Add option to reapply DDC settings on wake for displays that forget DDC settings

[nicolasf]

Currently there are options to reinitialize the display on wake and on unlock.

I'd like the possibility of auto-applying the last brightness when a specific monitor wakes or unlocks.

There are some cheap portable monitors that resets their brightness configuration to 50% every time they turn on.
My current workaround is to go to that monitor and press the keys to decrease and increase brightness.

Such a feature might need a small delay before applying the configuration, but testing is required.

Congrats on the great project. This is my first Macbook after years on Linux and BetterDisplay was the first app I've bought for it.

[waydabber]

Hi there,

can you check if setting this works? Although not explicitly stated, this should be performed on wake as well (although if a display is waking too slowly, that might indeed cause an issue, let me know if that is the case!):

[nicolasf]

Hi!

Just did a quick test locking/unlocking the computer with this option, but it didn't apply the brightness.
I think it's a timing issue. A delay might be needed for my display as it takes 2-3 seconds to turn on compared to the laptop panel.

Thanks for the quick reply.

[waydabber]

Hi, can you try changing this undocumented setting in Terminal (exit the app before applying please, then restart it)?

defaults write pro.betterdisplay.BetterDisplay configureDelay 2.0

[nicolasf]

Tried some different values but it didn't work on wake.

Is this delay behaviour also applied on application startup?
If so, it seems like it's applying the brightness as soon as it opens despite the configureDelay. Tried up to 5.0.

[waydabber]

Well, just checked and indeed, the delay does not always get applied on wake. Will look into this. :)

[waydabber]

Or no sorry, did not check properly. The delay should be applied (even a 5 second one). Anyway, I'll look into this and maybe add a dedicated setting for this as it is not clear anyway that writing DDC values take place on wake.

[waydabber]

... but having said that, it seems to me the restore should happen after the delay period so if it does not work, I am not sure why that is. Could it be that the display needs a really long time until it accepts DDC commands (more than 5 seconds after wake)?

[waydabber]

Ok, sorry, I see the problem. In some version earlier I added a check to see if values were previously restored, explicitly preventing them from restoring again on wake. 🤣 So in fact restore on wake is not part of this feature (although it used to be). Sorry for the confusion. So I'll need to add this feature.

[nicolasf]

No worries!
I'll keep an eye on this issue to help testing when the time comes.

Thanks!

[waydabber]

[waydabber]

Hi, here is a test build with these features. I added an UI to change wake and config delays as well (under Application/Advanced).

https://github.com/waydabber/BetterDisplay/releases/download/v2.0.0-pre-release/BetterDisplay-v2.3.4-b30036-pre.zip