Monitors, Panels & My New Insanity Defense Plan

[Blank]

So I jumped on the MATE train v15.10 (I think, it was maybe 14.04) any way I left Mint for many reasons at the time. but the one thing I loved about it was the support for Dual monitors to have Dual panels. You controlled what was going on in the second monitor with the second panel. (i.e. You did’t have to go back to the Main monitor to open up a program back up after you minimized it) When you minimized that prg it stayed in that monitors panel.

On to 15.10 and JOY was found when I stumbled upon the same options in MATE. All was great for a while. I dist-upgraded to 16.04 win no problems evolving. Monitors were still chugging along with dual panels and separate control.

Then 16.04 started getting shaky. Randomly closing apps, loosing audio, locking up other apps and constantly dropping WiFI. Ultimately I lost half my hair, lost 30lbs and didn’t sleep for 3 days just trying to get it back to normal. (I lost the fight and did a kill all reinstall to get to today)

As I am setting up all my little goodies I can’t for the life of me get MY SECOND PANEL TO WORK!!!
I had to use Redmond as a Panel layout (That’s what it was before)
I use Marco (Compton GPU compositor) because I think that’s what I used before. I tried a few other variations but nothing.
I right click on panel and add ( Indicator Applet Appmenu ) Because I think that’s what I used before. Did a reboot and all I get is ( No Indicators )
I tried a few other things before finally before I finally broke down and grabbed a bottle and started typing here to ask.

What am I doing wrong?
Why to I wan’t to drive a bumper car into a group of Clowns?
And why is my eye twitching?

[wolfman]

Hi @Blank,

I know you know the following but I will ask anyway!.

Have you done a full system update by changing your software sources download location to "Main server"?:

Ubuntu Mate Update Guide

These are my own setting preferences, use at your own risk!. AN IMPORTANT NOTE FOR LINUX BEGINNERS. WHEN YOU ARE IN RECOVERY MODE, THE KEYBOARD DEFAULTS TO US ENGLISH, IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER LANGUAGE KEYBOARD OTHER THAN US ENGLISH, WHEN YOU TYPE "Y" (FOR "YES"), IT MIGHT SHOW UP AS A DIFFERENT LETTER, ON MY KEYBOARD I MUST PRESS THE "Z" KEY WHICH EQUATES TO "Y" AS I HAVE A GERMAN KEYBOARD, JUST PRESS "BACKSPACE" AND HIT A DIFFERENT KEY UNTIL YOU SEE THE "Y" SHOW UP!. Click on "Subscribe…

Have you installed any graphics card drivers?:

How to install graphics card drivers in Ubuntu

ATTENTION ATI/AMD GRAPHICS CARD OWNERS, IF YOU INTEND TO USE UBUNTU (MATE) 16.04, PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING FIRST!. EDIT: POSSIBLE SOLUTION FOR SOME WHO HAVE AN AMD CARD ON THE LIST HERE: http://support.amd.com/en-us/kb-articles/Pages/AMD-Radeon-GPU-PRO-Linux-Beta-Driver–Release-Notes.aspx See also: https://support.amd.com/en-us/download/linux First and foremost, Intel drivers are auto installed and there is no reason to start to try installing any drivers for Intel graphics cards as the …

[Blank]

@wolfman

Hi @Blank,

I know you know the following but I will ask anyway!.

Have you done a full system update by changing your software sources download location to "Main server"?:

Thank's I've done all the necessary "updates and whatnot's" I don't think that is my problem. [quote="wolfman, post:2, topic:7053"]
Have you installed any graphics card drivers?:
[/quote]

This is the same set up as before my reinstall

my issue is with the Panel bar and not being able to see any of my running apps in it. (Second monitor)

[wolfman]

There might be some tips for you here:

Configuring the Second (and/or Third) Monitor in Ubuntu - Make Tech Easier

How To Use Multiple and External Displays In Linux Ubuntu

[ouroumov]

I hope I’m not gonna push you over the edge with my questions but here we go:

Do you have a screenshot of what your panels were like before?

Did you by any chance make a backup of your old ~/.config directory before nuking your install?

Cheers

[Blank]

@ouroumov

Do you have a screenshot of what your panels were like before?

Strangely I do I took a pic for records and accidentally took a shot of both screens at once.

@ouroumov

Did you by any chance make a backup of your old ~/.config directory before nuking your install?

No I did not I didn't think about it at the moment I was going crazy.

@wolfman

There might be some tips for you here:

Configuring the Second (and/or Third) Monitor in Ubuntu - Make Tech Easier

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/use-multiple-external-displays-linux-ubuntu/

Thanks I know I looked trough a lot of the web and may have looked at these but I will run over them again.

[ouroumov]

OK. When I get home tonight I’m gonna try and see if I can come up with the same kind of panel layout from scratch.

[Blank]

I Have come down off of the ledge now! All the clowns are safe for now.

@ouroumov

OK. When I get home tonight I'm gonna try and see if I can come up with the same kind of panel layout from scratch.

Got it figured out. Hear is what I had to do. to get my Dual Monitors back.
First I had to add a Menu on my second Panel (Right click on panel add Main Menu)

Then I had to (Right click add to panel Window List)

Then I Removed the Main menu from the second monitor and I am back to normal.

Not sure why but without putting the menu there first it doesn't seem to work. I tried to just put the Windows list on the panel and it never worked so hope this helps out.