Dual login on dual monitors

[Patwotrik]

I want to be able to login on different users on my two screens. Is that possible? It would be nice if I could have the left screen and my gf could have the right.

I'm using ubuntu 10.04 with gnome, and I have a Nvidia graphics card.

[Atomic Fusion]

I would suggest using multiple X screens.

Assuming that you're using the proprietary nvidia drivers, press Alt+F2 and type:

gksu nvidia-settingsEnter your password. Go to "X Server Display Configuration".
Click on one screen. Under the "Display" tab, press "Configure", and select "Separate X Screen". There should now be a checkbox that says "Enable Xinerama" below the monitor graphics. Make sure that it is NOT checked.
Select your other screen, and do the same thing (make it a separate X screen).
Then click "Save to X Configuration File", and restart your computer.

If you're not using the proprietary nvidia drivers, you could try searching for how to make two separate "X Screens". Other than that, depending on how comfortable you are with the command line, you could edit xorg.conf.

[Patwotrik]

I would suggest using multiple X screens.

Assuming that you're using the proprietary nvidia drivers, press Alt+F2 and type:

gksu nvidia-settingsEnter your password. Go to "X Server Display Configuration".
Click on one screen. Under the "Display" tab, press "Configure", and select "Separate X Screen". There should now be a checkbox that says "Enable Xinerama" below the monitor graphics. Make sure that it is NOT checked.
Select your other screen, and do the same thing (make it a separate X screen).
Then click "Save to X Configuration File", and restart your computer.

I'm at work now so I can't control this atm. But I think that I allready have done what you're suggesting. I have separate X-servers, and Xinerama is not enabled. I can't draw windows between the screens. (Would be nice to do it though, but I can't figure out how to use xmove)

But what I still have'nt got is separate logins. I login on the left screen and then use both screens.
If you're not using the proprietary nvidia drivers, you could try searching for how to make two separate "X Screens". Other than that, depending on how comfortable you are with the command line, you could edit xorg.conf.

[Patwotrik]

Hmmmm...

Is it wrong to think that "display" is the same as "screen"?

[Patwotrik]

My xorg.conf


# nvidia-settings: X configuration file generated by nvidia-settings
# nvidia-settings: version 275.09.07 (buildmeister@swio-display-x86-rhel47-03.nvidia.com) Wed Jun 8 14:38:19 PDT 2011

# nvidia-xconfig: X configuration file generated by nvidia-xconfig
# nvidia-xconfig: version 275.09.07 (buildmeister@swio-display-x86-rhel47-03.nvidia.com) Wed Jun 8 14:38:32 PDT 2011

Section "ServerLayout"

# Removed Option "Xinerama" "0"
# Removed Option "Xinerama" "1"
Identifier "Layout0"
Screen 0 "Screen0" 0 0
Screen 1 "Screen1" RightOf "Screen0"
InputDevice "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
InputDevice "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
Option "Xinerama" "0"
EndSection

Section "Files"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

# generated from default
Identifier "Mouse0"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Protocol" "auto"
Option "Device" "/dev/psaux"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "no"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"

# generated from default
Identifier "Keyboard0"
Driver "kbd"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor0"
VendorName "Unknown"
ModelName "BenQ G2400W"
HorizSync 31.0 - 94.0
VertRefresh 50.0 - 85.0
Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor1"
VendorName "Unknown"
ModelName "HP L2245w"
HorizSync 24.0 - 83.0
VertRefresh 50.0 - 76.0
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Device0"
Driver "nvidia"
VendorName "NVIDIA Corporation"
BoardName "GeForce 8800 GTX"
BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
Screen 0
Option "RandRRotation" "on"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Device1"
Driver "nvidia"
VendorName "NVIDIA Corporation"
BoardName "GeForce 8800 GTX"
Option "RandRRotation" "on"
BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
Screen 1
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Device0"
Monitor "Monitor0"
DefaultDepth 24
Option "TwinView" "0"
Option "metamodes" "DFP-1: nvidia-auto-select +0+0"
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen1"
Device "Device1"
Monitor "Monitor1"
DefaultDepth 24
Option "TwinView" "0"
Option "metamodes" "DFP-0: nvidia-auto-select +0+0"
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
EndSubSection
EndSection

[Atomic Fusion]

Sorry about being slow to get back to you, i was reinstalling. So dispite having separate X screens, you only have one login screen?
I shall try stuff.
As for dragging windows between, that would seem difficult. Personally, I've given up on making dual monitors amazing, I've just made it acceptable with Xinerama.

[Atomic Fusion]

I haven't tried it yet, but maybe you could setup two different Xservers? I don't think that it would be pretty, you might have to manually start the second each time (or make a script).

EDIT: Disregard that, you'd need two mice and two keyboards

[Atomic Fusion]

There doesn't seem to be an option in GDM for it to only occupy on Xscreen.
Howabout opening a terminal on your first screen and running:
[code]sudo -u USER2 nautilus[/code[
Where USER2 is the other user that you want to use.
Does it bring up a file browser owned by that user?

Also, does your second Xscreen (before running that command) have anything on it, or is it blank except for a desktop background?

[Lars Noodén]

Having dual logins on dual monitors is called multiseat (http://www.linuxtoys.org/multiseat/multiseat.html). It takes a little fiddling with X to get it working right. There used to be a package for it in Ubuntu but not now. The company Userful also provides multiseat support.