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makeworld

Member

Registered: 2019-10-24

Posts: 15

XFCE doesn't show a panel when connecting an external monitor

I recently switched my Xorg Intel graphics driver from `xf86-video-intel` to the built-in modesetting driver. Since then I've been having issues with my XFCE desktop panels for my external monitor.

After setting up a panel to appear on the external monitor (with the monitor connected), I then disconnect and reconnect the monitor. XFCE recognizes the monitor, it keeps my display settings for example. But the panel I set up doesn't appear again. It still exists in the panel settings, but I can't get it to show on the external monitor. Or any monitor, it's just invisible now.

Has anyone else experienced this? What is the fix?

lambdarch

Member

From: France

Registered: 2021-01-10

Posts: 95

Website

Re: XFCE doesn't show a panel when connecting an external monitor

The monitor model name, which xfce4-panel uses to reposition panels correctly, must have changed with the driver change. You need to open the preferences (xfce4-panel -p), select the panel in question if there are several, and select again the output on which it should appear.

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aka Tamaranch: https://gitlab.xfce.org/Tamaranch

makeworld

Member

Registered: 2019-10-24

Posts: 15

Re: XFCE doesn't show a panel when connecting an external monitor

Hey, thanks for the quick reply. I am doing that, but still seeing this issue. Let me detail the steps I'm following:

1. Modesetting driver is already in use

2. Monitor is connected

3. Open panel preferences

4. Add a new panel (panel 3 in my case)

5. Change the panel "output" to the external monitor (DP-3 for me)

6. Close panel preferences

7. Unplug monitor: new panel is not visible, as it should be

8. Plug monitor back in: panel is still not visible -- this is wrong

At this point, the panel still shows up in panel preferences, but no playing around I do with the "output" option makes it re-appear on the external monitor (or any monitor). My only option seems to be deleting and recreating it, which is tedious, and also just restarts the problem.

Any advice you have for this scenario would be appreciated!

lambdarch

Member

From: France

Registered: 2021-01-10

Posts: 95

Website

Re: XFCE doesn't show a panel when connecting an external monitor

It's pretty weird. Can you restart the panel in debug mode, and give the logs when what you describe in point 8 and below happens:

xfce4-panel -q && PANEL_DEBUG=1 xfce4-panel

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aka Tamaranch: https://gitlab.xfce.org/Tamaranch