x61 Fn-F7 to switch external monitor configuration

[dongery]

I thought there would be some posts covering this already but searching didnt yield any results that seemed similar. What I'm trying to do is this: I have a 20" LCD (external monitor with 1280x1024 resolution) which i plug in to my x61 (which runs 1024x768). I'd like to be able to use the Fn-F7 keys to change the display to the external monitor, and use its 1280x1024 resolution.

I've followed http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Sample_Fn-F7_script to get a split screen (dual head) setup when i press Fn-F7. I just want it to switch the entire output to the external monitor though, not just half of it.

When I run the command

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xrandr --output VGA --auto

I successfully get a display on the external LCD. The problem is that it only displays in the laptop's 1024x768 resolution.

When i try to specify they desired resolution nothing happens

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xrandr --output VGA -s 1280x1024

It seems like the only way to get the 1280x1024 res on the external LCD is to either manually edit xorg.conf to include that resolution:

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Modes   "1280x1024" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "640x480"

or to use system-config-display which both change xorg.conf, and both of course require logging out of X

If there is any way to quickly change from laptop to external monitor displays, back and forth, changing resolutions for each, could someone tell me? thanks alot


also, this is the output of xrandr:

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Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1024 x 768, maximum 2304 x 1024
VGA connected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
   1280x1024      75.0 +   60.0  
   1600x1024      60.2  
   1440x900       59.9  
   1280x960       60.0  
   1360x768       59.8     60.0  
   1280x800       75.0     70.0     60.0  
   1152x864       85.0     75.0     75.0     70.0     60.0  
   1280x768       85.0     75.0     70.0     60.0  
   1280x720       85.0     75.0     70.0     60.0  
   1024x768       85.0     75.0     70.1     60.0  
   832x624        74.6  
   800x600        72.2     75.0     60.3     56.2  
   640x480        72.8     75.0     59.9  
LVDS connected 1024x768+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 246mm x 185mm
   1024x768       50.0*+   60.0     40.0  
   800x600        60.3  
   640x480        60.0     59.9 

[jamesqf]

Interesting, but I wonder if anyone knows of a way to do similar monitor switching from a menu, rather than a key combo. I have trouble remembering keys for things I don't use very often.