TITLE
    MacX: Positioning Windows with Multiple Monitors
Article ID:
Created:
Modified: 		10596
8/12/92
10/2/92
TOPIC


    On a system with multiple monitors, MacX assumes that the logical tops of the
    screens are at an equal height. For example, on my system, I have an Apple
    13-inch RGB and a Radius TPD. The RGB is slightly lower than the TPD, and
    is to the left of it. I have changed positioning in the Monitors control panel
    to reflect this. When bringing up a client application in rootless mode, MacX
    can position it at the top of the bounding rectangle formed by both monitors,
    therefore positioning it "off the top" of the RGB monitor, and rendering the
    window inaccessible.

    I can work around this by running in rooted mode, or by positioning the
    logical tops of the screens so that they are equal.

DISCUSSION


    This behavior is known, and in fact, it is documented in the PATHWORKS for
    Macintosh, MacX User's Guide, page 65. To move the windows, use the
    Temporarily Adorn command or the Option key as described in the same
    manual, on pages 68-69.

    The position in which a DECwindows client window appears when you open it
    is preset. Usually the client window appears approximately in the middle
    of the screen. Occasionally, in the preset position only part of the
    window might be visible, or the window might not be visible at all. This
    situation might occur if you have more than one monitor connected to your
    Macintosh.

    In the Macintosh environment, the desktop extends across all monitors
    connected to the same workstation. Because of the different sizes of
    monitors and the ways in which they can be positioned relative to one
    another (using the Monitors control panel), the Macintosh desktop can have
    portions that are not visible.

    When DECwindows attempts to position a window in the nonvisible part of the
    desktop, the MacX Window Manager takes over and places the window near the
    desktop's point of origin (the upper-left corner). If more than one window
    needs to be placed, MacX positions the windows in a cascading sequence.
    MacX automatically places a window on the largest monitor best-suited to
    display it; for example, it puts a color window on the largest color monitor
    available.




Document Information
Product Area: Apple Software; Communications-Networking
Category: MacX
Sub Category: General Topics

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