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Solution anyone for a newb? I connect my notebook to external monitor with HDMI. I switch off screen notebook since I'm not using it. Ubuntu 15.04 remembered this setting after reboot, but with 15.10 I have to change this setting every time. Does anyone know how to fix this?

Jacob Vlijm
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FrankThuis
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1 Answers1

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The issue is pretty sure the result of a bug, but easily fixed on log in.

What to do

  1. Copy the script below into an empty file, save it as set_screen.py

    #!/usr/bin/env python3
import subprocess
import time

#--- set the name of your internal screen below
internal = "DVI-I-1"
#---

time.sleep(10)

extr = [l.split()[0] for l in subprocess.check_output("xrandr").decode("utf-8").splitlines() if " connected" in l\
       and not internal in l]
if extr:
    subprocess.Popen(["xrandr", "--output", internal, "--off", "--output", extr[0], "--auto"])

  2. Get your internal screen's name: open a terminal window: press Ctrl+Alt+T, and type the command 

    xrandr

    and press Enter. Among the lines in the output, there is one line looking like:

    DVI-I-1 connected 1680x1050+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y

    You need to look at the first string, like DVI-I-1, this is your internal screen's name (obviously, you do not pick the one with HDMI in it :) )

  3. Enter the name you found in the head of the script, in the line:

    internal = "DVI-I-1"

    between quotes, like in the example.

  4. Test- run the script with the command (again, from the terminal window):

    python3 /path/to/set_screen.py

    (where you obviously need to replace /path/to by the actual path) After ten seconds, the internal screen should shut down, while the external screen stays.

  5. If all works fine, add it to Startup Applications: open Dash > Startup Applications > Add. Add the command:

    python3 /path/to/set_screen.py

From now on, within a few seconds after log in, your internal screen will shut down.

Jacob Vlijm
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  • thank you. I will give it a try, hopefully tonight. surprised that a work-around is necessary. curious to find out if this will also change the desktop size at the same time (which in fact is the reason that I manually have to switch off the internal screen) – FrankThuis Mar 20 '16 at 21:06
  • @FrankThuis Ah, you didn't mention that. If the resolution is incorrect, you need to post the outpu of xrandr with a correct screen setup. – Jacob Vlijm Mar 20 '16 at 21:08
  • Your script works flawlessly when I run it manually. Even the desktop size seems to be fine. [internal = "LVDS" & /usr/bin/set_screen.py ]. It doesnt seem to be working on startup and I still have to enter my password on the internal screen, but hey, its a work-around and beggars cannot be choosers. Maybe sth. with rights, but a link on somewhere works just as fine. So all in all, thank you. You gained an admirer. – FrankThuis Mar 20 '16 at 21:39
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    I have done so. (And will do likewise in the future.) Thanks again. – FrankThuis Mar 20 '16 at 21:45
  • @FrankThuis The internal screen should indeed switch off *after* log in, since Startup Applications works on log in. If it doesn't within 10 seconds or so, you need to increase the time in the line `time.sleep(10)` to (e.g.) `time.sleep(15)` – Jacob Vlijm Mar 20 '16 at 21:45
  • An alternative: http://askubuntu.com/questions/740004/how-can-i-automatically-switch-off-internal-screen-when-an-external-screen-is-co/740140#740140 This works also if you disconnect / connect again the screen. – Jacob Vlijm Mar 20 '16 at 21:47