Dual monitor question
Dual monitor question
(OP)
I am running dual monitors. A 22"wide and a 20" with a quadro card and Nvidia set to Dualview. Is there any way to have a functioning solidworks window on each monitor? I guess Solidworks only runs in one display at a time. I just thought it would be nice to have a drawing on one display and a model on the other.






RE: Dual monitor question
Solidworks 2007 SP3.0
2GB Ram/3GB Switch
Quadro FX1300
P4 3.40GHz Duo XP Pro SP2.0
RE: Dual monitor question
Bradley
SolidWorks Premim 2007 x64 SP3.1
PDM Works, Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU
3.00 GHz, 4 GB RAM, Virtual memory 12577 MB, nVidia 3400
RE: Dual monitor question
We run 1 instance of SWX double-wide (spanning across the 2 monitors), with the child windows (part, ass'y, or drawing) maximized to one monitor.
Check out the settings in nView Desktop Manager, Windows tab.
The only annoying thing is the child window always opens spanned across both monitors, even though I have that option unchecked. It's a simple click to send it to one monitor, but it should be automatic. And of course nVidia's tech support is useless.
RE: Dual monitor question
Bradley
SolidWorks Premim 2007 x64 SP3.1
PDM Works, Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU
3.00 GHz, 4 GB RAM, Virtual memory 12577 MB, nVidia 3400
RE: Dual monitor question
RE: Dual monitor question
I took Enginerd1959'd advice. I was able to expand swks across both monitors, then split 2 seperate windows, one on each monitor. It will take some getting used to. So far ,so good. thanks guys
RE: Dual monitor question
My goal was to start my drawing early in the modeling process and work on both at the same time.
I tried to regenerate and also saving, but the only way the drawing would update was if I closed and reopened.
Any tips or ideas.
I'd really like the ability to do this though. It would help me a bunch, and I'm sure it would help quite a few other people too.
Maybe this is something we'll see in a future version.
BTW do any of you know of a program out there that can currently do what I'm talking about?
RE: Dual monitor question
Did you have two separate SolidWorks windows open? That would explain why your drawing didn't update. You have to have only one instance of SolidWorks open, spanning both monitors. If you have two separate SolidWorks processes running, neither one can see changes made by the other one until (a) the changes are saved to the hard drive in one instance and (b) the other instance refreshes its data from the hard drive.
Do you have any comfort level at all with macros and VBA? I have two macros whose purpose is to maximize child windows to the left or right monitors of a spanned instance of SolidWorks. There are some integer values that you would have to adjust (just trial and error) based on your resolution and toolbar locations, but it should be pretty easy to set up. If anyone's interested I'd be glad to post 'em.
RE: Dual monitor question
handleman - Post'em! I would love to give them a try.
I have always had an issue with the model view on the second monitor. It will not rotate using the Mouse wheel!
As a matter of fact when I am on just one screen the mouse wheel will occasionally "get stuck" and try to pan only. I usually have to shut down and restart to solve this issue.
I use a Logitech optical mouse (wired). Does anyone know if this is a mouse, a graphics card, or a Solidworks problem?
kd1959
Solidworks 2007 SP3.1, PDMworks
4GB Ram,3GB switch
2x AMD Opteron 254,2x 19" Viewsonic
Quadro FX 3400
RE: Dual monitor question
I guess I'm really asking...
Is it possible to make the FEATURE MGR dockable?
Windows XP / Microsoft Wireless Optical Mouse 5000
SolidWorks 2007 SP2.2 / SpaceBall 5000
Lava Lamp
www.Tate3d.com
"Right-click... It's friggin' magic!" ... Jack L. Tate
FAQ376
RE: Dual monitor question
Matt
CAD Engineer/ECN Analyst
Silicon Valley, CA
sw.fcsuper.com
Co-moderator of Solidworks Yahoo! Group
RE: Dual monitor question
Windows XP / Microsoft Wireless Optical Mouse 5000
SolidWorks 2007 SP2.2 / SpaceBall 5000
Lava Lamp
www.Tate3d.com
"Right-click... It's friggin' magic!" ... Jack L. Tate
FAQ376
RE: Dual monitor question
Matt
CAD Engineer/ECN Analyst
Silicon Valley, CA
sw.fcsuper.com
Co-moderator of Solidworks Yahoo! Group
RE: Dual monitor question
Alright I was confused. (I tried this a while ago and was posting based on memory, today I tried again and here's what I found)
Initially when I came up with this bright idea, I used one instance of solidworks. I spanned the one instance across both monitors. Then I sized the model approximately to one monitor and the drawing to the other monitor. I quickly found that I didn't like this because I use the command manager to the right and Solidworks didn't seem to "flow" for me this way.
Apparently that led me to open the 2 instances (with a vague idea of the things you stated in paragraph 1 in mind). But I figured that Solidworks would refresh the drawing with the hard drive data if I just saved my model, then moved back to the drawing, then refreshed. No dice though.
I suppose that I could just get used to the workflow of the spanned as opposed to the 2 instances. Or I'm wondering if it's possible to "mimic" 2 instances (by mimic I mean 2 menus and command managers) with VBA and macros in one spanned instance of SW???
Thoughts or feelings?
RE: Dual monitor question
I'm not sure about using two command managers. I've never tried that. Actually, the biggest workflow efficiency improvement I've found is to map the functions I use most to shortcut keys. Having to move the mouse somewhere outside the model view and zero in on a small button (depending on how high your resolution is set) can add a lot more time than you realize.
Sorry about not posting those macros. It slipped my mind. I'll try to remember when I get to work today.
RE: Dual monitor question
CODE
Dim swApp As SldWorks.SldWorks
Set swApp = Application.SldWorks
If swApp.ActiveDoc Is Nothing Then Exit Sub
With swApp.ActiveDoc.ActiveView
.FrameState = 0
.FrameWidth = 972
.FrameHeight = 688
.FrameLeft = -7
.FrameTop = -8
End With
End Sub
Sub Max2Right()
Dim swApp As SldWorks.SldWorks
Set swApp = Application.SldWorks
If swApp.ActiveDoc Is Nothing Then Exit Sub
With swApp.ActiveDoc.ActiveView
.FrameState = 0
.FrameWidth = 996
.FrameHeight = 688
.FrameLeft = 963
.FrameTop = -7
End With
End Sub