Changing res for a user. Possible?

**metavoid** · 08-09-2004, 01:26 PM

Trying to find out how to change the resolultion for a given user - not for the whole
system.

I run an app designed for 800x600 for a given user account and would like
that the system changed to that res, but only for this account/user.

Is that possible?

Update: Added the user to sudoers and tried to alter the res using
kxconfig but that change the whole system...

How does one controls settings for a given user?

I thought I could do it as root but apprently Im too stupid to understand
how. I looked in the docs but nothing about "Having users" and how to control it.
Maybe I just search for the worng words.

**ZedroS** · 08-10-2004, 08:26 AM

As far as I know, it's not possible to change the resolution for only one user.

The resolution is set up in /etc/X11/XFConfig-4 and is commun to all the users (for what I know of it)..

EDIT : if never you find a way, I would be really interested !

**metavoid** · 08-10-2004, 08:41 AM

Well that is also what I found since the XFConfig-4 is global and changing it affected all users.
But, I had to ask as Linux keeps surpricing me as it can boot in so many ways and there
are so many things you can fiddle with so I looked in the documentation for X11 but
could not find any inforation of how to redirect it to another conf file.

Perhaps it is possible with some clever fiddling but Ill tell you if I find the way.

Thanks.

**mzilikazi** · 08-12-2004, 03:09 AM

This is perfectly possible using XFCE4 as it has a fantastic tool for changing resolution. It does not rewrite XF86Config-4 but rather lets you choose between the available resolutions already listed in XF86Config-4. Of course you probably didn't want to install a different desktop just to get different resolutions now did you? I must say that it suprises me that KDE is not capable of this.

**metavoid** · 08-12-2004, 08:04 AM

Ohh!
mzilikazi
Could you provide a bit more information?
My knoppix doesnt have anything called XFCE4 but this can change res on the fly or how
will that solve my problem?

" install a different desktop just to get different resolutions now did you"

Im not sure what you mean. Another windows manager ?

I just want that my user "A" always runs in 800x600 but root has
1024x768.

Thanks.

**pkm** · 08-12-2004, 10:26 AM

Originally Posted by mzilikazi

This is perfectly possible using XFCE4 as it has a fantastic tool for changing resolution. It does not rewrite XF86Config-4 but rather lets you choose between the available resolutions already listed in XF86Config-4. Of course you probably didn't want to install a different desktop just to get different resolutions now did you? I must say that it suprises me that KDE is not capable of this.

xczxcxzcczxzcx

**mzilikazi** · 08-12-2004, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by metavoid

" install a different desktop just to get different resolutions now did you"

Im not sure what you mean. Another windows manager ?

That's exactly what I mean. http://xfce.org/

I just want that my user "A" always runs in 800x600 but root has
1024x768.

Thanks.

You should never login as root. It simply isn't necessary and it is very insecure as well as potentially harmful to your system. For anythihg that needs to be done as root use su while logged in as user. On all of my systems root is not even allowed to log into the desktop.

**metavoid** · 08-12-2004, 03:02 PM

>>That's exactly what I mean. http://xfce.org/

Ah. Well. That wont help. Using an .Xseeeion file, I run the program directly
without loading a manager first. So another winman will not help. I guess.

>You should never login as root. It simply isn't necessary and it is very insecure as well as >potentially harmful to your system. For anythihg that needs to be done as root use su while >logged in as user. On all of my systems root is not even allowed to log into the desktop.

I heard that before but never had any problems with being root all the time.
Well if you mean typing su in a shell, forget it. To annoying as I actually use the
menus and often the displayed name is not the one used in the shell. Say I
want to activate "Control Panel" I have no idea what the actually file is named
and suddenly Im wasting time fiddling around in the shell to run something with root
priv. It simply annoys me.

Anyway

Thanks for your help. Guess that its not possible to have diff. res for each user if the mentioned winman is not used.

**nishtya** · 08-12-2004, 03:33 PM

I am confused.. I use Kanotix which is closely related to Knoppix and root runs at 1024x768 and user is 800x600 definitely. I never bothered changing root since I log into it so rarely. I run KDE 3.2. How is Kanotix doing this where it isn't possible with knoppix? Mzi I believe you run kanotix, too - how does it do it?

**mzilikazi** · 08-12-2004, 04:34 PM

Originally Posted by nishtya

I am confused.. I use Kanotix which is closely related to Knoppix and root runs at 1024x768 and user is 800x600 definitely. I never bothered changing root since I log into it so rarely. I run KDE 3.2. How is Kanotix doing this where it isn't possible with knoppix? Mzi I believe you run kanotix, too - how does it do it?

I do use Kanotix but not KDE.