Unable to rotate screen

I have heard there may be issues with ATI cards. I saw a bug report but didn't read it. Do other compiz effects work or is compiz itself having problems?

There are a couple other things to check too. Rotate is not an option until you install the "bonus" config tool. Open a terminal and type (or just copy/paste) the below.

sudo apt-get install compizconfig-settings-manager

You will get a new menu entry in system-preferences called advanced desktop effects settings. Open it and click general options and then desktop size. Change horizontal virtual size to 4. By default it's 2 which doesn't make a cube. Under desktop, check desktop cube and rotate cube. Uncheck desktop wall.

That should get it working as long as there are no driver issues preventing compiz from working at all.

Thanks Jim. I had not heard of compiz until you mentioned it. I am using Gutsy Gibbon and ROTATE is an option under System-Preferences-Screen Resolution. Compiz is not on my computer. Regards Laurence.

Nono, he doesn't mean Compiz cube rotate. I think he means XRANDR rotate, which lets you hold and use e.g. a laptop like a book. Many people keep monitors "on the tall side" to make reading easier and XRANDR rotate is essential in those cases.

Unfortunately, the XRANDR extensions are in a state of flux, and I myself (with a series 100 radeon 7000-M) cannot perform some operations (though I haven't tried rotate). My first hunch would be to have you:

1) move to a virtual console by pressing Ctrl+Alt+F1
2) log in
3) execute:

export XAUTHORITY=~/.Xauthority
export DISPLAY=:0
xrandrx

and let us know the output. If your screen is rotate-able you'll see a line like this:

VGA-1 connected 1280x800+0+0 (normal left inverted right)

and if you see normal left inverted right or a variation that includes anything besides normal, then you need to file a bug against the driver manufacturer's bug tracker (or Launchpad) because it is a BUG -- it's not normal that your computer freezes when you do a rotate (and it's probably not freezing but just corrupting the display output, if it's not freezing you could in theory recover without rebooting by using a special SysRq key combo that needs to be enabled beforehand for security reasons)

You can return to your desktop by using Ctrl+Alt+F7 or one other of the Fx keys on your keyboard.

Nono, he doesn't mean Compiz cube rotate. I think he means XRANDR rotate, which lets you hold and use e.g. a laptop like a book. Many people keep monitors "on the tall side" to make reading easier and XRANDR rotate is essential in those cases.

Unfortunately, the XRANDR extensions are in a state of flux, and I myself (with a series 100 radeon 7000-M) cannot perform some operations (though I haven't tried rotate). My first hunch would be to have you:

1) move to a virtual console by pressing Ctrl+Alt+F1
2) log in
3) execute:

export XAUTHORITY=~/.Xauthority
export DISPLAY=:0
xrandrx

and let us know the output. If your screen is rotate-able you'll see a line like this:

VGA-1 connected 1280x800+0+0 (normal left inverted right)

and if you see normal left inverted right or a variation that includes anything besides normal, then you need to file a bug against the driver manufacturer's bug tracker (or Launchpad) because it is a BUG -- it's not normal that your computer freezes when you do a rotate (and it's probably not freezing but just corrupting the display output, if it's not freezing you could in theory recover without rebooting by using a special Alt + SysRq + K key combo that needs to be enabled beforehand for security reasons)

You can return to your desktop by using Ctrl+Alt+F7 or one other of the Fx keys on your keyboard.

Thanks Rudd-O. Most of what you said went above my head though. I am a virgin with Linux. Really. Let me explain my problem better.

I do not use compiz or xrandx.

If I go to SYSTEM-PREFERENCES-SCREEN RESOLUTION I get a dialogue box that allows me to change my screen resolution, and also to change my monitor screen from landscape to portrait. I can change my screen resolution, but when I try to change from landscape to portrait (i.e. press the rotate button) I get the symptoms described above.

I use Gutsy Gibbon, a Radeon x300 graphics card and a viewsonic VP2030b.
Regards Laurence.

I understand. However you think you're not using xrandr, it's always there (it means X Resize And Rotate Extension) and it's the part of X that provides for client applications' (such as the control panel app you mentioned) ability to resize and rotate the screen. Therefore, that you can't rotate the screen is either a driver bug or an xrandr bug. I'm putting my money in the driver side because I also own a radeon and their drivers are not top-notch (but improving fast).

Thanks again Rudd-O. I cannot do anything else with the radeon drivers.
 If it is a xrandr bug, will there be an update or patch to cure it, or is it something I can do on my own computer.
 I have only been using Ubuntu for a few days and I would hate to have to use Windows again.
Regards Laurence.

I have the same problem on Ubuntu 7.10 with a Radeon 7000 and also with a Nvidia FX52000. Each call of "xrandr -o left" freezes the system to the point that only a hardware reset helps.

Thanks Erdal. Has anyone cured this problem yet? I am still stuck with my monitor in landscape mode.
Regards Laurence.

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