Changing Xserver res from tty1

[xvi]

Any tips on how to change resolution from non-gui terminal such as terminal 1 on Ubuntu/gnome?

Example, I launch GameX and it sets my resolution to something that isn't supported. I go to tty1, log in and sudo kill. Switch back and resolution is still wrong.
Switch to tty1..

sudo xrandr -r 1680x1050

...but I just get "Can't open display"

Tried

sudo xrandr --output tty7 -r 1680x1050

..but no go.

Setting resolution with xrandr from gnome's GUI terminal works fine.

Suggestions?

 

[xfire]

sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg

also hit ctrl+alt+del to restart x

 

[xvi]

Do you mean ctrl+alt+backspace? I know about that..

The goal is to not restart X.

 

[xfire]

the first command will do the trick.

 

[xvi]

the first command will do the trick.

You're sure? I tried it and it just rewrote xorg.conf

 

[xfire]

yup. You even set the resolution.

 

[xvi]

yup. You even set the resolution.

..but rewriting xorg.conf doesn't take effect until I restart X? ..right?

I'm hesitant to do so. My Radeon is a bit touchy when it comes to Ubuntu. I guess there's always a backup xorg.conf

Oh well, lets give it a try.

 

[xvi]

Yeah. All it did was rewrite xorg.conf. Still need to restart X.

Like I say, the goal is to change the resolution from tty without restarting X.

I checked man before I posted and it shows me two promising options:

--screen snum
              This option selects which screen to manipulate. Note this refers
              to the X screen abstraction, not the monitor (or output).

and

       --output <output>
              Selects an output to reconfigure. Use either  the  name  of  the
              output or the XID.

..but I can't figure out the syntax of these two commands. Giving them things like "/dev/tty7", "tty7" or "7"

Edit: I might have found something. Had the idea to run "xrandr -q" from GUI terminal to see what screen it reports. Says screen 0 (which I should have thought to try).

Wait a minute.. man page says it's "-screen" and error page says it's "--screen". I thought that looked funny. Still says "Can't open display"

Still, xrandr -q gives me this:

xvi@xvi-desktop:~$ xrandr -q
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1680 x 1050, maximum 1680 x 1200
VGA-0 disconnected (normal left inverted right)
S-video disconnected (normal left inverted right)
DVI-0 connected 1680x1050+0+0 (normal left inverted right) 433mm x 270mm
   1680x1050      60.0*+
   1280x1024      75.0     59.9  
   1280x960       59.9  
   1152x864       75.0     74.8  
   1280x720       74.8     59.9  
   1024x768       75.1     70.1     60.0  
   832x624        74.6  
   800x600        72.2     75.0     60.3     56.2  
   640x480        75.0     72.8     66.7     60.0  
   720x400        70.1

..which says "Screen 0" and --screen syntax asks for "snum".

Apparently there's also a "--display <display>" option that isn't in the man pages. I'll try that.