Request for Feature: Command line option for selecting screen

[GoogleCodeExporter]

This is not a defect or bug report. (I couldn't find how to request a feature.)

I do know I can change screens during the presentation, but I wanted to have it 
before starting it, thus the command line option. 

Original issue reported on code.google.com by danielmn...@gmail.com on 28 Mar 2012 at 1:40

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Hi,

Having a CLI option to specify the screens seems like a good idea. However, do 
you have any comments on how to specify each screen on the CLI?

I was also thinking on drawing the detected screens on the start screen so that 
you could choose how to use each screen. I will attach a sketch of this 
sometime soon.

I am seriously considering using the issue tracker to new feature requests, so 
you did right in filling this as a bug.

Thanks for the new feature request, I'm glad to see new people that would like 
open-pdf-presenter enhanced!

Original comment by zait...@gmail.com on 28 Mar 2012 at 10:46

• Added labels: Type-Enhancement
• Removed labels: Type-Defect

[GoogleCodeExporter]

I think I understand what you mean by "drawing screens on the start screen". 
That'd be an awesome idea, maybe better than the CLI option. And what if you 
save the selection some how? I mean, the user would not need to always select 
the right screen for the presenter (and the presentation would go to the other 
one). 

Original comment by danielmn...@gmail.com on 28 Mar 2012 at 2:22

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Hello,

I have already considered saving data to improve the usability, particularly 
saving the default screens setup. It should not be too hard to implement as QT 
already supports "persistent platform-independent application settings" with 
QSettings.

I am definitely considering implementing these two features. However, at this 
point, I cannot tell you when they will be available.

Thanks for your feedback, I hope you do not find using open-pdf-presenter too 
frustrating without these features.

Original comment by zait...@gmail.com on 29 Mar 2012 at 11:03

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Maybe an easy compromise would be just a command-line parameter "-z" to the 
program that simply issues a swap command as soon as the program starts. 
Essentially not worrying about specifying screens but just swapping 
from/inverting the default results.

Original comment by rob...@gmail.com on 17 Apr 2012 at 3:16

[GoogleCodeExporter]

The command line argument that you suggest sounds simple enough, but I think 
that it is too volatile because it depends on which screen the system detects 
as primary and secondary. I believe that it could yield different results on 
different setups using the same computer.

Lately, I have been thinking about two options to deal with this:

- Use QT to save the preferences about which screen is used to display the aux 
screen and load those preferences when open-pdf-presenter starts. Typically, 
when using a laptop for presentations, we use the screen of the laptop to show 
the aux screen and the other screen, whatever it may be, to show the main 
screen;

- When preferences are not available, use "squarest" screen to display the main 
slide. Typically, projectors support a 4:3 or 5:4 aspect ratio. Personally, I 
have not seen a 16:9 or 16:10 projector yet. Therefore, show the main screen on 
the "squarest" screen found.

I think these options are a better alternative than the command line argument. 
With them, users would only need the swap functionality for uncommon 
cornercases, which is acceptable.

Nevertheless, if you really need it, I can produce a patch to include that "-z" 
parameter. Just let me know.

Original comment by zait...@gmail.com on 17 Apr 2012 at 10:34

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Hi Luís,
Thanks so much for your quick reply. You're right, a "-z" or something similar 
would be a hack that simply inverts the default behavior (whatever it may be). 
The user would start up the program, see what open-pdf-presenter does by 
default, and if screens are switched, start the presentation with "-z" instead. 
Although being a dirty and perhaps preliminary fix, it would be tremendously 
useful for me ;) If you happen to have the time to look at it, I'd be very 
happy to try it out. 
Cheers,
Philipp

Original comment by rob...@gmail.com on 17 Apr 2012 at 7:17

[GoogleCodeExporter]

"-z" is perhaps not the best choice; something like --invert may be better ;) 
Best!

Original comment by rob...@gmail.com on 17 Apr 2012 at 7:18

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Hello Philipp,

I have produced the patch that you requested. It was really easy, the patch 
just adds 7 lines on 1 file :)

What the patch actually does: You can pass "-i" or "--invert" to invert the 
default screen behaviour. I think the patch I'm sending is quite readable, so 
you can change this flag to whatever you feel that is appropriate.

At this point, I cannot guarantee that this patch will be included on any 
release. As I said, I would rather some less hacky solution for this. But, as 
you requested this feature and it was really simple to implement, here it is :)

Best regards,
Luís

Original comment by zait...@gmail.com on 18 Apr 2012 at 2:47

Attachments:

• issue5-1.patch

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Works like a charm! Thanks so much, this makes the program even more useful to 
me than it already is. Fantastic work!

Original comment by rob...@gmail.com on 18 Apr 2012 at 8:11

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Hi,
I tried the patch but it doesn't work perfectly.
I mean, starting with -i, i see the console on my laptop and the presentation 
on the projector, but the slide is oversized. Pressing two times "S" i can get 
the right size.
I was wondering: why have you chosen to display the console on the extended 
screen (non primary) instead of on the primary screen?
(I extend the screen with xrandr, using the command: xrandr --output LVDS-0 
--auto --primary --output VGA-0 --auto --right-of LVDS-0)

Regards,
Alex

Original comment by pacini...@gmail.com on 30 Oct 2012 at 3:30