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user216356
Asked: 2013-11-17 05:24:37 +0800 CST

How do I set a custom resolution?

  • 772

I tried to use xrandr to set 1680x1050 as a new mode to VGA output, but it says:

sudo xrandr --addmode VGA-0 1680
X Error of failed request:  BadMatch (invalid parameter attributes)
Major opcode of failed request:  140 (RANDR)
Minor opcode of failed request:  18 (RRAddOutputMode)
Serial number of failed request:  35
Current serial number in output stream:  36
display-resolution

5 Answers

  1. First generate a "modeline" by using cvt
    Syntax is: cvt width height refreshrate

    cvt 1680 1050 60

    this gives you:

    # 1680x1050 59.95 Hz (CVT 1.76MA) hsync: 65.29 kHz; pclk: 146.25 MHz
Modeline "1680x1050_60.00"  146.25  1680 1784 1960 2240  1050 1053 1059 1089 -hsync +vsync

    Now tell this to xrandr:

    xrandr --newmode "1680x1050_60.00"  146.25  1680 1784 1960 2240  1050 1053 1059 1089 -hsync +vsync

    Then you can now add it to the table of possible resolutions of an output of your choice:

    xrandr --addmode VGA-0 1680x1050_60.00

    The changes are lost after reboot, to set up the resolution persistently, create the file ~/.xprofile with the content:

    #!/bin/sh
xrandr --newmode "1680x1050_60.00"  146.25  1680 1784 1960 2240  1050 1053 1059 1089 -hsync +vsync
xrandr --addmode VGA-0 1680x1050_60.00
    • 209

  2. How to set a custom resolution previously specified. After executing the other steps defined to create the resolution, run: 

    xrandr -s 1680x1050
    • 23

  3. How to set a custom resolution previously specified when running multiple monitors. After executing the other steps defined to create the resolution, run:

    xrandr --output DVI-0 --mode 1680x1050

    Replace DVI-0 with your device-id, e.g. VGA-0

    • 13

  4. Thanks to thom and thirdender this is basically a single command configuration based on the most voted answer.

    RES="1920 1200 60" && \
DISP=$(xrandr | grep -e " connected [^(]" | sed -e "s/\([A-Z0-9]\+\) connected.*/\1/") && \
MODELINE=$(cvt $(echo $RES) | grep -e "Modeline [^(]" | sed -r 's/.*Modeline (.*)/\1/') && \
MODERES=$(echo $MODELINE | grep -o -P '(?<=").*(?=")') && \
cat > ~/.xprofile << _EOF
#!/bin/sh
xrandr --newmode $MODELINE
xrandr --addmode $DISP $MODERES
_EOF

    The above command will generate the desired ~/.xprofile file. Just make sure you use the resolution (i.e. the RES variable) of your liking. More info here.

    You could replace 

    xrandr | grep -e " connected [^(]" | sed -e "s/\([A-Z0-9]\+\) connected.*/\1/"

    with 

    xrandr | grep -e " connected [^(]" | cut -d\  -f1

    in $DISP variable if that does not work for you.

    • 12

  5. Definitely you have to take a look at autorandr, there seems to be no easier way.

    This is the man page (from Ubuntu): http://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/bionic/man1/autorandr.1.html

    And this is the source code: https://github.com/phillipberndt/autorandr

    Install it in Ubuntu with:

    sudo apt install autorandr

    Then just save your current config with:

    autorandr -s myFaveConfig

    and change config and save others with

    autorandr -s myOtherConfig

    Then just apply them whenever you want with:

    autorandr [theConfigIwant]

    for example:

    autorandr myFaveConfig

    will load the first config you saved in this example.

    Nothing easier !!

    • 2