To change the default color depth, edit the DefaultDepth line in the Screen section (make sure that a SubSection for that depth exists in the Screen section of the file). Values that work with most video cards include 8, 16, and 24 bits; the number of colors available is 2depth .
Similarly, the default resolution is controlled by the Modes entry in SubSection "Display" with the same Depth as DefaultDepth .
For example, to change the configuration in this example from a 24-bit (16-million-color) to 16 bit (65,536 color) depth, and to change the resolution to 800x600, change the DefaultDepth to 16 and then change the Modes line in the SubSection for 16-bit color:
Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Videocard0" # Associates the video card
Monitor "Monitor0" # with this monitor
DefaultDepth 16
# Default is 16-bit colour
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0 # "0 0" is almost always used
Depth 24 # This section used by default
Modes "1400x1050" "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
# Change modes with Ctrl-Alt-+/-
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 16
Modes "800x600"
EndSubSection
EndSection
The Composite extension, enabled in the Extensions section of the file, powers the use of advanced visual effects, including transparency. Not all video drivers support Composite .
2.4.3. What About...
2.4.3.1. ...per-user display resolution settings?
The GNOME menu option System→Preferences→Screen Resolution sets the default resolution and refresh rate for a particular user (in KDE, select Control Center from the panel menu, then click on Display under Peripherals; be sure to select the checkbox labeled "Apply settings on KDE startup").
The system-wide resolution setting will be used for the user login display; individual user settings will take effect after the user logs in. The color depth can't be set this way because the architecture of the X Window System requires the color depth to be a system-wide setting.
2.4.3.2. ...creating the xorg.conf file without using system-config-display?
The X server itself is capable of generating a reasonable xorg.conf file, which you can then fine-tune by manually editing it:
# X -configure :1
The system will automatically start an X server using display number :0. Additional X servers can be started as long as they each use a unique display numberwhich is why :1 was used in this command.
The new configuration file will be placed in /root/xorg.conf.new . In order to use it, you'll need to link the name /dev/mouse to the default mouse device:
# ln -s /dev/input/mice /dev/mouse
You can then test the new configuration:
$ X -config /root/xorg.conf.new
This will present a blank display with an X-shaped mouse pointer. If the display looks right and you can move the pointer with your mouse, then go ahead and install this new configuration file as the default configuration:
# mv /root/X11/xorg.conf /root/X11/xorg.conf.backup
# mv /root/xorg.conf.new /etc/X11/xorg.conf
You can fine-tune this configuration either manually or by using tools such as system-config-display .
2.4.3.3. ...using multiple mice and keyboards with one display?
The default X server configuration will work with all USB pointer devices and keyboards plugged into the system. The devices will work in parallel; for example, if you have two mice, moving either one will move the onscreen pointer, and if you have two keyboards, typing on either will send characters to the display.
Most keyboards will be detected as soon as they are plugged in, but other keyboards will be detected only when the system starts. For example, I have a secondary French Canadian USB keyboard and a USB calculator/numeric keypad; the French Canadian keyboard is detected as soon as it is plugged in, but the numeric keypad must be plugged in during boot in order to be detected properly. Special features of advanced pointers (such as touchpads) will not be configured automatically unless those devices are plugged in when system-config-display is run.
2.4.3.4. ...a nonstandard monitor, such as a widescreen laptop display?
In most cases, these displays can be probed automatically using VESA standard protocols. If not, edit /etc/X11/ xorg.conf , find the Monitor section, and enter the HorizSync (horizontal scan frequency) and VertRefresh (vertical scan/refresh frequency) values specified in your monitor documentation:
Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor0"
VendorName "Monitor Vendor"
ModelName "Unknown Monitor"
HorizSync 32.00 - 72.0 # Horiz. sync in kHz
VertRefresh 58.0 - 62.0 # Vert. refresh in Hz
EndSection
Next, edit the default resolution to match your hardware:
Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Videocard0
Monitor "Monitor0"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1280x800"
EndSubSection
EndSection
2.4.4. Where Can I Learn More?
The manpages for X (general information about the X Window System), Xserver (general information about the X window server), Xorg (specific information about the X.org version of the Xserver used in Fedora Core), and xorg.conf (information about the X server configuration file).
2.5. Configuring Printing
In order to print from your Fedora system, you have to configure at least one print queue to manage documents waiting to be printed. For printers directly connected to your computer, this process is fully automatic, and for other printers (such as those on your network), it is very simple.
2.5.1. How Do I Do That?
Select the menu option System→Administration→Printing (in KDE, it is Administration→Printing). You will be prompted to enter the root password, and then the printer configuration window will appear, as shown in Figure 2-16. If any print queues have been previously defined, they will be listed on the left side of the window, grouped according to connection type; if you click on one of these printers, the configuration details for that printer will appear on the right.