Questions about using Phosh in "docked" mode with an external monitor

Hardware Librem 5
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I’m using Mobian/Phosh weekly (Linux 5.15) on the PinePhone with an external monitor (in my case it’s a Vankyo HDMI projector) and I have a couple questions about using Phosh on an external monitor.

When I dock with my projector, it defaults to Phosh’s background image and it is only showing me the bottom right corner of the background image, so most of the screen is not being displayed by my projector. Is this is a known bug, or is it caused because Phosh doesn’t know the projector’s screen resolution? Is there a command to check what screen resolution Phosh thinks it is using?

To get around not being able to see any apps, I am pressing Alt+Tab to switch to one of the open apps (which I can’t see because it is on part of the screen which isn’t being displayed by the projector). Then, I press Alt+F10 to maximize the app and then I can see the entire app, which indicates that Phosh is using the correct screen resolution when maximizing apps, but not when displaying apps as windows on a desktop.

When using an external projector, I haven’t found a way to get to the Phosh start screen to switch apps and open new apps, and the Phosh documentation and source code page provide no info. Any suggestions?

I found a workaround of starting apps from the PinePhone screen and then using Alt+Tab on the external keyboard to switch it. I can also press Alt+F2 to execute a command. I can’t see the dialog box on the projector to enter a command, but I can type a command (like “kgx” or “firefox-esr”) and then press ENTER, and then the app will appear on the screen. However, I often don’t see it, because it opens in a window that is in part of the screen that I can’t see. Sometimes I have to press Alt+F10 to see the app after it opens. Is there a gsetting to configure Phosh so it always initiates apps in maximized mode?

How can I change the language of the external keyboard?

I have tried the following commands, but none of them seem to work:
loadkeys latam
setxkbmap latam
setxkbmap -layout latam

In the quick access menu on the top of the PinePhone screen, I can change the status from “docked” to “undocked” or vice-versa, but it appears to have no effect as far as I can tell. Is this what is supposed to to happen?

Are these issues specific to the PinePhone, or are Librem 5 users also seeing these same issues when using an external monitor?

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you can check wlr-randr but also g-c-c. You should see the background scaled on both displays. There can be some flickering on the second output if you have both enabled at boot (https://gitlab.gnome.org/World/Phosh/phoc/-/issues/235) but that should go away after having an app on the other screen.

To get around not being able to see any apps, I am pressing Alt+Tab to switch to one of the open apps (which I can’t see because it is on part of the screen which isn’t being displayed by the projector). Then, I press Alt+F10 to maximize the app and then I can see the entire app, which indicates that Phosh is using the correct screen resolution when maximizing apps, but not when displaying apps as windows on a desktop.

That sounds more like a compositor issues but we’d need screen shots to tell for sure.

How can I change the language of the external keyboard?

g-c-c (GNOME control center) it’s the same as for the OSK

In the quick access menu on the top of the PinePhone screen, I can change the status from “docked” to “undocked” or vice-versa, but it appears to have no effect as far as I can tell. Is this what is supposed to to happen?

it makes windows flaoting or auto-maximize, shows only adaptive apps, etc. basically switches between “phone” and “large display/PC” mode.

Are these issues specific to the PinePhone, or are Librem 5 users also seeing these same issues when using an external monitor?

I’m using phosh with the L5 and my laptop with all kinds of external displays every day including 4K, fractional scaling and projectors so things should work quite well in principle (see e.g. my talk that uses a projector and the buitl in display: http://meetings-archive.debian.net/pub/debian-meetings/2021/MiniDebConf-Regensburg/debian-on-a-smart-phone-are-you-serious.webm). What you see in the PP largely depends on the distrubutions, the patches, their kernel and mesa suppert, etc. For reference: i’m using PureOS Byzantium on the L5 and Debian Bookwork on the Laptop.

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The first thanks much to @guido.gunther and others. Posh works for me with more Laptop USB-C docks. I can report two working ones to wiki. I have met some problems. But I would focus on some posh annoyances and wishes there. If you prefer, I can report these is issue tracker which you point me to.

  • Librem 5 runs in half-docked mode/on-sreen keyboard unavailable when switched off in docked mode, then disconnected and started. It seems that some part of docked/undocked state is persistent in user profile and changes only during dock/undock event. When I connect and disconnect prone to the dock then state synchronizes and keyboard is available/pop-up when expected. May it be this problem is already solved in posh/mainline. I use actual PureOS Byzantium. For the start, I would welcome solution when quick posh top screen pull-down actions show icon “Undock” active when booted in stuck docked mode (keyboard pop-up disbled) even when device is in the fact undocked. This would allow to correct/sync state.

  • Ability/option to use Librem 5 touch screen as relative mouse/touchpad device when in the docked mode. At the moment I do not know how to operate device in the docked mode without external mouse. It is nice to have mode where prone screen can be used together with external monitor as full featured monitor setup but when without dock and only with USB-C to HDMI converter, I am not able to use device. I would prefer option to switch Librem 5 screen to the mode when it is not “part of destop” and its area/screen is used only as touchpad with option to switch on and off virtual keyboard. May it be it is already solved as it seems that you used something like that during your presentation. Do you have some pointers…

Thanks again and with to enjoy holidays and whole next year to everybody,

Pavel

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That’s fixed in phosh 0.14.1, which should be available in byzantium since about two weeks ago. Is your system up-to-date?

You may want to try Guido’s phom.

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Great, fast check shows that it works correctly now. I have tested the situation some weeks about and resolved to habit to ensure that Librem 5 is disconnected from the dock before I which it switch-off, so I have not noticed correction after update.

Great, I have build deb package in my PureOS ARM64 chroot on laptop and setup local debs repo on the phone. The phom seems to head right direction, allows to enable on-screen keyboard and control the “mouse”. But I would have wish that it allows to move to the corners easier, the phone area maps exactly to external screen and phone touch screen does not allow to reach easily corners, may it be my fingers are too thick. It would be great even if the mouse can be switched to relative mode with some higher resolution. I am used to use touchpad that way… I am not sure how use mouse drag, left button held and move by mouse, i.e. move window. It seems that I cannot held virtual mouse button together with move by other finger. But it is great that there is already invested to this use direction, thanks and happy hacking…

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FYI, most of our git repositories have CI set up in a way that builds deb packages as part of the CI pipeline: https://source.puri.sm/guido.gunther/phom/-/pipelines

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Exactly what I just found out :slight_smile: . Opened this issue.