CAD Forum

I think I've breeched this topic here before but I just learned a new trick so I thought I'd ask again.

I was on the phone with our ERP company and he clicked on the circled area and it minimum all the screens like "Show Desktop". However he clicked it again and all the windows came back AND on the right screens...well all applications went the correct screens except one....yep Solidworks.

There is a trick I learned with SW that if you close it/restart it or something like that it stays on the screen you do that on. If you move it however it stays on the original screen or something like that. I quite attempting it because it is largely worthless.

So the question remains, is there anyway to make SW maximize on the right screen, same screen it was on when it was minimized, if you "Show Desktop" or similar?

SPerman wrote: ↑Wed Nov 09, 2022 9:18 am Only have 1 monitor.

Good suggestion, I have one display and not going back to multiples.

bnemec wrote: ↑Wed Nov 09, 2022 9:26 am Good suggestion, I have one display and not going back to multiples.

Not sure if you're being serious. If so, why is that, out of curiosity..? We all have dual monitors at work, one for our SolidWorks and generally the other is for more general stuff such as e-mails, ERP, PDF viewing. I think I'd be a lot less efficient if we were to go back to having only one monitor, but then again I wouldn't have the 'distraction' of seeing e-mails pop in every now and then.

I upgraded to 3 monitors when we added PDM. I can't imagine going back to one.

AlexLachance wrote: ↑Wed Nov 09, 2022 9:54 am Not sure if you're being serious. If so, why is that, out of curiosity..?

There are screen that is 3 screen width

For those using nVidia.
Take a look at RTX Desktop Manager.
You can set up grid for apps and save window size and where they're in profiles.
I just load the profile in the morning and everything open at the same location.

AlexLachance wrote: ↑Wed Nov 09, 2022 9:54 am Not sure if you're being serious. If so, why is that, out of curiosity..? We all have dual monitors at work, one for our SolidWorks and generally the other is for more general stuff such as e-mails, ERP, PDF viewing. I think I'd be a lot less efficient if we were to go back to having only one monitor, but then again I wouldn't have the 'distraction' of seeing e-mails pop in every now and then.

Single 43" 3480 x 2160 display. The math works out to nearly same pixel pitch (x and y) as a very standard 19" 1920 x 1080 display. Except there's four of them and no splits. So I have this web browser snapped to a quadrant and it's nearly identical in physical size as a 19" monitor. Outlook is on left half of the screen with the top half showing emails, bottom half is reading pane. Again, each of them are about the same physical size as a 19" 1920 x 1080.

Users that still have two or three displays are always fighting with SW as they don't have enough contiguous space. There's only a couple with three displays and they have SW in center with things over on the adjacent edge of both side monitors. We need to have the PDM addin open and shown all the time to see versions, and part numbers (stupid serial numbered files) Then if any glitch happens it's setting everything back up again, and usually for every environment (part, asm, dwg...) The Surface or laptop users that dock/undock have given up and just use it on the default display when docked with a viewport of about 10"x10". It's just a bunch of hassle. That's why I kind of chuckle when I read the posts about how to trick SW into working with multiple monitors. One big one is much better for me. Everyone has their own prefs though.

I remember a few years ago people complaining that SW didn't work well with 4k monitors. Has that been improved?

SPerman wrote: ↑Wed Nov 09, 2022 10:24 am I remember a few years ago people complaining that SW didn't work well with 4k monitors. Has that been improved?

From what I read it's because people are using 4k with a tiny pitch, like 4K on a ~13 Windows Surface, then using windows scaling to be able to see stuff. But SW half implemented the scaling part so it was a mixed bag. I'm not scaling.

Frederick_Law wrote: ↑Wed Nov 09, 2022 10:14 am There are screen that is 3 screen width

For those using nVidia.
Take a look at RTX Desktop Manager.
You can set up grid for apps and save window size and where they're in profiles.
I just load the profile in the morning and everything open at the same location.
RXTDesktop-01.jpg

The only time it sucks is in meetings and I have to share my screen. I don't, so I need to keep switching which window I'm sharing. I did change resolution a few times for presentation, but then I have the same problems as the multi-monitor people; SW doesn't know where to show up and all the dockings are messed up so I quit doing that. Some web meeting systems have a scaling that I use or a loupe.

bnemec wrote: ↑Wed Nov 09, 2022 10:30 am From what I read it's because people are using 4k with a tiny pitch then using windows scaling. But SW half implemented the scaling part so it was a mixed bag. I'm not scaling.

Problem is Windows API.
To use DPI scaling all UI need to use update Windows API.
Most programs were built on top of old code with combination of MS, third party and in house UI API.
It'll require a complete UI recode.


To get Scaling to work, set the screen that need scaling as Primary in Windows.
SW and other usually take scaling info from Primary display only.

4K, I can almost read the text lines.

Frederick_Law wrote: ↑Wed Nov 09, 2022 10:14 am There are screen that is 3 screen width

For those using nVidia.
Take a look at RTX Desktop Manager.
You can set up grid for apps and save window size and where they're in profiles.
I just load the profile in the morning and everything open at the same location.
RXTDesktop-01.jpg

Lol yeah I often forget about that. (screens made the size of multiple screens).

I might switch my home display to a curved ultrawide monitor soon but I've always been the hesitant type when it comes to new things like this, even if it's nothing revolutionnary. I guess it's a paradigm I have to be reluctant of new things at first.

You should skip the screen and just get VR glasses.

bnemec wrote: ↑Wed Nov 09, 2022 10:19 am Single 43" 3480 x 2160 display. The math works out to nearly same pixel pitch (x and y) as a very standard 19" 1920 x 1080 display. Except there's four of them and no splits. So I have this web browser snapped to a quadrant and it's nearly identical in physical size as a 19" monitor. Outlook is on left half of the screen with the top half showing emails, bottom half is reading pane. Again, each of them are about the same physical size as a 19" 1920 x 1080.

Users that still have two or three displays are always fighting with SW as they don't have enough contiguous space. There's only a couple with three displays and they have SW in center with things over on the adjacent edge of both side monitors. We need to have the PDM addin open and shown all the time to see versions, and part numbers (stupid serial numbered files) Then if any glitch happens it's setting everything back up again, and usually for every environment (part, asm, dwg...) The Surface or laptop users that dock/undock have given up and just use it on the default display when docked with a viewport of about 10"x10". It's just a bunch of hassle. That's why I kind of chuckle when I read the posts about how to trick SW into working with multiple monitors. One big one is much better for me. Everyone has their own prefs though.

How does having multiple apps on a single screen work? I have four screens and quite frankly that's not enough. At any given time I might have SW, possibly two launches, 2-3+ tables of excel that I often need to see at the same time, our ERP....which freakin' has a bragillion different windows that I often have to see 3+ at the same time, of course a browser, often time two, Adobe, Outlook, Word...almost alway open at the same time.

I strategically place windows on different screens based on which ones I most often have to see at the same time. So a different excel on 2-3 different screens, different ERP windows on different screens and so on.

I just don't see how one would navigate and control all those on a single screen not to mention that instead of just swivel left and right with them all on the same screen now it's left right up and down because the views are stacked.

Again I've only tried it on a small basis but I never had any luck keeping them organized vs just "Maximized" to a screen.

Frank_Oostendorp wrote: ↑Wed Nov 09, 2022 10:39 am 4K, I can almost read the text lines.
image.png

What scaling?

bnemec wrote: ↑Wed Nov 09, 2022 11:28 amWhat scaling?

That was my thought too, looks like the Windows scaling is set to 125% or 150% causing issues with SW built-in scaling

MJuric wrote: ↑Wed Nov 09, 2022 11:08 am How does having multiple apps on a single screen work? I have four screens and quite frankly that's not enough. At any given time I might have SW, possibly two launches, 2-3+ tables of excel that I often need to see at the same time, our ERP....which freakin' has a bragillion different windows that I often have to see 3+ at the same time, of course a browser, often time two, Adobe, Outlook, Word...almost alway open at the same time.

I strategically place windows on different screens based on which ones I most often have to see at the same time. So a different excel on 2-3 different screens, different ERP windows on different screens and so on.

I just don't see how one would navigate and control all those on a single screen not to mention that instead of just swivel left and right with them all on the same screen now it's left right up and down because the views are stacked.

Again I've only tried it on a small basis but I never had any luck keeping them organized vs just "Maximized" to a screen.

Some others are using tools to organize, one is a Microsoft Power Toys I think. I didn't like it an uninstalled. Another is the nVidia RTX Desktop Manager that Fred mentioned. I just snap to quadrants mostly. I have a screen shot in earlier post I think.

I'll have two or three spread sheets open, all side by side too, just on one screen instead of two or three. What I have is almost exactly a 2 x 2 grid of 19 inch monitors. So what you put on one screen, I snap to a quadrant, or my coworkers use power toys to define zones or something.

I would ask the reciprocal about how to have a vault view or other apps spanning two screens. How do you get used to the gap cutting the app in half? But each their own, what one person prefers might drive someone else crazy.

bnemec wrote: ↑Wed Nov 09, 2022 11:28 amWhat scaling?

Endless variations have been tested. Inside SolidWorks scaling of Windows has multiple effects, and of course inconsistent. We gave up, and settled for sharp vision of parts of the text.

try the following:

Start the macro editor, drag the editor window to the screen where you want Solidworks to appear. Now simply close the editor again.

This happens to me regularly when I program macros and move the editor to the second screen to observe what happens in SWX. When I close the editor on the second screen, all macro windows open on the second screen.

Frank_Oostendorp wrote: ↑Thu Nov 10, 2022 3:05 am Endless variations have been tested. Inside SolidWorks scaling of Windows has multiple effects, and of course inconsistent. We gave up, and settled for sharp vision of parts of the text.

What size display?

bnemec wrote: ↑Thu Nov 10, 2022 9:00 am What size display?

Two x 27", don't want to go to huge monitors, takes away my view to other things.

Frank_Oostendorp wrote: ↑Thu Nov 10, 2022 9:42 am Two x 27", don't want to go to huge monitors, takes away my view to other things.

Have you tried 2560 x 1440 resolution with 100% (no) scaling?


Now you've opened the door, what are the "other things"?

bnemec wrote: ↑Thu Nov 10, 2022 10:16 am Have you tried 2560 x 1440 resolution with 100% (no) scaling?


Now you've opened the door, what are the "other things"?

Yes, 2560 x 1440 @ 100% is one of the 43 we tested. 3840 x 2160 @ 100% came out as most sharp, easy for the eyes and give acceptable workspace. At least, this was for SolidWorks 2019. Now pre-testing SolidWorks 2022, there are a lot of differences.

Frank_Oostendorp wrote: ↑Thu Nov 10, 2022 10:57 am Yes, 2560 x 1440 @ 100% is one of the 43 we tested. 3840 x 2160 @ 100% came out as most sharp, easy for the eyes and give acceptable workspace. At least, this was for SolidWorks 2019. Now pre-testing SolidWorks 2022, there are a lot of differences.

I struggle to see 3840 x 2160 at 100% on a 27" monitor. That's a little over 160 pixels per inch. I would not be at a safe distance from the screen.

bnemec wrote: ↑Thu Nov 10, 2022 11:22 am I struggle to see 3840 x 2160 at 100% on a 27" monitor. That's a little over 160 pixels per inch. I would not be at a safe distance from the screen.

Sorry, slip of the pen , 3840 x 2160 @ 200%

Frank_Oostendorp wrote: ↑Mon Nov 14, 2022 2:40 am Sorry, slip of the pen , 3840 x 2160 @ 200%

Thanks for the update. I was seriously wondering how by my eyesight was getting if others are using full 4k on a 27".

Wow, I think this meets the definition of a hijacked thread.

I've been raging about SW restoring on the wrong screen for years but have not found any solution.

Remember when there was a post from SW (years ago, possibly from Matt Lorono) asking what multi-monitor support means to you? Still not addressed. Waiting, waiting,...

Uncle_Hairball wrote: ↑Thu Nov 17, 2022 2:48 pm Wow, I think this meets the definition of a hijacked thread.

I've been raging about SW restoring on the wrong screen for years but have not found any solution.

Remember when there was a post from SW (years ago, possibly from Matt Lorono) asking what multi-monitor support means to you? Still not addressed. Waiting, waiting,...

My apologies. The hijacking was my fault.

Back to the dual screen and SW showing up on the wrong one. I hooked up a second 43" 4k display Monday to test this out. After a little bit of acclimation (and a bit of vertigo), I've decided you guys are right, dual monitors do have merit.

I've realized that I never use the "Show Desktop" button in task bar. I don't use desktop for much of anything. Might be why I don't notice problems with windows restoring to the wrong location.