Steam+Games (maybe more) stop processing when I switch the TTY & WM

steele · 2022-01-03 14:20:29

My main X-Server is on TTY 1 with Awesome WM. No problems here except that Steam doesn't like the combination of Awesome and a 4K resolution and all steam windows constantly slide down out of view. This is a known Steam problem and I don't care about that here.

As a solution, with added "gets out of the way" benefits, I start XFCE4 on a second X Server on TTY2 Steam displays correctly here, I can play games and if I need a pause I can pause the game and switch to my main X. So far, so good.

However, many (all?) Steam games I tried stop processing when I switch X/TTY. That means that in a multiplayer session (e.g. Factorio) other players lose connection, if I switch on the load screen it stops loading data. Even steam itself stops downloading and updating, including itself on startup.
It doesn't matter if I run the games in fullscreen or in a window. I can also minimize everything just fine and focus other windows.

Besides Steam the same problem occurs with Xonotic (SDL and GLX), Mindustry and SuperTuxCart. All both in fullscreen and in windows.

Maye a hint: Sometimes in these games the background music keeps playing, I let it play for maybe 2 or 3 minutes for testing (to make sure it is not just a buffer that may run out), including the music looping / starting from the beginning.

Other programs work fine: Chromium work fine and I can keep e.g. video-chat open. VLC keeps playing a movie. Same with Pysol Solitaire. I also wrote a small python program that just counts upwards and that also does not stop.

So it seems to occur with technology that games use.

Does anyone have a clue what is going on? A config change (of X?), workaround or hack would be enough. All I want is go back to my main X server for a minute or two to check a mail without getting kicked out of a multiplayer game, or even my own game.

Last edited by steele (2022-01-03 14:24:39)

Lone_Wolf · 2022-01-03 14:30:08

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Xorg_multiseat or https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Xephyr might offer a solution.

steele · 2022-01-04 10:51:14

Lone_Wolf wrote:

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Xorg_multiseat or https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Xephyr might offer a solution.

It did not. This is unrelated to my problem.

Lone_Wolf · 2022-01-04 12:18:32

All those examples you mention that do work appear to use hardware directly without using X functionality.
I doubt X (or getty ) can do what you want, but there are other options .

It does seem possible a terminal multiplexers ability to attach / detach applications from sessions (while keeping them running) could solve the issue .

I suggest you read https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminal_multiplexer, https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Tmux and https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/GNU_Screen to determine if that approach could work for you.

Arch Linux

#1 2022-01-03 14:20:29

Steam+Games (maybe more) stop processing when I switch the TTY & WM

#2 2022-01-03 14:30:08

Re: Steam+Games (maybe more) stop processing when I switch the TTY & WM

#3 2022-01-04 10:51:14

Re: Steam+Games (maybe more) stop processing when I switch the TTY & WM

#4 2022-01-04 12:18:32

Re: Steam+Games (maybe more) stop processing when I switch the TTY & WM

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