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Quick Re-Set for Desktop using xrandr

All too often when installing a game, a problem occurs that halts the game and does not restore my desktop to the proper size.

To look at what I started with and what I wound up with is simple.

$ xrandr
Screen 0: minimum 8 x 8, current 5120 x 1080, maximum 32767 x 32767
DVI-D-0 connected 1280x1024+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 376mm x 301mm
   1280x1024     60.02*+  75.02  
   1280x960      60.00  
   1152x864      75.00  
   1024x768      75.03    70.07    60.00  
   800x600       75.00    72.19    60.32    56.25  
   640x480       75.00    72.81    59.94  
HDMI-0 connected primary 2560x1080+1280+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 798mm x 334mm
   2560x1080     60.00*+
   1920x1080     60.00    59.94    50.00    29.97    60.05    60.00    50.04  
   1680x1050     59.95  
   1600x900      60.00  
   1280x1024     75.02    60.02  
   1280x720      60.00    59.94    50.00  
   1152x864      75.00  
   1024x768      75.03    60.00  
   800x600       75.00    60.32  
   720x576       50.00  
   720x480       59.94  
   640x480       75.00    59.94    59.93  
DP-0 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
DP-1 connected 1280x1024+3840+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 376mm x 301mm
   1280x1024     60.02*+  75.02  
   1280x960      60.00  
   1152x864      75.00  
   1024x768      75.03    70.07    60.00  
   800x600       75.00    72.19    60.32    56.25  

   640x480       75.00    72.81    59.94  

With one monitor, all I had to do was create a small shell script named restore to change the display back to the resolution I normally use, place it in ~/bin and make it executable.

 #!/bin/sh
xrandr -s 2560x1024

Multiple monitors should be doable with xrandr, but I need to figure out the syntax. Have a look here.

Here's what I have:
$ xrandr --listmonitors
Monitors: 3
 0: +*HDMI-0 2560/798x1080/334+1280+0  HDMI-0
 1: +DVI-D-0 1280/376x1024/301+0+0  DVI-D-0
 2: +DP-1 1280/376x1024/301+3840+0  DP-1

HDMI-0 is in the center; DVI-D-0 is to the left of it and DP-1 is to the right of it.


RESOURCES

ArchWiki xrandr

Debian How to use xrandr

Ubuntu Wiki xrandr

a3nm's blog - xrandr

xrandr man page

cvt man page - calculate modelines for use with X

How to set custom resolution using xrandr when the resolution is not available in 'Display Settings'

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