3DS Max & AutoCAD on Dual screen?

AFK_Matrix · 26 Mar 2007 at 19:35

Hi,

At work I am on a 19" tft and I do so much swaping between Max and AutoCAD it would be a lot easier with 2 monitors. Now work have kept some of the 21" CRT monitors we used to use. So i have a Nvidia Quadro FX1400 in my system and that has 2 DVI connectors so i am assuming it will run the 2 monitors fine?

The other thing I would need to be able to do is run both monitors with one mouse and Keyboard. Now I remember that there was a program like this but can't remember its name, you basically just moved the mouse to the side of the screen and it would jump to the other screen??

Any help would be much appreciated.

Skeeter · 26 Mar 2007 at 20:08

if you plug in 2 monitors windows will just pick up the 2 and mirror them (same on both screens). if you go to the settings tab of your display properties you can select the second monitor and select the option to extend my desktop onto this monitor. that will then do what you want (basicaly use 2 monitors as a single monitor and scroll of the side of one onto the other, drag things accross, all sorts). its great, i do it at work.

if you want to get more advanced theres some apps that can help you (i think a good one is called ultramon or something, but someone will come along and confirm im sure) that will allow you to have a takbar on each screen that only shows applications on that screen and also have 2 screensavers, all sorts. but you dont need any applications to run 2 screens pon a single computer, windows XP will just do it by default (well, you have to select to extend onto the second monitor).

experiment, its the best way to learn!

XtAsY · 26 Mar 2007 at 20:09

Its easily achieved. You just connect the 2nd monitor to the other DVI port, and in display properties under settings, enable "stretch desktop onto this monitor" or something like that and you're good to go. The mouse will end up on the other monitor just by moving it over from the other monitor so you won't have to install any other software.

AFK_Matrix · 26 Mar 2007 at 23:57

Thanks for your replys.

I should have said what I need to have is 3DS MAX on the main screen (the CRT) and then on the second screen have AutoCAD or some other application on the second screen (19" TFT).

I assume to do this i would need 3rd party software?

Herminator · 27 Mar 2007 at 00:19

It shouldn't need third party software if you run each program windowed, and just dragged into place. But Ultramon may be worth the asking price for it's extra options. Then you'll be able to maximise to the screen of your choice.

Skeeter · 27 Mar 2007 at 10:14

with the default windows settings, if you maximise a program it will take up the whole of the screen its on, so just drag autocad accross to one screen and maximise it, and the other app onto the other. at work i have Outlook and Oracle and my fiile expolorer windows on one screen, and the other has my toolbar, and my web browsing and such. applications also remember what screen they have been maximised on, so now whenever i open oracle or Outlook it opens on the second display. no need for any other apps for this, windows just does it. Ultramon offers soime more advanced fetaures which are worth looking into, but the basics are all there included within windows.

heres a look at mine, not a very good pick, but you get the idea: