Can't save dual monitor configuration

Bug #631217 reported by Benjamin Humphrey
124
This bug affects 26 people
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
gnome-control-center (Ubuntu)
Fix Released
High
Chris Coulson
Maverick
Fix Released
High
Chris Coulson

Bug Description

Binary package hint: gnome-control-center

After a recent update a day or two ago, I can no longer save my dual monitor configuration when using two monitors on Maverick.

I've got a Toshiba Satellite 15.4" laptop with an HDMI port, a Dell 24" plugged into the HDMI port.

My graphics card is an ATI Radeon HD2600 and I'm using the stock open source radeon driver that's on Maverick.

Terminal output:

benjamin@benjamin-laptop:~$ gnome-display-properties

(gnome-display-properties:16864): Gtk-WARNING **: Ignoring the separator setting

(gnome-display-properties:16864): Gtk-WARNING **: No object called:

** (gnome-display-properties:16864): CRITICAL **: gnome_rr_config_save_to_file: assertion `error == NULL || *error == NULL' failed

Please let me know what other information you need, I couldn't find the right package to report this under.

Related UF thread: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=9811198

Revision history for this message
Benjamin Humphrey (humphreybc) wrote :

A screenshot of the error.

description: updated
description: updated
description: updated
Revision history for this message
Sebastien Bacher (seb128) wrote :

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. Please answer these questions:

 * Is this reproducible?
 * If so, what specific steps should we take to recreate this bug?

 This will help us to find and resolve the problem.

Changed in gnome-control-center (Ubuntu):
importance: Undecided → Low
status: New → Incomplete
Revision history for this message
Sebastien Bacher (seb128) wrote :

what did you upgrade when the issue started? does starting on the previous linux version works better?

Revision history for this message
Leon (leonbo) wrote :

I just installed the Maverick beta yesterday (clean install) and it occured from the start. I can reproduce it every time. I've got an Intel GM965/GL960.

Revision history for this message
Sebastien Bacher (seb128) wrote :

could you describe what configuration change you try to do?

Revision history for this message
Benjamin Humphrey (humphreybc) wrote :

Sebastien, I can't remember what particular update broke it because I had about 200mb of updates when it happened. All I know is that it was working, then one day it wasn't.

Not sure how useful this will be, but in the same set of updates a bug was FIXED that had been annoying me for some time: The GDM now appears only on one monitor while the other is black. Previously, the GDM would be cloned across both monitors and stretched. This could be the same package.

The error "could not save configuration" lends itself to suggesting it might be a permissions problem. If you can tell me what file it's trying to write to, I can investigate further.

As for reproducing, just install the latest version of Maverick and use the stock drivers that come with it - I have an ATI card but as Leon reports, it is also reproducible with an Intel card. Simply connect an external monitor (I'm using HDMI, Leon, are you using VGA or HDMI?) and try to change something in System > Preferences > Monitors.

Revision history for this message
Sebastien Bacher (seb128) wrote :

do you have the same error with any change? do you get any error in .xsession-errors? is your laptop docked or just having an external monitor connected?

Revision history for this message
Leon (leonbo) wrote :

.xsession-errors contains: GConf-CRITICAL **: gconf_value_free: assertion `value != NULL' failed
When I use xRandr standalone changing the monitor works fine. It's not docked. It's a monitor attached with VGA.

I've uploaded a video with my trying to change the monitor setup: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCQ6WKMnfSc

Revision history for this message
Specto Media (ws-wian) wrote :

I have the exactly same problem as described by Benjamin Humphrey and Leon: my setup is a Lenovo X201 laptop in a docking station, with the monitor attached through Displayport. Graphical chipset as per dmesg : Intel HD Graphics Chipset.

Same error in .xsession-errors, too.

Revision history for this message
Benjamin Humphrey (humphreybc) wrote :

Sebastien,

do you have the same error with any change?

Yes.

do you get any error in .xsession-errors?

Same as Leon.

is your laptop docked or just having an external monitor connected?

External monitor connected via HDMI.

Revision history for this message
Benjamin Humphrey (humphreybc) wrote :

Correction, my relevant .xsession-errors :

(gnome-display-properties:18026): Gtk-WARNING **: Ignoring the separator setting
(gnome-display-properties:18026): Gtk-WARNING **: No object called:
** (gnome-display-properties:18026): CRITICAL **: gnome_rr_config_save_to_file: assertion `error == NULL || *error == NULL' failed

Perhaps if someone could tell us more about what it's trying to save to, we could look further into the issue.

Revision history for this message
Gerhard Aigner (gerhard-aigner) wrote :

Should be: ~/.config/monitors.xml

Revision history for this message
Benjamin Humphrey (humphreybc) wrote :

I can confirm that manually editing the x and y values in ~/.config/monitors.xml and then logging out and back in again adjusts the monitor position.

I changed the permissions for monitors.xml to 777 but Monitor Preferences still can't save my settings.

description: updated
Changed in gnome-control-center (Ubuntu):
status: Incomplete → Triaged
Revision history for this message
Andreas Gutowski (guddl) wrote :

I have upgraded from Lucid to Maverick and when i try to configure two LCD monitors i get the same error.

My system:

DELL Optiplex 755 with Radeon HD 2400 XT
with 2 monitors connected via y-cable at the VGA port.

Revision history for this message
Sebastien Bacher (seb128) wrote :

The issue seems to be due to 109_screen_resolution_extra.patch, without it there is no crash

Changed in gnome-control-center (Ubuntu Maverick):
importance: Low → High
assignee: nobody → Chris Coulson (chrisccoulson)
assignee: Chris Coulson (chrisccoulson) → nobody
Revision history for this message
peter swain (swine) wrote :

I can confirm same symptoms. they don't go away when 2nd display removed, but someone without 2 displays will need to confirm whether a 2nd display is actually needed to trigger this, or if it's just the most common reason someone would invoke gnome-display-properties. I don't want to reboot yet, but I'm aware I haven't rebooted or even re-started session since apt-get of gconf changes.

Workaround: do a SwitchUser with 2nd monitor plugged in, then switch back. I found that 2nd monitor was detected & enabled after that, so it's almost certainly an issue affecting only the session that was running when gconf-something was updated.
Perhaps a simple LockScreen will even fix it?

Revision history for this message
Aurion (aurion-br) wrote :

I just updated my system and installed grandr 0.4.1 applet. I can change my configuration to a different screen resolution using the applet however I'm still unable to use the gnome-display-properties... when I tried to change the Appearance Preferences, I got the follow window alert:

"Unable to start the settings manager 'gnome-settings-daemon'.
Without the GNOME settings manager running, some preferences may not take effect. This could indicate a problem with DBus, or a non-GNOME (e.g. KDE) settings manager may already be active and conflicting with the GNOME settings manager."

But after close the window, the appearance preferences shows up.

Changed in gnome-control-center (Ubuntu Maverick):
assignee: nobody → Chris Coulson (chrisccoulson)
Changed in gnome-control-center (Ubuntu Maverick):
status: Triaged → In Progress
Changed in gnome-control-center (Ubuntu Maverick):
assignee: Chris Coulson (chrisccoulson) → nobody
status: In Progress → Fix Committed
assignee: nobody → Chris Coulson (chrisccoulson)
Revision history for this message
Launchpad Janitor (janitor) wrote :

This bug was fixed in the package gnome-control-center - 1:2.31.91-0ubuntu2

---------------
gnome-control-center (1:2.31.91-0ubuntu2) maverick; urgency=low

  * Fix LP: #631217 - Don't pass an uninitialized GError to
    gnome_rr_config_save
    - update debian/patches/109_screen_resolution_extra.patch
  * Install the gnome-display-properties-install-systemwide helper
    - update debian/gnome-control-center.install
  * Don't try to apply the monitor configuration twice. Not only is this
    not necessary, but it also causes gnome-display-properties to assert
    the in apply() when applying the configuration for the second time,
    because the DBusGConnection already exists
    - update debian/patches/109_screen_resolution_extra.patch
 -- Chris Coulson <email address hidden> Thu, 09 Sep 2010 01:20:02 +0100

Changed in gnome-control-center (Ubuntu Maverick):
status: Fix Committed → Fix Released
Revision history for this message
Aurion (aurion-br) wrote :

Thanks Chris, really nice job.
Regards,

Revision history for this message
Benjamin Humphrey (humphreybc) wrote :

Confirming the update fixes the bug. Man I wish all bug reports were this easy! Thankyou Chris.

Revision history for this message
Lesley Harrington (laharrin) wrote :

I get the same errors
(gnome-display-properties:5638): Gtk-WARNING **: Ignoring the separator setting
(gnome-display-properties:5638): Gtk-WARNING **: No object called:

despite having the updated package
gnome-control-center (1:2.31.91-0ubuntu2) maverick

Revision history for this message
Stefan Brozinski (stefan-brozinski) wrote :

I can confirm the problem reported by Lesley Harrington still exists with
gnome-control-center 1:2.32.0-0ubuntu2 on a new maverick system (installed and updated today).

Revision history for this message
Chris Coulson (chrisccoulson) wrote :

Those warnings aren't at all related to the original problem

Revision history for this message
Michael Pacey (michael-wd21) wrote :

I would like to confirm that the bug is also fixed for me, thank you! Maverick is looking very good from where I'm sitting.

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