A script to change the screen resolution and restart Nautilus.

xres.py

#!/usr/bin/env python
"""
Change the screen resolution and restart Nautilus.

You may need to provide your VNC server with a list of available
resolutions. See:
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/15816/changing-the-resolution-of-a-vnc-session-in-linux
"""

#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
#  Copyright (C) 2013 Bradley Froehle <brad.froehle@gmail.com>

#  Distributed under the terms of the BSD License.
#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

import argparse
import os
import subprocess
import sys
import time

#def resolution(r):
#    # r = computers.get(r, r)
#    if r not in available_resolutions():
#        msg = "%r is not a valid resolution." % r
#        raise argparse.ArgumentTypeError(msg)
#    return r

# Fill this in with the preferred screen resolutions of your various devices.
computers = {
    'ipad': '1024x700',
    'laptop': '1280x800',
    'desktop': '1680x1050',
}

def run_xrandr():
    """Call xrandr and return list of available resolutions."""
    lines = subprocess.check_output(['xrandr']).splitlines()
    resolutions = []
    current = 'unknown'
    for line in lines[1:]:
        if line[0] not in (' ', '*'):
            continue
        r = line.split()[1:4]
        if r[1] != 'x':
            continue
        resolutions.append(''.join(r))
        if line[0] == '*':
            current = ''.join(r)
    return resolutions, current

avail, current = run_xrandr()

parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
    description='View or change screen resolution',
    )
group = parser.add_mutually_exclusive_group(required=True)
group.add_argument(
    'resolution',
    metavar="resolution",
    choices=avail + computers.keys(),
    nargs='?',
    help="Screen resolution (as '<width>x<height>') or computer name.",
    )
group.add_argument(
    '-l',
    '--list',
    action='store_true',
    help="List available resolutions.",
    )

def restart_nautilus():
    """Kill and restart nautilus."""
    with open(os.devnull, 'w') as devnull:
        subprocess.check_call(['nautilus', '-q'],
                              stdout=devnull, stderr=devnull)
        time.sleep(1)
        subprocess.Popen(['nautilus', '-n'],
                         stdout=devnull, stderr=devnull)


if __name__ == "__main__":
    args = parser.parse_args()

    if args.list:
        print("Available resolutions:")
        for a in avail:
            print(" %s %s" % ('*' if a == current else '-', a))
        print("Known computers:")
        for c, a in computers.items():
            print(" %s %s (%s)" % ('*' if a == current else '-', c, a))

    if args.resolution:
        r = args.resolution
        r = computers.get(r, r)
        subprocess.check_call(['xrandr', '-s', r])

        restart_nautilus()