Max5 on Dual Monitor's

[Bobo]

Originally posted by Groovedog
I hope this hasnt' been answered before. I have a friend that is ranting about Softimage and how the workspace can span two dual monitors.
I recently saw this at a Softimage demo. It was fantastic! The gui stretched across the two screens. The main UI was on the left and you could modify the right screen to your liking. My friend is a model \ texture artist so he opens some of the texture tools on the right screen. Modeling on the left \ texturing on the right. All at the same time.

It seemed like it would increase productivity to be able to leave those windows open.

Just curious. I searched the help for monitor \ display \ and video and didn't find anything.

(I currently leave photoshop open on the right screen.



Most professional Max users I know have worked on dual monitors for the past 5 years. All of them say that once you start working with Max on duals, you can never go back ;)

In the past, before the nice dual (even tripple) cards came out, some people used two video cards to drive the monitors. This meant that one of the displays was the primary (accelerated) one, and the second was used for the UI elements. (this is why the command panel can be floated btw).
Nowadays both displays are usually driven by the same card and you basically have a very large OpenGL accelerated desktop you can stretch your Max viewports to, or keep the viewports on the one and all the floaters on the second...


I remember writing a script that opened about any window on the second monitor. (Track View, Select by Name etc.)

I will have to search for it though.

Lately, I posted a modified version of the TrackView opener for Max 5.1 to the Max Support forum which would open the TrackView maximized on the second monitor.

If I can find them, I will post a link.

[Bobo]

Originally posted by Bobo
Lately, I posted a modified version of the TrackView opener for Max 5.1 to the Max Support forum which would open the TrackView maximized on the second monitor.



Ok.

Find the file UI/Macroscripts/Macro_TrackView.mcr and replace the first macro with the following code:


macroScript LaunchFCurveEditor
category:"Track View"
internalcategory:"Track View"
toolTip:"Curve Editor (Open)"
buttonText:"Curve Editor..."
Icon:#("TrackViewTools",23)
(
on execute do
(
-- Open the track view
max_window = getMaxWindowSize()
if (trackviews.open "Track View - Curve Editor" layoutName:"Function Curve Layout" pos:[max_window.x/2,0] height:max_window.y width:(max_window.x/2) ) == true then
(
-- Set up the parameters for a fcurve editor
if trackviews.current != undefined do
(
trackviews.current.setname "Track View - Curve Editor"
)
)
else (
messageBox "The Track View window could not be opened.\nThe maximum number of editors may have been reached.\nTry closing and deleting existing Track Views." title:"Track View"
)
)
)



Next time you open the TrackView, it should expand on the complete second monitor. This is just an example what is possible using MAXScript.

[dvornik]

Which card is your friend using? If it's anything Nvidia-related search for "nview" and "dualview". Max works on most dual-monitor setups really well anyway.

[edit] Bobo, in my case the script didn't launch the curve editor on the second monitor whatsoever. It split my first monitor in half. You know why? It was written for the "Span" mode. So - use it only if you use the Nvidia's Nview Span or similar mode. Most cards have an equivalent. If you're like me and think that Dualview is the more sane option - just hit the maximize button.

[Groovedog]

I hadn't played with Nview. That seems to be the answer. I need to buy a better card though.
I have a Geforce 4 Ti 4200 in the agp slot and a mx in the pci slot. The second monitor is god slow. I need to get a dv adapter so I can hook both to the TI

[dvornik]

Hook them both to the Ti with an adapter. There's no performance loss. Ti 4200 is very good, i wouldn't change it now. You may search this forum for "softquadro" though.

Remember - there are 2 very different options:
1. Nview Dualview
2. Nview Span

http://download.nvidia.com/windows/40.72/nView_20_Users_Guide.pdf

[MFreywald]

Definatly do the softquadro. It really does enhance the viewport speed. I also use a dual monitor setup but usually only for reading tutorials on the one while working with max on the other. My other monitor is only a 17" so I cant get to 1600x1200 with it like I normally use when just using max on my main 21"

[EricChadwick]

I am fortunate enough to have two 21" monitors of the same brand/model. Both are set to 1600x1200.

I've moved the command panel, material Ed, trackview, etc. all over to the 2nd display, then I use a single viewport in Expert Mode on the primary.

Really frees up space. Very nice workflow. I also put reference images, videos, help files on 2nd display.

Bobo's right on the money about scripted methods to auto-open and position windows on the 2nd display. You can use the Listener to grab the code for auto-opening mat-ed, etc. everytime you start max.

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