Bug 12991

Summary:	always ask permission to write a new xorg.conf
Product:	Mageia	Reporter:	Felix Miata <mrmazda>
Component:	RPM Packages	Assignee:	Thierry Vignaud <thierry.vignaud>
Status:	NEW ---	QA Contact:
Severity:	enhancement
Priority:	Normal	CC:	lewyssmith
Version:	Cauldron	Keywords:	Triaged
Target Milestone:	---
Hardware:	All
OS:	Linux
Whiteboard:
Source RPM:	drakx-kbd-mouse-x11	CVE:
Status comment:
Attachments:	script I call "xfetch" screenshot image of expected script output xorg.conf as written by system administrator screenshot image of actual script output administrator's xorg.conf as inflated and disorganized by XFdrake

Description Felix Miata 2014-03-11 06:20:42 CET

This is a bit of a reopen of bug 9306 but applies to more than just upgrading via installer. I was reminded of this just a bit ago doing such an upgrade from Mageia 2 to Mageia 4. I would have preferred to do Cauldron, but it refused to find http://mirrors.kernel.org/mageia/distrib/cauldron/i586/install/stage2/mdkinst.sqfs when needed, quite clearly available in Gecko at the time, and so could not proceed.

I use the same xorg.conf file, or minor variation thereof to account for different gfxchips and their occasional quirks, on virtually every installation on virtually every multiboot system, which is upwards of 30 systems with an average Linux distribution installation count in excess of 10 each, many with in excess of 20.

I use what works, so I do not appreciate the installer telling me a perfectly working xorg.conf file is "broken" and "will be ignored" and having it replaced with one containing anachronistic components (e.g. modelines for 50KHz and 61.6KHz 768x576 screens that are not supported by North American screens, and would be provided by EDID if necessary) and omitting those necessary to make X work as I want (e.g. PreferredMode, DisplaySize, Option "DPMS" "off", Option "Composite" "disable"). I appreciate even less having to work around ignored AUTORECONFIGURE_RIGHT_XORG_DRIVER=no and whatever its related cohorts are that replace xorg.conf without notifying me when updating or upgrading or even just rebooting after a BIOS or hardware change.

Why xorg.conf files are being created on installation in the first place I don't understand, because automagic has been working for most users for several years. Why does XFDrake continue to think it can do better?

When XFDrake or Harddrake or anything else wants to write a new xorg.conf file, they should always offer a choice to keep existing instead of forcing a manual fixup that enables X to work as expected.

Manuel Hiebel 2014-03-23 15:31:31 CET

Keywords: (none) => Triaged
Component: Installer => RPM Packages
Assignee: bugsquad => thierry.vignaud
Source RPM: (none) => drakx-kbd-mouse-x11

Comment 1 Felix Miata 2014-04-05 16:23:54 CEST

Created attachment 5095 [details]
script I call "xfetch"

I use this in Konsole or xterm to assess the current state of X, which is much simpler than finding and roaming through a voluminous Xorg.0.log and output from various utilities.

Comment 2 Felix Miata 2014-04-05 16:23:59 CEST

Created attachment 5096 [details]
screenshot image of expected script output

These 40 or so lines are what I expect to see output from the script, easily fitting onto a small display screen that only can have that many lines visible in a terminal window at once.

Comment 3 Felix Miata 2014-04-05 16:24:04 CEST

Created attachment 5097 [details]
xorg.conf as written by system administrator

Some features:
1-largest major block (DisplaySizes) is sorted first by DPI, then by vertical resolution, making locating any desired easy to find to comment or uncomment
2-next largest major block (PreferredModes) follows, sorted by vertical resolution, making locating any desired easy to find to comment or uncomment
3-third largest major block (Panning) next, sorted by vertical resolution, making locating any desired easy to find to comment or uncomment
4-comments containing filenames into which xorg.conf may be split into files appropriate for /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/ with one leading newline each are prepended to the first line each file would contain
5-No lines that are entirely comments have leading whitespace

Comment 4 Felix Miata 2014-04-05 16:24:10 CEST

Created attachment 5098 [details]
screenshot image of actual script output

Many many unexpected comment lines instead of useful information, far too many to be visible at once except on a giant screen, largely defeating the purpose of the script.

Comment 5 Felix Miata 2014-04-05 16:24:14 CEST

Created attachment 5099 [details]
administrator's xorg.conf as inflated and disorganized by XFdrake

1-Much has been rearranged to be in no particular apparent order.
2-Most comment lines that had no leading whitespace acquired leading whitespace.
3-Prepend comment lines have been divorced from their proper places.
4-File size increased by 9.33%.
5-AUTORECONFIGURE_RIGHT_XORG_DRIVER=no in /etc/sysconfig/harddrake2/service.conf seems to have been disregarded.

Comment 6 Lewis Smith 2019-04-08 21:39:50 CEST

@Thierry
Can you comment on this bug? What most matters (aesthetic considerations apart) is if working xorg.conf files are messed up so they no longer work.

CC: (none) => lewyssmith