Multi-headed workstation | Display wall with multiple X Window servers Application examples

# Multi-headed workstation

## The most simple configuration

The most simple XmetaX configuration contains one screen only. The default values of all configuration parameters reflect this arrangement. You have to specify only the command for starting the X Window server (X Window server), like in:

    serverCommand /usr/bin/X11/X :1

## Two or more screens

If a configuration contains more than one screen, all screens must be specified explicitly (Screen):

    screen left display :1.0
    screen center display :1.1
    screen right display :1.2
    serverCommand /usr/bin/X11/X :1

or shorter:

    screen :1.0
    screen :1.1
    screen :1.2
    serverCommand /usr/bin/X11/X :1

## Special arrangement

If the first monitor is arranged on the right side of the second one, you may change the correspondence between screen and X Window server connection (Screen):

    screen left display :1.1
    screen right display :1.0
    serverCommand /usr/bin/X11/X :1

or shorter:

    screen :1.1
    screen :1.0
    serverCommand /usr/bin/X11/X :1

Alternatively, you may specify the correct arrangement of the screens (Position of a screen), which is also necessary in the case of non-horizontal arrangements:

    screen :1.0 eastOf :1.1
    screen :1.1 clipX 0
    serverCommand /usr/bin/X11/X :1

## Screens of different size

If the monitors of a horizontal arrangement are not equally sized (measured in pixels), then an area at the bottom border of the meta screen, which always comprises all associated screens, is not displayed. Often this area contains important user interface components like icons or the CDE control panel. The XmetaX proxy offers several solutions to this problem.

The following configuration clips the display area on the bigger monitor and shifts it to the center (Dimensions of a screen). The screen's border width is configured rather large (Border width of a screen) so that the unused area of the monitor is displayed in black color. The metaScreen configuration statement is not really necessary here, but shows the default size of the meta screen:

    metaScreen .0
    	width 2300 height 766			# (1022+1278)×766
    	screen small display :1.0		# 1024×768
    	screen big display :1.1			# 1280×1024
    	displayHeight 766 displayY ((1022-766)/2)
    	borderWidth 9999
    serverCommand /usr/bin/X11/X :1

Thus, the height of the meta screen is reduced. If this is not acceptable, you may configure the screen on the smaller monitor to pan automatically in vertical orientation with movements of the pointer (Dynamic position of a screen):

    metaScreen .0
    	width 2300 height 1022			# (1022+1278)×1022
    	screen small display :1.0		# 1024×768
    		followPointerY 9999 followPointerMode jump # one step only
    	screen big display :1.1			# 1280×1024
    serverCommand /usr/bin/X11/X :1

With the Vario option (Zooming a screen) the display on the bigger monitor can be scaled up:

    options +Vario
    metaScreen .0
    	width 2044 height 766			# (1022+1022)×766
    	screen small display :1.0		# 1024×768
    	screen big display :1.1			# 1280×1024
    		clipWidth 1022 clipHeight 766
    serverCommand /usr/bin/X11/X :1

... or the display on the smaller monitor can be scaled down:

    options +Vario
    metaScreen .0
    	width 2556 height 1022			# (1278+1278)×1022
    	screen small display :1.0		# 1024×768
    		clipWidth 1278 clipHeight 1022
    	screen big display :1.1 # 1280×1024
    serverCommand /usr/bin/X11/X :1

Actually, only one dimension needs zooming:

    options +Vario
    metaScreen .0
    	width 2300 height 1022			# (1022+1278)×1022
    	screen small display :1.0		# 1024×768
    		clipHeight 1022
    	screen big display :1.1			# 1280×1024
    serverCommand /usr/bin/X11/X :1

## Combining and separating

The XmetaX proxy combines multiple screens to contiguous display areas but may also provide multiple separate virtual meta screens. This is used if there is need for a large display area but several functionalities have to be separated. The following configuration, for instance, is used on the client workstations of a stock trading system:

    metaScreen double
        screen left display :1.0
        screen center display :1.1
    metaScreen single
        screen right display :1.2
    serverCommand /usr/bin/X11/X :1

The configuration defines two meta screens. The left one (display name :0.0) is used for the trading system's user interface, which needs a double wide screen. The second meta screen (display name :0.1) is used for displaying on-line news.

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