[bdallen]

If you are compiling from source you could try my patch:

http://trac.xbmc.org/ticket/5836

It adds a fit to screen advanced setting, making wmctrl unnecessary. It's a dirty hack but it works for me. This weekend I plan on updating it for the latest SVN.

[rockerduck]

The command:
wmctrl -x -r xbmc.bin.xbmc.bin -b toggle,fullscreen

Doesnt work anymore after I upgraded to Jaunty. XBMC just stays windowed...not going fullscreeen.

Just to have my mouse untrapped, I'm thinking of going back to Hardy heron.

I run XBMC on Ubuntu Jaunty, with the nvidia-glx 180 driver (nvidia 8500 gt card).

Anybody knows what to do?

try

Code:

DISPLAY=":0.1" wmctrl -x -r XBMC Media Center -b toggle,fullscreen

change the ":0.1" to fit your setup if necessary...

[havel]

Is ":0.1" OK if it is on the second screen (right screen)?

[havel]

What I used to do in Hardy, was to start XBMC in a windowed mode (720P) on my second screen (tv) and I had created launcher on the gnome panel of that screen with the terminal command:

wmctrl -x -r xbmc.bin.xbmc.bin -b toggle,fullscreen

My XBMC was then put in fullscreen, and my mouse was usable on the other screen.

So now I tried putting the command suggested:

DISPLAY=":0.1" wmctrl -x -r XBMC Media Center -b toggle,fullscreen

in my launcher, but it doesnt work. When I use my launcher it opens an empty terminal window on the other screen with an error message.

But if I put the command directly in a terminal it works. Any idea what I should do to have it work in a panel launcher again?

It probably has something to do with the fact that Jaunty seems to manage the 2 screens in the "seperate x screen mode" differently then Hardy.

[havel]

As for the patch proposed by BDallen...I'm running the SVN version XBMC babylon in Ubuntu Jaunty. If I ever want to install it, is it possible to explain how?

[havel]

There seems to be a "Seperate X Screen" mode problem in jaunty.
I was able to solve my problem, with this command in the laucher created in the gnome panel of the second screen:

env DISPLAY=":0.1" wmctrl -x -r XBMC Media Center -b toggle,fullscreen

Thank you rockerduck and the french forum.

Until XBMC frees the mouse for real.

[cornbread]

Is there a way to get a separate keyboard working on the xbmc screen? How are you guys controlling xbmc with it on different x?

TIA,
Richard

[havel]

Your keyboard and mouse can cross from one screen to the other. You can use 2 different keyboards on the same system. I have a USB keyboard and mouse in front of one screen and a bluetooth keyboard (Dinovo mini) in front of my tv.

[cornbread]

What I want is xbmc to not accept input from one of my keyboards(the one in front of the monitor). I want to be able to use my computer as normal while xbmc is running on separate x...

[bdallen]

As for the patch proposed by BDallen...I'm running the SVN version XBMC babylon in Ubuntu Jaunty. If I ever want to install it, is it possible to explain how?

Download the latest patch from ticket 5836, currently fit_to_screen_adv_setting_20090502.diff. After following the link, you need to scroll down to the bottom of the page to actually download the file - the link is titled "Original Format".

Then apply the patch:

Code:

cd /path/to/xbmc/svn/dir
patch -p1 < /path/to/fit_to_screen_adv_setting_20090502.diff

Note: /path/to/xbmc/svn/dir should be the path containing the configure script and the guilib directory, not the one containing docs, sources, and XBMC.

Then build in the usual way. You might be able to get away with simply deleting the xbmc.bin file and doing a make - if that fails try doing a make clean (or even make reallyclean?), and run the whole ./configure, make, make install process again.

To use the new mode, add <fittoscreen>true</fittoscreen> to your ~/.xbmc/userdata/advancedsettings.xml under the top level <advancedsettings> tags. Create the file if necessary - mine looks like this:

Code:

<advancedsettings>
    <fittoscreen>true</fittoscreen>
</advancedsettings>

When this is enabled, xbmc should fill whichever screen it was run on (with xinerama/twinview/mergedfb or separate screens), and not grab the mouse. It also sets the "always on top" property of the window to keep it above any window environment panels, but you should still be able to alt-tab to other windows and back. Note that toggle fullscreen (e.g. with '\' key) won't work in this mode, and all other video settings are ignored. To turn it off change true to false or just delete the whole tag. If your mouse is still grabbed, search for "Advanced setting fittoscreen set, forcing desktop resolution." in ~/.xbmc/temp/xbmc.log to verify that the setting was really enabled.

If anyone tries the patch let me know how it goes.

[bdallen]

What I want is xbmc to not accept input from one of my keyboards(the one in front of the monitor). I want to be able to use my computer as normal while xbmc is running on separate x...

What do you mean by "separate x"? There are three ways (or more?) of configuring multiple monitors: using a single X screen across all display (xinerama/MergedFB/TwinView), which allows you to drag windows between display (this is the most common, and probably what you're running if you used configuration tools), using a separate screen per display (this is the only method available if you are using separate graphics cards), and finally running separate X instances on different VTs. My patch works (at least for me) with the first two methods, and the last method would require separate a graphics card, keyboard, and mouse (or maybe mouse/keyboard sharing with synergy?), and should actually do what you want if setup correctly.

If you are using either of the first two methods, both keyboards are going to have focus on the same window. I don't know of any way to change that. However if you have a remote control, my patch may solve your problem.

When I launch XBMC it has keyboard focus, but I can move my mouse to the other display and use my computer normally and forget XBMC is even there. My remote still works to control XBMC, so I can pause music without intefering with typing on my main display. Bascially it runs xbmc as a full desktop sized window with the 'always on top property set', but it's still just another window without any nasty SDL mouse grabbing, so I can go work in other windows on either display.

[cornbread]

I say two keyboards because I'm using the diNovo Mini bluetooth keyboard because I can't find a good bluetooth or RF keyboard for xbmc. I was hoping I could just isolate the device to a separate x session or something...

[jkrellner]

What do you mean by "separate x"? There are three ways (or more?) of configuring multiple monitors: using a single X screen across all display (xinerama/MergedFB/TwinView), which allows you to drag windows between display (this is the most common, and probably what you're running if you used configuration tools), using a separate screen per display (this is the only method available if you are using separate graphics cards), and finally running separate X instances on different VTs. My patch works (at least for me) with the first two methods, and the last method would require separate a graphics card, keyboard, and mouse (or maybe mouse/keyboard sharing with synergy?), and should actually do what you want if setup correctly.

I have one graphics card, but can still do separate X screens (screens are completely independent of each other, meaning you cannot drag apps back and forth, etc.). I had the mouse capture problem when I tried running XBMC on one screen and FireFox on the other (for using the web interface), and could not use FireFox properly because the mouse was stuck on the other screen. I do not like the web interface very much anyway, so I was trying to think of other options. Unfortunately, nothing worked out.

Ideally, what I would like is one of the following:

1. XBMC support for Xinerama, such that the main screen shows what it currently shows, and the second monitor shows either the same exact thing or some sort of "mini" XBMC interface that would allow you to control the playback, select items to play, etc. Could be pretty slick and I think it would be heavily used by us theater buffs.

2. nVidia support for scaled cloning. Right now, if you set up cloned displays using two different sizes of monitors (1080p and, say, 1280x1024), one of the displays or the other will have a messed up resolution.

[aroby]

I have one graphics card, but can still do separate X screens (screens are completely independent of each other, meaning you cannot drag apps back and forth, etc.).

I would love to be able to do this (see http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=50343). Can you provide any clues as to how to set this up?

Ideally, what I would like is one of the following:

1. XBMC support for Xinerama, such that the main screen shows what it currently shows, and the second monitor shows either the same exact thing or some sort of "mini" XBMC interface that would allow you to control the playback, select items to play, etc. Could be pretty slick and I think it would be heavily used by us theater buffs.

2. nVidia support for scaled cloning. Right now, if you set up cloned displays using two different sizes of monitors (1080p and, say, 1280x1024), one of the displays or the other will have a messed up resolution.

Either would be fine - I'd vote for #1 though. And I'd say the "main screen" would be the LCD monitor in the media cabinet, and the secondary screen would be the projector screen / output to a matrix switch.

Anthony

[jkrellner]

I would love to be able to do this (see http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=50343). Can you provide any clues as to how to set this up?

I responded in your other thread.