VFP on 2 monitors 1

[academica]

1. What is the proper way to work on 2 monitors (notebook + monitor)? How can 2 monitors help application development?

2. The Debugger remembers its last position and later when I use the notebook panel only, I cannot see it. Is there a way to reset the position of the Debugger to appear on the main (notebook) screen?

VFP 9.0 SP2 on XP SP3

 

[JRB-Bldr]

1. Utilizing 2 monitors is a Windows setup not involving VFP. It also requires that the appropriate Hardware support it as well.

I'd recommend that you work with someone familiar with your laptop who could help you utilize 2 monitors simultaneously.

Some of us (me) find 2 monitors merely un-necessarily distracting and don't like using it, but others do like it. Try it yourself to see if you like it or not and make up your own mind.

2. I have encountered this a number of times myself and it was annoying.

If you issue a ACTIVATE WINDOW TRACE or ACTIVATE WINDOW DEBUG, the window will open to its last 'known' location and, even if you cannot actually 'see' it, it should appear on your Windows Task bar.

Right-click on the icon within the Windows Task bar. Then either click on Maximize or Size and bring it back by changing its position or size so as to be visible. Once that is done you can move it again and/or change its size.

You could also just restore your VFP Resource table to its 'virgin' state which would return the Debug/Trace window to its original, default position and size.

Good Luck,
JRB-Bldr

 

[academica]

JRB-Bldr, thanks for the advice and the provided information. No problems for me handling both monitors in Windows.

I was hoping to make things clearer for me if I step on each line in the debugger on the second screen, while watching the program's main screen (the form) develop. You know, I need all kinds of support during the first steps into OOP.

So if anyone thinks they are using 2 monitors effectively in VFP, please share your experience.

VFP 9.0 SP2 on XP SP3

 

[Mike Lewis]

Academica,

I'm not sure about this because I've never tried it, but if you go to Tools / Options / Debug, and set Environment to FoxPro Frame, then the debugger should appear in the main VFP window. You can then perhaps drag the various debug windows over the to second monitor while running the app in main monitor.

Mike

__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

Visual FoxPro tips, advice, training, consultancy
Custom software for your business

 

[Nifrabar]

Academica,
Look out for next pitfall:
If you are having in your code references to an ACTIVE object than quit easy, if you use the debugger, there will appear errors as at that particular moment there is no active object in the VFP-app.
-Bart

 

[alan92rttt]

I have been running vfp 9 on two monitors for the past two years. No real issues. With the debugger running outside of the VFP frame everything works the same as it did on a single monitor system the only difference it I can see both at the same time. My monitors are both the same size and right beside each other so I stretch the VFP desktop to cove4r both of them the extra work space it nice. The only down side is that some windows center right on the break between the monitors. This makes those windows harder to work with.

Alan

 

[TamarGranor]

Check out Doug Hennig's blog posts on this topic:

http://doughennig.blogspot.com/2007/04/handling-multiple-monitors.html

http://doughennig.blogspot.com/2010/02/multiple-monitor-class.html

Tamar

 

[academica]

Thanks for this posting, Tamar. I checked it and it provides very useful info.

VFP 9.0 SP2 on XP SP3

 

[Steve Bowman]

would it not fix you up if you use two different resource files one for double monitor and one for single? If i remember it is the foxuser resource file that keeps the window positions. and if you forgot and got the debug window in the off screen position SET RESOURCE OFF or SET RESOURCE TO SingleMON (my single monitor resource file) fix you up


Steve Bowman
Independent Technology, Inc.
CA, USA