Dual screens 1

[mechyguy]

I'm new to having a dual screen workstation and wanted to know how to set SW up to take advantage of both screens. I'd like to place the toolbars and Design Manager windows on one screen and have the workspace on the other screen. I saw there were a few discussions on this already, but I can't figure out how to get SW to operate on both screens at the same time.

I'm running a nVidia Quadro FX 4000 SDI on a Xeon 3GHz dual core, 4GB RAM. Any advice?

Thanks!

 

[NL8]

mechyguy,

I haven't tried this on Sw 08 yet, having just upgraded. But the toolbars just need to be dragged and dropped on to the second monitor, along with the File Explorer/SolidWorks resources/design Library etc. pane. The feature tree and such cannot, to my knowledge, be moved from where they are in SW and expanding the model space over both monitors just proved to be a pain because it meant that the model center for any zoom fit command was right between the two.

I'd recommend moving over the toolbars you use most frequently and the Design pane and just model on the single monitor. that's the set up I've been using for months and I love it.

 

[mechyguy]

Thanks!

I thought I had to change some settings, but I should've thought to just try moving the toolbars individually. I need to spend some time setting everything up, but this is a good start.

 

[NL8]

I ended up only throwing the toolbars that I used often enough to keep turned on but not often enough for me to use constantly on the second monitor and keeping only the toolbars that I use constantly in the main model area. Less wasted motion.

 

[mechyguy]

That's true because it'll require a few more hand motions to get the cursor to the other screen each time. Too bad it seems like you can't move a new window created in SW into the other screen. I tried, but it was bounded by the main SW window.

 

[Theophilus]

So--would you say a single, large monitor is preferred over two monitors?



Jeff Mowry

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

What did you dream? It's all right--we told you what to dream.
--Pink Floyd, Welcome to the Machine

 

[NL8]

We had that debate here when the subject of dual monitors/large single monitor. Dual monitors won out because it gives you the ability to have two separate programs maximized, one on each screen, without have to manually resize them to fit side by side. The single large monitor gives you more work space, I'll concede that, but it's still workspace for a single program at a time.

Of course, you could always go with two large monitors and have the best of both worlds, but that's just me being greedy.

 

[ctopher]

I use dual monitors: a large wide screen for CAD, and a normal 19" for other stuff.

Chris
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 08 1.1
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 10-07-07)
ctopher's blog

 

[JMirisola]

I don't understand the whole toolbars thing...by using the command manager in '07 or the 'S' key & command manager in '08, I hardly have a need for multiple toolbars. In my '08 setup, the only extra toolbar I have is for DriveWorks. Granted, I don't do nearly as much modeling as I used to, but I don't know that my setup would be much different.

Jeff Mirisola, CSWP
Certified DriveWorks AE

http://designsmarter.typepad.com/jeffs_blog

Dell M90, Core2 Duo
4GB RAM
Nvidia 3500M

 

[mechyguy]

I've always used a single monitor and found it to be adequate for virtually everything I do. I've gotten used to switching between apps and maximizing viewing sizes. It's only when I'm comparing drawings or trying to model something from a picture that I feel there is a need for dual screens. But I have to agree with DekkerDesign as it's ideal to have the best of both worlds. My workstation was recently upgraded from a 19" to dual 22" so I'm definitely loving the benefits (and office envy). I just hope I don't get downgraded one day because it'll be hard to go back!

 

[JMirisola]

I have dual monitors at work, and love 'em, so I get the whole 'dual monitor' thing. I just can't see having to do so much mouse movement by having the toolbars on a separate monitor. Given the size of monitors these days, it seems like it's unnecessary movement. Just my opinion, nothing more.

Jeff Mirisola, CSWP
Certified DriveWorks AE

http://designsmarter.typepad.com/jeffs_blog

Dell M90, Core2 Duo
4GB RAM
Nvidia 3500M

 

[Theophilus]

Mechyguy, if you stick with the new cover pages on your TPS reports, I don't think you've got anything to worry about.



Jeff Mowry

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com

What did you dream? It's all right--we told you what to dream.
--Pink Floyd, Welcome to the Machine

 

[keepinitcool]

In the nview desktop manager, under the Windows tab I have the
"Enable window spanning across multiple monitors" checked and the "Enable child window spanning across multiple displays" unchecked.

The first will allow any program to span across the two or more monitors. This is in dualview mode. If you have the same size monitors you could use span mode.

So sometimes I use the second display for parts and drop them in the assembly on the main display, or a I have the drawing in the second display while the part/assembly is in the first display.

There appear to be functions to make the cursor jump between displays, but I haven't used them so I don't know what they will do.

Another potential interesting thing is using a small touchscreen (down on the tabletop) as the second display and putting the toolbars on that screen so you could activate them with the other hand by touch (probably would have to use the large icon or text display for them to be big enough. Of course that will move your cursor there when you activate the screen. It would be like having a virtual control surface like Star Trek or something.

 

[MikeHalloran]

I use dual monitors, but I mostly keep SW in the one that's in landscape mode.

Having the second monitor in portrait mode makes it much easier to read web pages and documents there.




Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA