Multiple screens - file access?

slipd · 7 Aug 2022 at 13:44

Hi guys,

I'm using 2x identical screens, next to each other, and until really recently I was able to hold and drag an app (pdf reader/spreadsheet etc.) from my primary screen to my extended screen and maximise/work on it from there. Now though, whenever I try and drag my apps, they try to snap to the side of my primary screen. In my set up, the right hand side.

Any ideas? Is it a recent Windows (10) update thing maybe?

Thanks.

hughtrimble · 7 Aug 2022 at 13:48

Can you get past that snap barrier at all using mouse drag?

How does the window behave when using the Win key + arrows to snap the window?

slipd · 7 Aug 2022 at 13:56

hughtrimble said:
Can you get past that snap barrier at all using mouse drag?

How does the window behave when using the Win key + arrows to snap the window?

So, I just tried to drag (mouse curser on the top bar of the window) an explorer window. As soon as the mouse curser hits the edge of the screen frame it tries to expand and snap it.

hughtrimble · 7 Aug 2022 at 14:10

slipd said:
So, I just tried to drag (mouse curser on the top bar of the window) an explorer window. As soon as the mouse curser hits the edge of the screen frame it tries to expand and snap it.

But can you overcome that barrier and still move it to the next screen?

KompuKare · 7 Aug 2022 at 15:09

The only time I've seen drag& drop not work is if one of the programs is running as administrator and the other is not.
However, creating a shortcut to run a program as admin is not something which you'd do accidentally.

Wonder if any antivirus program might try and insulate or sandbox Windows Explorer and cause this?

EDIT: just to point out that my reply was totally not relevant. I didn't read the OP that closely and though this was drag&drop related. And for that running stuff as admin does interfere. No, this seems to do with snap to and those weird "helpful" stuff Microsoft do these days and I usually turn off.

hughtrimble · 7 Aug 2022 at 15:19

hughtrimble said:
But can you overcome that barrier and still move it to the next screen?

I ask this as if you can't, then something's wrong. But if you can, then that's exactly been my experience where it'll suggest snapping to the edge of any screen before it then lets you overcome that and you can snap to the next screen.

That being said, I find the Win key + arrow shortcut more useful than the mouse drag and snap.

Dup · 7 Aug 2022 at 16:21

Well worth using Windows PowerToys FancyZones for large or multiple screens for a better experience (should be in Windows by default IMO).

PowerToys FancyZones utility for Windows

A window manager utility for arranging and snapping windows into efficient layouts

docs.microsoft.com

Mcnumpty2323 · 10 Aug 2022 at 10:02

Bit obvious I know
But try dragging faster
If I don't it snaps to the first monitor
The other thing to check
At one point windows decided to swap my monitor positions
So main monitor according to windows
Was on the left not the right
So trying to drag off the left wouldn't work
As windows assumed there wasn't a monitor to the left of it

slipd · 10 Aug 2022 at 16:37

Mcnumpty2323 said:
Bit obvious I know
But try dragging faster
If I don't it snaps to the first monitor
The other thing to check
At one point windows decided to swap my monitor positions
So main monitor according to windows
Was on the left not the right
So trying to drag off the left wouldn't work
As windows assumed there wasn't a monitor to the left of it

I'm an idiot... It's my new mouse's fault - slower dpi

It was as simple as me not dragging fast enough. Sorry, should have updated sooner.

Mcnumpty2323 · 10 Aug 2022 at 17:07

slipd said:
I'm an idiot... It's my new mouse's fault - slower dpi

It was as simple as me not dragging fast enough. Sorry, should have updated sooner.

You won't be the first to do it
I noticed on mine as was switching profiles on the mouse
Main thing is you're sorted now

Bubo · 11 Aug 2022 at 08:21

Aha, this explains why I had the same thing when I got a higher DPI mouse a while back. I assumed it was a windows update that changed it so a mouse had to have a "run up" to get to the other side when dragging something. Was weird until I sussed I have to give the mouse some extra jip.