Using InTouch with Multi-Monitors
Tech Note 968
Using InTouch with Multi-Monitors
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Topic#: 002789
Created: May 2013
Introduction
As computer performance and processing power improves, multi-monitor setups are very common. The multi-monitor mode is
documented by the graphic card manufacturer, but is usually not covered in detail. Developers often overlook the mode differences
unless they have developed on one mode and deployed the InTouch application on another mode.
The mode you select will affect how you develop your InTouch Application.
This Tech Note explains the available multi-monitor modes provides InTouch display details for each mode.
Application Versions
All InTouch versions
Overview
There are generally 3 modes for multi-monitor setups.
Clone Mode
Extended Mode
Horizontal Stretch Mode
Clone and Extended modes are the most common modes supported by most graphic cards that have more than 1 port. Horizontal
stretch mode is only supported on higher performance graphic cards. Do not assume that the computer that you are developing InTouch
application on has horizontal stretch mode, and that the actual live system has the same capability.
Clone Mode
As the name implies, the Clone Mode "clones" the primary screen across all the monitors. This mode is mostly used for presentations
where the second monitor is a projector.
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Using InTouch with Multi-Monitors
FIGuRE 1: CLONE MODE: BOtH
mONItORS DISPLAY tHE SAmE INfORmAtION
Extended Mode
Extended Mode is the most commonly-used mode. This mode extends the desktop to the second monitor. Each monitor can have its own
resolution setting, refresh rate and quality. This mode is suitable where you have 2 monitors of different sizes. The most distinct feature
of this mode is that when you maximize an application like Internet Explorer, it only maximizes to one monitor rather than two.
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Using InTouch with Multi-Monitors
FIGuRE 2: EXtENDED MODE: EAcH MONItOR CAN HAVE
DIffERENt RESOLutION
Horizontal Stretch Mode
The Windows desktop is stretched across 2 monitors and is treated as one large desktop. As such, the resolution can be thought of as
the horizontal dimension of two individual monitors. For example:
Monitor 1 is running as 1280 X 1024
Monitor 2 is running as 2180 X 1024
The desktop area is thus now running at 2560 X 1024
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Using InTouch with Multi-Monitors
FIGuRE 3: HORIZONtAL StREtcH MODE: WINDOwS
DESKtOP
SEES BOtH MONItORS
AS
ONE SINGLE DESKtOP
Most of the time the display mode is configured from the graphic card's User Interface. Figure 4 (below) shows an example:
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FIGuRE 4: MONItOR DISPLAY SEttINGS
Monitor Resolution and InTouch
The resolution that Windows desktop sees the monitors is also what determines the screen resolution when you create an InTouch
Application.
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In Clone and Extended modes, the InTouch Application resolution is only one monitor size. This means that when you click the
Maximize button of WindowViewer, it only maximizes to one monitor, and the other monitor is empty. Of course you don't have to run
in Maximized mode. You then manually resize the WindowViewer to the second monitor. But do remember that you have to do this every
time you restart WindowViewer or the computer.
The resolution that Windows desktop sees the monitors is also what determines the screen resolution when you create an InTouch
Application. Figures 4 and 5 (below) show WindowViewer maximized to only one monitor, and WindowViewer maximized to two monitors
in horizontal stretch mode.
FIGuRE 5: WINDOwVIEwER MAXImIZED
tO
ONE MONItOR
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Using InTouch with Multi-Monitors
FIGuRE 6: WINDOwVIEwER MAXImIZED AcROSS TwO MONItORS
IN
HORIZONtAL StREtcH MODE
Although the InTouch Manager has a built-in function to convert between resolutions, the outcome may not be desirable - especially
when an Application is stretched from a smaller resolution to a larger resolution. As you can see from the figures above, the objects and
text boxes are stretched and are out of proportion. Also, if there are any scripts that open popup in a pre-defined XY location, they will
be affected.
It is important that as a developer, you identify which multi-monitor mode to use as this will affect the resolution that you will use to
develop your InTouch application.
Summary
Identify the type of multi-monitors mode to use.
Make sure the hardware supports the mode in particular if you have a separate development station and live station.
M. Ang
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