[Resolved] no desktop icons at all (long version)

[tovian]

I did it to myself. I know what's wrong, but I don't know how to fix it.
1st - I decided to install Xfce and keep my /home folder (it's a separate partition).
2 - Completed installation successfully, but after boot I have NO icons on my desktop.
3 - Fooled around trying to figure it out but did not recognize the problem.
4 - Finally gave up and re-installed Xfce... this time completely re-creating /home folder.
5 - ?? What the hay ??- after installation and reboot I still have no desktop icons.
6 - This time I'm determined to figure it out --- and I FINALLY realize what's going on...

I am installing the most current Mint/Xfce distro onto my little Dell (I-7/16GBRam) laptop. But, when I'm at home, I keep it in a Dell Docking Station with separate monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Neither Windows nor Mint-19/20-Cinnamon have a problem with this... but Xfce does. And I don't know what is probably a simple trick to fix this problem.

I'm now certain that Xfce sees the docking station/external monitor as a separate monitor. Without asking (or even giving me an option AFAIK) the installation sets up the docking-station monitor as an "extended" monitor instead of a "duplicate" monitor. If I remove the computer from the dock the PC monitor is just fine - but if I attach the little guy to the dock I only see the "extended" monitor - which is BLANK. I wish I had realized the cause of the blank screen before I re-installed and blew away the Cinnamon /home folder.

How can I define the second monitor as a "duplicate display".

THANKS in advance !!

[MrEen]

Does it show in Menu > Settings > Display? I believe you should be able to Mirror there if it shows up.

[tovian]

Does it show in Menu > Settings > Display?

Sadly, no - it does not. I also tried booting "off the dock" and then snapping it back into the dock. No joy.


Wait a minute.... it's working. Now I need to try to remember what I did and in what sequence.

More testing required (but making progress) !!

I wonder if re-installing "off the dock" would make a difference (?)

[tovian]

Now things are getting really strange.
Both monitors are now showing up in the settings applet. I can also select "mirror" as an option. But, after trying almost every option of:
1. which monitor is "primary"
2. different screen resolutions
no result is correct for the "dock" monitor - which is the bigger one, and the one I want to use when the PC is docked.

The two images below are actual screen caps done on the big (dock) monitor. I hadn't yet had time to change the desktop font-color so you can see what my screens look like with my preferred background... UGLY (essentially un-readable)

When I select the laptop as the primary display (and check mirrored) this is the result on the BIG (dock) monitor



When I select the BIG (dock) monitor as the primary display this is the result on that monitor


NONE of this behavior has ever happened before - with Windows - or with any flavor of Linux I have tried on this computer. Before I started messing with Xfce I had this PC dual-booting Windows-10 and Mint19.3-Cinnamon, and everything worked PERFECTLY (in the dock or out).

[MrEen]

If no one here can help get that all sorted out, ToZ on the Xfce forum can probably tell what needs doing.

[tovian]

ToZ on the Xfce forum........

THANK YOU for that info - it will be filed away for possible probable definite use in the future.

I have figured it out / fixed it / made it look the way I want. It was, as I suspected, very simple:
1. I set the big monitor as the primary
2. I ticked the setting for "mirrored"
3. I dragged the two monitor images in the box in the "Display applet" to the correct position, and...
4. Voilà (and, it holds through repeated reboots)

Because the geometry is different (different screen sizes/shapes/resolution-choices) some of the icons get moved when the PC is out of the dock. But, if I can't fix that tomorrow I can definitely live with it. Since I had not had to move the monitor images/locations in so long I had actually forgotten about being able to do it - and with most DE's the default configuration makes it unnecessary.

Thanks, again, for your help !!

[MrEen]

I'm really glad you figured it out!

[tovian]

What I thought was the solution apparently is not correct. Today everything is misbehaving. A few of my desktop icons stay in place when I reboot, but most of them get reordered (re-positioned) from the upper-left corner. I have tried moving only a few icons, but I get the same (bad) result. I have taken the computer out of the dock and re-positioned the desktop icons, but a reboot scrambles them again - whether the PC is docked or not.

Fearing I could have corrupted nearly everything by now I intend to re-install Xface completely and try again. But I'm beginning to run out of patience.

Also, I made a mistake in the steps I documented (above) when I thought I had fixed the problem:
Number two should be.......... I UN-ticked the setting for "mirrored"
My apologies to all !!

[secureIT]

Hi tovian,

user minty_22 created a script that might be helpful also for your problem.
give it a try ......

viewtopic.php?t=297120

[tovian]

give it a try ......

I've been away from this and busy on another project for a while.

THANKS very much for this info !!


One question... when is the file updated (sync'd)? Can I back up the position file as soon as I move my icons around?