Multiple Virtual Screens

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Solaris hosts.
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mmiramax
Posts: 5
Joined: 26. May 2011, 10:08
Primary OS: Solaris
VBox Version: OSE other
Guest OSses: Windows

Multiple Virtual Screens

Post by mmiramax »

Hi all, I need some help :|

I have a workstation with 6 monitors attached to it. I intend to use 4 of them for the Java Desktop and the 2 of them for the guest machine.

The host OS is Solaris 10 09/10. I have installed VirtualBox 4.0.8, with the extention pack, created a Windows XP SP2 guest machine, and have the guest-add-on installed too.
The host X server is Xorg and all the monitors are set as separate X screens.

I configured 2 virtual screens for the guest machine, run it up, and switch it to full screen mode.
Then I access the mini toolbar to reach for "View" -> "Virtual Screen 1" -> "Use Host Screen 5", and "View" -> "Virtual Screen 2" -> "Use Host Screen 6".
Result? Nothing happens. Both virtual screens stay on the same physical screen I lauched the VirtualBox.

Please shed some lights on this. Thanks a lot.
Sasquatch
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Re: Multiple Virtual Screens

Post by Sasquatch »

You mean they all stick to one screen? They are both on the same monitor? Then it's your X config that's the problem. Can you drag windows from one monitor to another on the Host? If you can't, then you have set up the wrong type for multi-monitor. Separate X screens sounds more like a multi-seat situation than a true multi-monitor system you want. Try Xinerama instead.
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mmiramax
Posts: 5
Joined: 26. May 2011, 10:08
Primary OS: Solaris
VBox Version: OSE other
Guest OSses: Windows

Re: Multiple Virtual Screens

Post by mmiramax »

Yes, the two virtual screens windows stay on the same monitor. They occupy the same monitor also when switch to full screen/seamless mode.

I have tried to set the first 4 monitors as seperate X screens, and combine the 5th and the 6th into a single screen with twinview. My guest Windows XP OS is lauched on this twinview screen. With this I am able to drag each virtual screen window across the 5th and 6th monitor. However if I switch into fullscreen/seamless mode, each virtual screen will occupy the both physical screens, instead of each virtual screen occupy one physical monitor.

Even if I assign just one virtual screen to the virtual machine, it doesn't look pretty especially if I maximize a window from the guest Windows XP desktop, as the window will occupy both physical monitors.
Sasquatch
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Joined: 17. Mar 2008, 13:41
Primary OS: Debian other
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Re: Multiple Virtual Screens

Post by Sasquatch »

You can define which monitor the VM will go to full screen by using the mini toolbar. The dual monitor setting should work just like normal, where you maximize a window and it will be limited to that screen only, not span across the others.
Read the Forum Posting Guide before opening a topic.
VirtualBox FAQ: Check this before asking questions.
Online User Manual: A must read if you want to know what we're talking about.
Howto: Install Linux Guest Additions
Howto: Use Shared Folders on Linux Guest
See the Tutorials and FAQ section at the top of the Forum for more guides.
Try searching the forums first with Google and add the site filter for this forum.
E.g. install guest additions site:forums.virtualbox.org

Retired from this Forum since OSSO introduction.
mmiramax
Posts: 5
Joined: 26. May 2011, 10:08
Primary OS: Solaris
VBox Version: OSE other
Guest OSses: Windows

Re: Multiple Virtual Screens

Post by mmiramax »

Nothing happen when I set the virtual screen to go to which physical screen via the minibar or the home menu :( Not even if I exit from the fullscreen mode and then enter again, nor restarting the virtual machine works :(

Now I'm switching to xinerama mode rather than the seperate X screens and the twinview mode. I can drag the virtual screen windows across the physical screens. When I maximize the windows they only fully occupy the physical screen where they are located. That's fine so far ... but ...

When I switch to fullscreen mode, both virtual screens will occupy the first physical screen and again, nothing happen when I set the virtual screen to go to which physical screen via the minibar or the home menu. Samewise when I exit from the full screen mode and enter again :(
Sasquatch
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Posts: 17798
Joined: 17. Mar 2008, 13:41
Primary OS: Debian other
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Location: /dev/random

Re: Multiple Virtual Screens

Post by Sasquatch »

You mean to say that you don't have something like this, in the picture?
Multimonitor selection
Multimonitor selection
select monitor VB.png (24.39 KiB) Viewed 11737 times
Read the Forum Posting Guide before opening a topic.
VirtualBox FAQ: Check this before asking questions.
Online User Manual: A must read if you want to know what we're talking about.
Howto: Install Linux Guest Additions
Howto: Use Shared Folders on Linux Guest
See the Tutorials and FAQ section at the top of the Forum for more guides.
Try searching the forums first with Google and add the site filter for this forum.
E.g. install guest additions site:forums.virtualbox.org

Retired from this Forum since OSSO introduction.
mmiramax
Posts: 5
Joined: 26. May 2011, 10:08
Primary OS: Solaris
VBox Version: OSE other
Guest OSses: Windows

Re: Multiple Virtual Screens

Post by mmiramax »

No. I mean nothing happen after I select the "Use host screen X". The virtual screen stays at the same place.

Maybe I use pictures to explain the problem.

The first monitor shows the Solaris 10 desktop, while the second monitor shows the virtual screen 1 of the Windows guest OS in a normal window, and the third monitor shows the virtual screen 2 of the Windows guest OS in a maximized window. In this setup Xinerama mode is enabled so the windows can be dragged across the screens.
Solaris host and Windows 7 guest with 2 virtual screens
Solaris host and Windows 7 guest with 2 virtual screens
Picture 001.jpg (66.61 KiB) Viewed 11717 times
The second picture shows the action to switch into the fullscreen mode.
Switch into fullscreen mode
Switch into fullscreen mode
Picture 002.jpg (93.07 KiB) Viewed 11717 times
The third picture shows the result of switching to fullscreen mode. The first monitor is occupied by both virtual screens, the second and third desktop are now showing the Solaris 10 desktop.
Result of fullscreen mode
Result of fullscreen mode
Picture 003.jpg (67.46 KiB) Viewed 11718 times
... will be continued on the next post ...
mmiramax
Posts: 5
Joined: 26. May 2011, 10:08
Primary OS: Solaris
VBox Version: OSE other
Guest OSses: Windows

Re: Multiple Virtual Screens

Post by mmiramax »

... resume the previous post.

The forth picture shows the action of assigning virtual screen 2 to use the third monitor.
Assign virtual screen to use host screen
Assign virtual screen to use host screen
Picture 004.jpg (115.4 KiB) Viewed 11716 times
The result after I click the "Use host screen 3"? Nothing happen. The virtual screen 2 still occupy the first monitor as seen in Picture 003.
Same as before
Same as before
Picture 003.jpg (67.46 KiB) Viewed 11717 times
When I access the View menu from the home menu, I can confirm the virtual screen 2 has already been assigned to host screen 3, as shown in the following picture.
Home Menu
Home Menu
Picture 005.jpg (112.34 KiB) Viewed 11717 times
Sasquatch
Volunteer
Posts: 17798
Joined: 17. Mar 2008, 13:41
Primary OS: Debian other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows XP, Windows 7, Linux
Location: /dev/random

Re: Multiple Virtual Screens

Post by Sasquatch »

I have two monitors attached to my PC, and low and behold, when I start a VM with two displays set, putting the VM into full screen actually put each display on a separate monitor. When I started the VM, the windows were already placed on separate monitors.
Keep in mind that I run Linux, Xubuntu 11.04. So your experience is probably different due to Solaris. The only explanation I have, is that somehow, your Xorg is identifying the screens differently and holds applications that go full screen on the primary monitor. Another option is that VB can't properly map it's windows to the other monitors, even though it says it does.

What you can do is create a bug report in the Bugtracker (separate account needed) and see if the devs can reproduce this problem and fix it. Maybe it's a limitation of Solaris. Make sure you link to this thread, so you don't have to upload all the pictures again to show the issue.
Read the Forum Posting Guide before opening a topic.
VirtualBox FAQ: Check this before asking questions.
Online User Manual: A must read if you want to know what we're talking about.
Howto: Install Linux Guest Additions
Howto: Use Shared Folders on Linux Guest
See the Tutorials and FAQ section at the top of the Forum for more guides.
Try searching the forums first with Google and add the site filter for this forum.
E.g. install guest additions site:forums.virtualbox.org

Retired from this Forum since OSSO introduction.
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