kind of.. i have a radeon card with dvi out and normal monitor and also the tv out. Problem is not all three are supported at the same time. I have them set up in catalyst control centre so that the two monitors in the loft are on. but when i go downstairs to watch the tv i can change the profile so it disables the secondary monitor in the loft and enables the tv in the downstairs room.(just switching profiles really). I have set them up so i just use keyboard shortcuts.... ctrl+alt+L for loft and ctrl+alt+D for downstairs.

Could i use a similar script as above to switch between profiles or can you assign a node to do the three key shortcut.......ideally so i can just press the power button on remote downstairs and it would switch so extended monitor would appear on tv.

Thanks

John

[nurowolf]

You could either use a script like the one above, or since you have already set up profiles in Catalyst - you could simply set up a keyboard and send the keys to the system.

Then you assign an event that waits until the POWER button on your remote is pressed.

Either would work.

Note that using the Keyboard function, you may need to target the Catalyst program to get it to work.

[johnbhoy~]

thanks....i was hoping the keyboard shortcut may be an option

sorry to be pretty dumb about this. i have checked the manual and i am not sure i understand keyboard concept. or rather how i would type in the text to send in the text box.

I want to send the text ctrl alt + b for example..... how would i type that in the text to send box.
My understanding was it would be like this

"<CTRL> <ATL> b" without the quotes.... but this is not working. Can someone confirm if i am typing that correctly.

cheers