Cinnamon: Dual monitor screen arrangement

[qbicdesign]

I installed mint4win using linuxmint-13-mate-dvd-nocodecs-64bit
I have dual monitors on GeForce 8400 GS, which i run in dual view using the restricted Nvidia driver.
All is fine in Mate, however I installed also Cinnamon for fun.

When I select Cinnamon as my desktop at login, then my monitors are switched R to L, and all my menus, taskbar and icons appear on the right monitor, instead of left.
I have played around with Nvidia settings, but I can't get it configured how it is in Mate, so for now I have no choice but to stick with Mate.

I think basically the problem comes from the fact that there's currently no way to move the task bar in Cinnamon, in Mate you can centralise it, then you get the additional bar to the left which allows you to drag the taskbar onto the left monitor.

Anyone else had this experience? Or know of a workaround?

[xenopeek]

Moved here by moderator

[qbicdesign]

I'm not sure why this is moved since its not really a graphic card or driver problem.
Its a lack of controls in Cinnamon that make it impossible to configure dual monitors correctly.

[xenopeek]

Sorry if I misread that, it seemed to me you had the problem the nvidia settings didn't allow you to configure what the primary monitor is and where the secondary monitor is located in relation to it?

[qbicdesign]

As far as I can tell the nvidia stuff is working OK.
FYI making a monitor primary (at least in Windows) means that's the monitor where the task bar and icons should be.
However in nvidia-settings making it primary doesn't seem to have any effect, even in Mate. But with Mate you can work around it as i described earlier.
In Cinnamon its not possible to workaround even.

So I guess its both an Nvidia issue and a Cinnamon issue.
I may try uninstalling the restricted drivers, and using Mint's own monitor config tool.
Maybe that works better for dual monitors, but I won't get the best performance out of my video card.

[jazdot]

I fixed that issue within the "Displays"-settings: Menu -> Preferences -> Displays, choose the display you want to use as second screen, switch slider to "OFF", click APPLY. Taskbar and everything will (of course) move to first screen. Now you can switch the slider for second screen back to "ON". Taskbar and icons will stay on first monitor, at least they did on my computer.

[qbicdesign]

If you're using the nvidia driver, the Displays menu is effectively disabled, since the nvidia display config is being used instead.

[kaefert]

I installed linux mint 13 cinnamon on my brand new asus zenbook ux32 yesterday, and tried to set it up with 2 external screens plus its internal one, but this was impossible. cinnamon crashed on (nearly) every change and 9 out of 10 configuration possibilites left me either with no keyboard and no window decorations and no panels, or at least without panels.

I now installed the mate desktop and had my 3 monitors set up in one go. so lession learnt for me: if you ever need multiple monitors (which is the case with every notebook you ever will want to show a presentation sometime in the future) cinnamon is an absolute no go. but to my delight the mint guys kept gnome 2 (alias mate) alive.

[nat4mint]

I fixed that issue within the "Displays"-settings: Menu -> Preferences -> Displays, choose the display you want to use as second screen, switch slider to "OFF", click APPLY. Taskbar and everything will (of course) move to first screen. Now you can switch the slider for second screen back to "ON". Taskbar and icons will stay on first monitor, at least they did on my computer.

+1 Thanks for the info it was driving me mad

[s_shuffler]

Thanks To

Jazdot
I fixed that issue within the "Displays"-settings: Menu -> Preferences -> Displays, choose the display you want to use as second screen, switch slider to "OFF", click APPLY. Taskbar and everything will (of course) move to first screen. Now you can switch the slider for second screen back to "ON". Taskbar and icons will stay on first monitor, at least they did on my computer.

I Managed to have Dual screen working as it should and icons on the proper screen I wanted.

(I've got mint 13 x64 in a Hp Laptop and as second screen a dell)

Here goes a description to help others in need :
Problem - Dual displays would crash cinnamon ( and no windows properties - aka the title bar, close,minimize area disappears when connecting to the second screen, and rebooting and re-login gave me a screen without the cinnamon bar.
How I solved It:
so to have it working I disconnected the laptop from the 2nd screen. , rebooted , and went to the Display Settings and connected once again the 2nd display back ( crash - the title disappears and cinnamon bar gone) but since the window was open I managed to put on Mirror Displays setting.

Logout and Relogin to have the cinnamon bar(I've had a terminal opened for this;)).

Opened again the Display Settings, removed the Mirror Display options, and TURNED off the LAPTOP screen ( btw it cashed again the Windows title area and Cinnamon bar).

Re-login again ( it's repetitive I know - but now the 2nd Display is OK with - bar and windows title area...
Display settings again - and I activated the laptop display - AND MIRACLE;) ---- I 've got the Cinnamon BAR and the Windows Title Area DIDN'T Crash !!!!!!!( it kept the cinnamon bar on the second Display).
to Be sure....- what else ) - logout and login again - and all was there. Final test Was to disconnect second screen - and the laptop screen flickered but the Bar was as it should; and Reconnected back the second screen - and YES --- ALL OK!!!!

So Once AGAIN - MANY THANKS Jazdot for your tip !!!!