Dual Monitors on Linux

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• Connect VGA cable to laptop;

• List all monitors' name: xrandr -q, or ls /sys/class/drm/ when "-q" doesn't work.

• Open this monitor: xrandr --output VGA1 --auto, now there should be same output on VGA1 and laptop screen;

• Put screen of laptop (LVDS1) under the screen of 19 inches monitor (VGA1): xrandr --output LVDS1 --below VGA1 --auto. If the external monitor connected via HDMI (named 'HDMI1') is at the right side of laptop's screen (eDP1), to open laptop's screen, run xrandr --output eDP1 --left-of HDMI1 --auto. To open the external monitor's screen, run xrandr --output HDMI1 --auto --left-of eDP1.

• Move an i3 workspace to monitor VGA1: i3-msg move workspace to output VGA1, use any monitor name instead of "VGA1". Use a i3 shortcut instead of command to move workspace between monitors: add the following codes into ~/.i3/config

  # move workspace to left/right screen
  bindsym $mod+Shift+Left move workspace to output left
  bindsym $mod+Shift+Right move workspace to output right
  bindsym $mod+Shift+Up move workspace to output up
  bindsym $mod+Shift+Down move workspace to output down
  

• Close a monitor: xrandr --output VGA1 --off;

These settings worked both on Xfce and i3 wm.

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