I want to set up multi-seat on my PC. I already added a second VGA adapter to make things easier/possible?.

We have got:

• Kubuntu Artful 17.10 (KDE)


• systemd


• sddm (we probably have to use lightdm, as sddm lacks multi-seat features)


• Intel i5-4570S on-die gfx


• really old ATI RV710/Radeon HD4350/4550

Let us try to document a generic solution for recent Kubuntu/Ubuntu versions.

I am stuck that if I start X I don't have any input on seat0 and random noise on seat-tv.

I created a new question because those existing questions/answers are either specialized in hardware or incomplete in explaining background. At least I wasn't able to solve the problem using existing sources.

I created a community answer, so feel free to edit the answer below.

When finished I might add how to start Kodi only without display-manager and window-manager on seat-tv.

Before starting

• Backup your system and/or etc


• Install openssh-server and make sure you can login from another PC in case your local login doesn't work


• disable automatic start of display manager: sudo systemctl set-default multi-user.target
  


• think about a good name for your seats. Conventions says it has to start with seat-. I choose seat-tv.

Set-up udev rules

• read about udev rules here https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E37670_01/E41138/html/ch07s03.html http://www.reactivated.net/writing_udev_rules.html
  


• 
  

  find your hardware by using one of these

  
  
  

  $ lspci -nn
  [stripped non-audio, nongraphics]
  00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:0412] (rev 06)
  00:03.0 Audio device [0403]: Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor HD Audio Controller [8086:0c0c] (rev 06)
  00:1b.0 Audio device [0403]: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset High Definition Audio Controller [8086:8c20] (rev 05)
  01:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] RV710 [Radeon HD 4350/4550] [1002:954f]
  01:00.1 Audio device [0403]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] RV710/730 HDMI Audio [Radeon HD 4000 series] [1002:aa38]
  
  $ lsusb
  [stripped non-audio, non-input]
  Bus 003 Device 019: ID 413c:a503 Dell Computer Corp. [Soundbar]
  Bus 003 Device 018: ID 03f0:034a Hewlett-Packard Elite Keyboard
  Bus 003 Device 017: ID 046d:c050 Logitech, Inc. RX 250 Optical Mouse
  Bus 003 Device 023: ID 1915:0196 Nordic Semiconductor ASA [Mele USB remote keyboard and mouse]
  # how do I get a more useful output from lsusb?
  
  $ loginctl seat-status
  Devices:
  ├─/sys/devices/LNXSYSTM:00/LNXPWRBN:00/input/input1
  │ input:input1 "Power Button"
  ├─/sys/devices/LNXSYSTM:00/LNXSYBUS:00/PNP0A08:00/LNXVIDEO:00/input/input5
  │ input:input5 "Video Bus"
  ├─/sys/devices/LNXSYSTM:00/LNXSYBUS:00/PNP0C0C:00/input/input0
  │ input:input0 "Power Button"
  ├─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:01.0/0000:01:00.0/drm/renderD128
  │ drm:renderD128
  ├─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/drm/card1
  │ [MASTER] drm:card1
  │ ├─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/drm/card1/card1-DP-1
  │ │ [MASTER] drm:card1-DP-1
  │ ├─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/drm/card1/card1-HDMI-A-1
  │ │ [MASTER] drm:card1-HDMI-A-1
  │ ├─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/drm/card1/card1-HDMI-A-2
  │ │ [MASTER] drm:card1-HDMI-A-2
  │ ├─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/drm/card1/card1-HDMI-A-3
  │ │ [MASTER] drm:card1-HDMI-A-3
  │ └─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/drm/card1/card1-VGA-1
  │ [MASTER] drm:card1-VGA-1
  ├─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/drm/renderD129
  │ drm:renderD129
  ├─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/graphics/fb1
  │ [MASTER] graphics:fb1 "inteldrmfb"
  ├─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:03.0/sound/card0
  │ sound:card0 "HDMI_1"
  │ ├─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:03.0/sound/card0/input10
  │ │ input:input10 "HDA Intel HDMI HDMI/DP,pcm=8"
  │ ├─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:03.0/sound/card0/input11
  │ │ input:input11 "HDA Intel HDMI HDMI/DP,pcm=9"
  │ ├─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:03.0/sound/card0/input12
  │ │ input:input12 "HDA Intel HDMI HDMI/DP,pcm=10"
  │ ├─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:03.0/sound/card0/input8
  │ │ input:input8 "HDA Intel HDMI HDMI/DP,pcm=3"
  │ └─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:03.0/sound/card0/input9
  │ input:input9 "HDA Intel HDMI HDMI/DP,pcm=7"
  ├─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb3
  │ usb:usb3
  │ ├─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.0/0003:1915:0196.0027/input/input47
  │ │ input:input47 "MELE RI"
  │ ├─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1/0003:1915:0196.0028/input/input48
  │ │ input:input48 "MELE RI"
  │ ├─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.2/0003:1915:0196.0029/input/input49
  │ │ input:input49 "MELE RI"
  │ └─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb3/3-5
  │ usb:3-5
  │ ├─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb3/3-5/3-5.1/3-5.1:1.0/0003:046D:C050.0017/input/input34
  │ │ input:input34 "Logitech USB-PS/2 Optical Mouse"
  │ ├─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb3/3-5/3-5.2/3-5.2:1.0/0003:03F0:034A.0018/input/input35
  │ │ input:input35 "Chicony HP Elite USB Keyboard"
  │ ├─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb3/3-5/3-5.2/3-5.2:1.1/0003:03F0:034A.0019/input/input36
  │ │ input:input36 "Chicony HP Elite USB Keyboard"
  │ ├─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb3/3-5/3-5.3/3-5.3:1.0/sound/card3
  │ │ sound:card3 "SoundBar"
  │ └─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb3/3-5/3-5.3/3-5.3:1.3/0003:413C:A503.001A/input/input37
  │ input:input37 "Dell Dell AC511 USB SoundBar"
  ├─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb4
  │ usb:usb4
  ├─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb1
  │ usb:usb1
  │ └─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb1/1-1
  │ usb:1-1
  ├─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/sound/card1
  │ sound:card1 "PCH"
  │ ├─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/sound/card1/input13
  │ │ input:input13 "HDA Intel PCH Front Mic"
  │ ├─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/sound/card1/input14
  │ │ input:input14 "HDA Intel PCH Rear Mic"
  │ ├─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/sound/card1/input15
  │ │ input:input15 "HDA Intel PCH Line"
  │ ├─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/sound/card1/input16
  │ │ input:input16 "HDA Intel PCH Line Out"
  │ └─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/sound/card1/input17
  │ input:input17 "HDA Intel PCH Front Headphone"
  ├─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb2
  │ usb:usb2
  │ └─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb2/2-1
  │ usb:2-1
  ├─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1f.2/ata1/host0/target0:0:0/0:0:0:0/block/sr0
  │ block:sr0
  ├─/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1f.2/ata1/host0/target0:0:0/0:0:0:0/scsi_generic/sg0
  │ scsi_generic:sg0
  ├─/sys/devices/platform/eeepc-wmi/input/input6
  │ input:input6 "Eee PC WMI hotkeys"
  ├─/sys/devices/virtual/misc/kvm
  │ misc:kvm
  └─/sys/devices/virtual/misc/rfkill
  misc:rfkill
  

  
  


• 
  

  add rules by ...

  
  
  
  • 
    

    using loginctl plus above pathes to create the udev rules, but I don't recommend it. Do the bus IDs remain the same?

    
    
    

    # gfx
    sudo loginctl attach seat-tv /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:01.0/0000:01:00.0/drm/card0
    sudo loginctl attach seat-tv /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:01.0/0000:01:00.0/graphics/fb0
    # hdmi audio
    sudo loginctl attach seat-tv /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:01.0/0000:01:00.1/sound/card2
    # mele remote
    sudo loginctl attach seat-tv /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.0/0003:1915:0196.0008/input/input21
    sudo loginctl attach seat-tv /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.1/0003:1915:0196.0009/input/input22
    sudo loginctl attach seat-tv /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb3/3-2/3-2:1.2/0003:1915:0196.000A/input/input23
    

    
    
  
  
  • 
    

    This adds rule files like the following. The rule sets ID_SEAT to seat-tv if ID_FOR_SEAT matches the given.

    
    
    

    $ cat /etc/udev/rules.d/72-seat-graphics-pci-0000_01_00_0.rules`
    TAG=="seat", ENVID_FOR_SEAT=="graphics-pci-0000_01_00_0", ENVID_SEAT="seat-tv"
    

    
    
  
  
  • 
    

    or creating the udev rules manually. I prefer VendorID/ProductID for identification. File names should start with 72 because other seat related stuff in /lib/udev/rules.d is 71 or 73.

    
    
    

    $ cat 72-seat0.rules
    # do I really need to set up anything for seat0?
    # It should just grab anything not allocated to another seat?
    # Intel GFX
    # if TAG contains seat and vendor and product match the hex codes than set ID_SEAT to seat0
    TAG=="seat", ATTRSidVendor=="0x8086", ATTRSidProduct=="0x0412", ENVID_SEAT="seat0"
    
    # Dell AC511 Sound
    #/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb3/3-5/3-5.3/3-5.3:1.0/sound/card3
    #/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb3/3-5/3-5.3/3-5.3:1.3/0003:413C:A503.001A/input/input37
    TAG=="seat", ATTRSidVendor=="0x413c", ATTRSidProduct=="0xa503", ENVID_SEAT="seat0"
    
    # HP Keyboard
    #/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb3/3-5/3-5.2/3-5.2:1.0/0003:03F0:034A.0018/input/input35
    #/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb3/3-5/3-5.2/3-5.2:1.1/0003:03F0:034A.0019/input/input36
    SUBSYSTEM=="input", ATTRSidVendor=="0x03f0", ATTRSidProduct=="0x034a", ENVID_INPUT.tags="input_seat0"
    
    # Logitech Mouse
    #/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb3/3-5/3-5.1/3-5.1:1.0/0003:046D:C050.0017/input/input34
    SUBSYSTEM=="input", ATTRSidVendor=="0x046d", ATTRSidProduct=="0xc050", ENVID_INPUT.tags="input_seat0"
    
    $ cat 72-seat-tv.rules
    # ATI RV710
    #/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:01.0/0000:01:00.0/drm/card0
    #/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:01.0/0000:01:00.0/graphics/fb0
    # any graphics card should already have the master-of-seat TAG,
    # see /lib/udev/rules.d/71-u-d-c-gpu-detection.rules
    #SUBSYSTEM=="drm", KERNEL=="card[0-9]*", ATTRSidVendor=="0x1002", ATTRSidProduct=="0x954f", TAG+="master-of-seat"
    TAG=="seat", ATTRSidVendor=="0x1002", ATTRSidProduct=="0x954f" , ENVID_SEAT="seat-tv"
    
    # ATI HDMI audio
    #/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:01.0/0000:01:00.1/sound/card2
    #/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:01.0/0000:01:00.1/sound/card2/input7
    TAG=="seat", ATTRSidVendor=="0x1002", ATTRSidProduct=="0xaa38", ENVID_SEAT="seat-tv"
    #TAG=="seat", ENVID_FOR_SEAT=="sound-pci-0000_01_00_1", ENVID_SEAT="seat-tv"
    
    # Mele USB remote keyboard and mouse
    #1915:0196
    SUBSYSTEM=="input", ATTRSidVendor=="0x1915", ATTRSidProduct=="0x0196", ENVID_INPUT.tags="input_seat-tv", ENVID_SEAT="seat-tv"
    
    # TODO usb hub where all attached devices belong to this seat
    #SUBSYSTEM=="input", DEVPATH=="/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb2/*", ENVID_INPUT.tags="input_seat-tv"
    

    
    
  
  


• 
  

  you should now (after display manager restart?) realize the following

  
  
  
  • the inputs assigned to other seats should not work any more on seat0
  
  
  • screens assigned to other seats should disappear from system settings/display
  
  
  • same for the audio device
  
  

Set-Up Xorg

• create a dir like /etc/X11/xorg.conf.multiseat so it won't change your default set-up.


• fetch current xorg config with sudo Xorg :2 -configure
  


• 
  

  create file /etc/X11/xorg.conf.multiseat/90-seat-tv.conf

  
  
  

  Section "Device"
   # get this from Xorg -configure
   Identifier "Card0"
   Driver "amdgpu"
   BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
  
   MatchSeat "seat-tv"
  # Identifier "Seat-TV"
  # Option "ProbeAllGpus" "FALSE"
  EndSection
  
  #Section "Device"
  # Identifier "Card1"
  # Driver "amdgpu"
  # BusID "PCI:1:0:1"
  #EndSection
  
  Section "InputClass"
   Identifier "ignore_other_seats"
   Option "Ignore" "yes"
  EndSection
  
  Section "InputClass"
   Identifier "use_seat_devices"
   MatchTag "input_seat-tv"
   Option "Ignore" "no"
  EndSection
  

  
  



• I don't know about the commented entries.



• Do I need a similar file for seat0 or are the defaults ok?


• TODO: Server Layout

Test

• logout from gui and shutdown your window manager using sudo service sddm stop
  


• start X on all your seats - one after the other - and see what happens. startx -- -layout seat0 -config xorg.conf.multiseat, see https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Xorg_multiseat
  

Undo

• temporarily
  
  
  • enable your window manager again sudo systemctl set-default graphical.target
    
  
  


• permanently
  
  
  • delete your udev files /etc/udev/rules.d/72-*
    
  
  
  • delete your /etc/X11/xorg.conf.multseat folder
  
  

What now?

• What am I missing?


• How does the Server Layout work?


• Mele keyboard somehow is not attached to seat-tv?