Multidisplay issue

gronden · Post by **gronden** » Tue Apr 17, 2012 4:02 am

Hi,

I use FSX and prepar3D with 2 monitors.

In FSX (full screen mode) I'm able to move and display the overhead panel on the secondary monitor, but in Prepar3D this seems to be not possible (the screen shows that I'm moving the panel, but it does not appear).

Is there a possible solution for this?

In fact if I switch to the windowed mode in Prepar3D, that seeems the only way to see the panel on the secondary monitor, I get less than half of the FPS.

Thanks in advance for any support and best regards

Joe

Justin Kleinert · Post by **Justin Kleinert** » Wed Apr 18, 2012 9:09 am

Hi Joe,

If you are having trouble seeing the second panel in fullscreen from startup I would suggest adding a panel only view to the second monitor. There are some directions on how to do that here (http://www.prepar3d.com/forum-5/?mingle ... opic&t=545).

Hopefully that will solve the issue for you.

Best of Luck,

Justin

gronden · Post by **gronden** » Fri Apr 20, 2012 3:15 pm

Hi Justin,

I have tried what suggested, but I'm still not able to see the overhead on the second screen.

Updateing the cameras.cfg I'm only able to have in the new window, that I can move on the second screen, the external views (with artifacts: the sky is black) but not the overhead or other panels.

Hope I'm missing something, but what?

Thanks again for the support and best regards

Joe

Justin Kleinert · Post by **Justin Kleinert** » Wed May 02, 2012 8:46 am

Joe,

It looks like the PanelOnly option works for some of the simpler panels but not the more complex ones.

Another thing that you can do as a work around, while we look into the underlying cause, is to create a transparent panel at the top of the screen. The transparent panel forces everything behind it to load.

If you go to your panel.cfg in the Prepar3D/SimObjects/Airplanes/(Your Aircraft)/Panel Folder and add the following items.

Under [Window Titles]

Code:
WindowN=Panel name

Where N is the next number in configuration and Panel name can be whatever you like. I call the panel "Loader".

Then add this to the end of the document with the N matching the number above.

Code:
[WindowN]
window_size=0.1 //percent of screen size
position=8 //Position of loading
BACKGROUND_COLOR=0,0,0 //Background color (0,0,0 is transparent)
VISIBLE=0 //1= initially visible, 0= not initially visible
ident=Panel Name //Panel Identification name
zorder=100 //Forces the panel to load on the very top

The last step is to then put this 'Loader' panel on the same monitor as the panel you want to show. I would suggest making the panel some other color, besides transparent, so that you are able to move it to the correct monitor. Once there change the panel to transparent and save your flight.

Regards,

Justin

jimcooper1 · Post by **jimcooper1** » Fri May 04, 2012 1:19 pm

Justin,

I'm sorry to report that this doesn't work for me either. Neither the Camera Configuration nor the 'Loader' panel enables me to place instrument Windows (and have them visible) anywhere other than the Primary Monitor. It seems that whatever functionality you've put in to reduce unnecesary rendering has resulted in some very necessary rendering being omitted??????

Any other suggestionson how to spread multiple instrument panels across more than one Monitor??

Jim

Justin Kleinert · Post by **Justin Kleinert** » Fri May 04, 2012 4:56 pm

Jim,

I am sorry to hear this as it is has been working for me. Can you provide me any more details on what aircraft and panels you are using and how many monitors? I will look at this as time permits.

-Justin

gronden · Post by **gronden** » Fri May 04, 2012 5:19 pm

Justin,

I think we are close to the solution but some is still missing.

In fact I was able to see one time the overhead panel on the second monitor and so I saved the flight.

The problem is that exiting from Prepar3D and running it again the overhead was still invisible ans I was never more able to have back the overhead despite several attempts.

I normally use the Wilco 737, but this happens with any other aircraft and different panels.

Thanks again for your support

Joe

janvaane · Post by **janvaane** » Fri May 04, 2012 6:30 pm

Quote:
Quote from gronden on April 17, 2012, 04:02

Hi,

I use FSX and prepar3D with 2 monitors.

In FSX (full screen mode) I'm able to move and display the overhead panel on the secondary monitor, but in Prepar3D this seems to be not possible (the screen shows that I'm moving the panel, but it does not appear).

Is there a possible solution for this?

In fact if I switch to the windowed mode in Prepar3D, that seems the only way to see the panel on the secondary monitor, I get less than half of the FPS.

Thanks in advance for any support and best regards

Joe

Make an Eyefinity group with monitor 1+2 and re-size the panels to fit e.g. 3840x1080

With 2 separate monitors AND When you undock a panel AND place it outside the main screen then the fps is divided x2 (as in FSX as well ...)

Jan

jimcooper1 · Post by **jimcooper1** » Sun May 06, 2012 12:19 pm

I have now managed to get instruments spread across Multi-Monitors, without creating a new Camera definition or a 'dummy' Loader window.

Firstly you have to be in Windowed (NOT Full Screen) Mode.

Open the Instrument Panel Window then Right-Click and select "Undock Window" and the instrument appears in it's own Window.

Drag the Window to a new Monitor then size and place as required.

Repeat for all the other Instrument Panels you require.

Invoke "Full Screen" Mode and the Instrument lose their Windows Borders

Finally Save the Flight as Default and the next time you start P3D all your instruments appear across all your monitors in Full Screen Mode!!

Regards

Jim

janvaane · Post by **janvaane** » Sun May 06, 2012 3:32 pm

Problem solved. Good shot! Happy flying ans save landings.

Justin Kleinert · Post by **Justin Kleinert** » Wed May 09, 2012 12:38 pm

Hey,

After looking into it more I believe your solution is a viable one. I think something to be aware of when setting up multimonitor is that Prepar3D windowed and fullscreen mode both expect the main screen (the view with the menu bar) to be in the same position on every load. It is also expected that the main screen will coincide with the OS' primary monitor. If you make the Prepar3D main screen on the primary monitor most if not all of the issues go away.

Thanks again for all the effort you all put in looking into this.

Regards,

Justin

thompsonpeters · Post by **thompsonpeters** » Wed May 09, 2012 2:36 pm

Quote:
After looking into it more I believe your solution is a viable one.

Just to expand on this, this solution is the same one I've mentioned using in this thread. While saving a .flt file with this works fine (you can then reload the flight and have your panels load on the secondary screens/windows), if you're opening up new panels after the sim has already loaded the full-screen view, you'll still see the same problem the original poster mentioned. That means that while yes, the solution is viable for any single-player ops, for anything in multi-player you will be unable to use this as a fix.

gronden · Post by **gronden** » Fri May 11, 2012 5:06 pm

Hi,

I have tried the suggested solution, but that does not seem to work for me: when I turn back to full screen the panel on the second monitor disappears as usual.