Ubuntu – Error with xorg.conf when trying to add virtual screen to fix the problem of too small screen resolution for an application on 10.1″ screen

I am using a netbook with a 10.1 inch screen and resolution 1024×600. I am running Ubuntu 10.04 LTS and when using the neural network toolbox from Matlab a window is off the screen and I cannot access the buttons. I found this answer on SuperUser link, which describes two approaches. First to press alt while moving the window off the screen upwards so that the bottom part is visible and accessible. The next option is to add to the xorg.conf file

Virtual 1024x800

There was no such file in /etc/X11/ so I created it and there were problems at reboot so the default was used. Is there a solution along these lines for Ubuntu?

I suspect that there might be a solution using xrandr.

Panning viewport

If you want to have a panning viewport, i.e., a virtual screen that’s bigger than your physical screen that moves when you move the mouse to the edge (“zoomed‐in” view), specify the desired physical resolution with --mode, the virtual screen size with --fb and the panning area (typically same as virtual screen size) with --panning.

For example:

xrandr --output VGA1 --rate 60 --mode 800x600 --fb 1280x1024 --panning
  1280x1024

Best Answer

Ubuntu has a rather complicated set of ways of configuring X11. I would try to return the configuration to it's initial default state and then follow the advice here:

See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/X/Config/Resolution#Panning_viewport

Panning viewport

If you want to have a panning viewport, i.e., a virtual screen that’s bigger than your physical screen that moves when you move the mouse to the edge (“zoomed‐in” view), specify the desired physical resolution with --mode, the virtual screen size with --fb and the panning area (typically same as virtual screen size) with --panning.

For example:

xrandr --output VGA1 --rate 60 --mode 800x600 --fb 1280x1024 --panning 1280x1024