Solved Aero Snap on Dual Monitors

[bug67]

I have a dual monitor set up. However, when I use Aero Snap, I would like to be able to use it only on one monitor. As it is now, one window snaps to the left hand side of the left monitor and the other window snaps to the right hand side of the right monitor. Any way to make both windows snap in only one monitor?

How it is:

How I'd like it:

Possible? :huh:

"But, this guy has dual monitors. Why does he even need something like Aero Snap?"

I dunno. I like the feature on my laptop. I've found myself missing it on the desktop. It works as described above. But, I guess I'd like to make it so it just worked on only one monitor. That's all.

 

[Brink]

Hello Dave,

The only problem is when you have two monitors extended, they act as one monitor. Because of this, Aero Snap will only snap on the borders like that. I don't believe that there's a way around that.

You might see if right clicking on the taskbar, and using the Show windows side by side option when you like to have two opened windows in a monitor look like that monitor.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[MilesAhead]

For Explorer folders you can use FolderCache "SideBySide Button" it only works on the first monitor:

Hotkeys

It watches the active window for folders. Then it adds them to the list.

Also I have a utility KeyDrive on the same page. You can open Explorer windows for 2 drive letters side by side. You can set a PercentGap so that a dock like RocketDock is not covered over. Again, it only works on the first monitor since I have a single monitor system.

Another alternative is WinSize2 free utility. It's written by someone else using AutoHotKey and remembers window positions. I used it for quite awhile. It's a nice program. I think it has multi-monitor support and is quite configurable.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/winsize2/

 

[bug67]

You might see if right clicking on the taskbar, and using the Show windows side by side option when you like to have two opened windows in a monitor look like that monitor.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Thanks, Shawn. I saw that tutorial after I posted. I 'll probably give it a try when I get a chance. Looks like it'll do what I what quicker than dragging windows around the screen anyhow.

 

[arkhi]

Meh, just press Windows Key + [Arrow] Key and it'll work

e.g. Windows Key + Left Arrow Key to Snap it to the left side of your monitor

 

[bug67]

Meh, just press Windows Key + [Arrow] Key and it'll work

e.g. Windows Key + Left Arrow Key to Snap it to the left side of your monitor

Even Better! Thanks!

 

[Kari]

Too many lefts and rights in a same sentence normally makes me confused, but let's give it a try

I have no problems using Aero Snap on extended dual display system using keyboard shortcuts. Here's how it works:

• Active window on right display:
  • rb: + RA = snap to the right on the right display
  • rb: + LA = snap to the left on the right display
  • rb: + LA + LA (LA two times) = snap to the right on the left display (change display)
• Active window on left display:
  • rb: + LA = snap to the left on the left display
  • rb: + RA = snap to the right o the left display
  • rb: + RA + RA (RA two times) = snap to the left on the right display (change display)

orb: = Windows-key, RA = Right Arrow, LA = Left Arrow)

And, of course those regular shortcuts rb: + UP > Snap full screen and rb: + DOWN > restore, snap to previous place and size.

 

[bug67]

orb: = Windows-key, RA = Right Arrow, LA = Left Arrow)

I'm glad you added this disclaimer. I would've been hitting the "R,L and A" keys for ever!

 

[Kari]

orb: = Windows-key, RA = Right Arrow, LA = Left Arrow)

I'm glad you added this disclaimer. I would've been hitting the "R,L and A" keys for ever!

Seriously, I like Snap very much. It makes window handling easy.

 

[bug67]

Seriously, I like Snap very much. It makes window handling easy.

Right! And now that I know these keyboard shortcuts, I'll probably use them exclusively...even on the laptop. Way quicker than dragging windows around my screens.

 

[MilesAhead]

Too many lefts and rights in a same sentence normally makes me confused, but let's give it a try

I have no problems using Aero Snap on extended dual display system using keyboard shortcuts. Here's how it works:

• Active window on right display:
  • rb: + RA = snap to the right on the right display
  • rb: + LA = snap to the left on the right display
  • rb: + LA + LA (LA two times) = snap to the right on the left display (change display)
• Active window on left display:
  • rb: + LA = snap to the left on the left display
  • rb: + RA = snap to the right o the left display
  • rb: + RA + RA (RA two times) = snap to the left on the right display (change display)

orb: = Windows-key, RA = Right Arrow, LA = Left Arrow)

And, of course those regular shortcuts rb: + UP > Snap full screen and rb: + DOWN > restore, snap to previous place and size.

Almost to the point of Morse Code!! heh heh

 

[MilesAhead]

Seriously, I like Snap very much. It makes window handling easy.

Right! And now that I know these keyboard shortcuts, I'll probably use them exclusively...even on the laptop. Way quicker than dragging windows around my screens.

I have yet another utility that works well with Snap if you have a dock such as RocketDock. Adjust Work Area is a command line to set the work area. When you snap or maximize a window it won't cover the dock if you left room for it by adjusting the work area. One of these days I have to get a multi-monitor setup so I can modify all these single monitor doodads to handle both cases.

Faves Downloads

 

[M98Ranger]

I found an awesome open source solution that works GREAT! To get windows snap working WITH surround! It is called DualMonitorTools. Google "sourceforge dualmonitortools download" (without the quotes to get the zip file. DOwnload it and unzip it right in it's own folder then cut the folder with all the contents and paste it into your C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs folder.

Then just open the folder up and run swapscreen.exe. Then go down to the bottom right of your taskbar and right click on the icon it puts down there. Then select 'options' then select "General" and put a check mark by "Start when windows starts" if so desired. Then select the "Active ->UDA tab. Then go and right click on your desktop and select resolution to find out what your total Surround resolution is. Then go back and do the following (I will use my 3 monitor set up as an example).

My setup is 3 monitors each running 1600x900....so the total "Surround" resolution is 4800x900. But I want to set it up so that I can place any window in one of 6 positions as detailed below:
Left Side of Left Monitor
Right Side of Left Monitor
Left Side of Center Monitor
Right Side of Center Monitor
Left Side of Right Monitor
Right Side of Right Monitor

-Click change at the top right corner of the dialog
-Check the "Enable this..." at the top
-Name it "Left Side of Left Monitor"
-Leave Position at 0 and 0
-Change size to be exactly half of the monitors resolution ie each of my monitors as I stated before is 1600x900 so to fill up half of the monitor the "Size:" field needs to be set for 800x900.
-So put 800 in the first slot and 900 in the second slot.
-The hot keys will be set for alt+1 in this case and I suggest you just follow all the way through to alt+6 to make it easy.
-hit the "OK" button to confirm changes and move to the next Change button in the dialog
-Check the "Enable this..." at the top
-Put "Right Side of Left Monitor" in the name slot
-put 800 in the dialog on the left...and leave the right dialog at 0 (notice I just added 800 pixels of position to the previous position to get the window to go to the right side of the left monitor?)
-make sure that the size is set for exactly half the window space ie 800 in the first "Size:" slot and 900 in the second (this is just an example you have to do the math yourself)
-make sure the hot key is set for alt+2 (or whatever you want)
Then do it again for all of the other 4 settings.

*Note you can easily set hot keys for each one of the 3 monitors the same way.....
To get the window to fill a monitor just put the position at...for instance in my case
Position: 0 and 0 for Left monitor
Position: 1600 and 0 for Center Monitor
Position: 3200 and 0 for right monitor

and then make sure that the size is set to utilize the whole monitor ie in my case

Size: 1600 and 900 for ALL MONITORS

Incidentally I use;

ctrl+alt+z for full window in the left monitor
ctrl+alt+x for full window in the center monitor
ctrl+alt+c for full window in the right monitor

Good luck and I hope this helps you.