[dba-Tech] Using Dual Monitors

jwcolby jwcolby at colbyconsulting.com
Fri May 30 08:37:04 CDT 2008


I finally broke down and bought a 22" flat panel for a 
second display, attached to my laptop and life is wonderful.

Except... little things still don't work quite as you might 
expect.

Don't get me wrong, the situation has improved markedly 
since the last time I tried this several years ago.  the 
desktop extends to the second monitor without a hitch.  I 
can just drag things over there and use them.  The mouse 
cursor just slides between the two monitors quite intuitively.

The second monitor is just slightly higher resolution than 
my laptop - 1440 x 900 for the laptop and 1680 x 1050 for 
the second screen.  On a 22" screen the native character 
size is just right, big enough to be seen easily by my aging 
eyes.

But, little things.  Like remote desktop.  When I set it up 
I set up the second monitor as the desktop extension.  I 
remoted in to the client and the remote machine set up at 
1440 x 900 and all is well.

However I decided to move the "main" monitor to be the new 
one.  Now remoting in tries to use the higher resolution on 
the remote desktop and the remote desktop has slider bars. 
What the heck over?  I tried switching back so that the 
laptop is the main screen but the remote access still shows 
sliders.  Sigh.  I do a LOT of remote access and this 
(sliding around the desktop) is not going to fly.

Another "niggly issue", I set up the code to be on the new 
(slightly bigger) monitor and the database container on the 
laptop (smaller).  Works fine except that when I have edits 
in multiple code windows and try to save the save dialog 
comes up on the laptop (database window) rather than the new 
monitor (code window).  I can drag the dialog over to the 
monitor but the next time it opens up it is back on the lap top.

Just little problems like that.

I hate to sound ungrateful though, this really is a marked 
improvement on a single monitor screen.


-- 
John W. Colby
www.ColbyConsulting.com



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